An Almond-Based Low Carbohydrate Diet Improves Depression in Diabetics
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
If you start dropping weight you start feeling better because you are fueling your body better, you have more energy, you have a sense of accomplishment from dropping weight, etc. It's not exactly rocket science. I don't think it's a coincidence that high levels of obesity and depression are both extremely high in the United States.
If people lifted weights, engaged in cardiovascular activities, and tracked the calories they consumed depression levels would fall off a cliff. You wouldn't put sugar water into your high performance car, but apparently we have no problem consuming absolutely gnarly things regularly.
- there's quite a lot of variation in carbohydrate intake in LCD and fat intake in LFD group (even though there are statistically significant differences between the groups).
- they did not control for protein.
- they could have made things a lot simpler by stating macros for each diet in grams instead of in terms of ancient Chinese measurement units. Simply replacing almonds for part of the "staple food" (admittedly high carb) was also strange, although understandable to improve compliance.
- we know simply losing weight improves metabolic markers. People in the LCD lost weight. It is hard not to ascribe the improvements to that. That could say something about the potential of LCD for weight loss given the difference in calories between groups wasn't statistically significant.
3 almonds are equivalent to 1 tomato according to this Mother Jones article (2014) [1].
AFAIK our almonds here in NL are imported, while we are known for our tomato export.
[1] https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/02/wheres-calif...
Note that agricultural water use is ~40% of water use.
Also note that California produces 80% of the world's almonds, but something like 1% of the world's meat.
It's not even sensible to discuss almonds in the face of water use for meat production. As long as your calories are filtered through another mammal, it will always be extremely inefficient.
It would make more sense as a water-to-calorie comparison of almonds vs meat.
Alfalfa uses a metric crapton more water per calorie, and is the main source of feed for many cattle & hogs. I think if you do the water-to-calorie comparison, the numbers will only get much much worse for meat due to the mammal's energy that needs to be fed, but I'm more than happy to be proven wrong.
I personally don't consider it "water usage" for a plant to soak up rain; it only becomes a problem when we're pulling water out of non-replenishing sources, or those that don't replenish as quickly as we use them up. Aquifers etc. Or diverting entire streams & rivers, things like that.
My garden "uses" a lot of water each year, but it's all rainwater. I don't pump any water onto it from anywhere. If it weren't my garden, it would be some native plants in their stead.
Edit: Also, I got curious and googled this topic, came up with this: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1772...
Is this in all of the US, or...?
Water supply is a very localized thing, so comparing water usage in say, Iowa to water usage in California isn't really apple-to-apples. You won't solve California droughts by reducing water usage in Iowa, for example.
>Also note that California produces 80% of the world's almonds, but something like 1% of the world's meat.
If these numbers are accurate, it seems like it's more sensible to discuss almonds in the face of water usage and eschew talking about meat, since California in the midst of its many droughts is specifically using a lot of its local water supply on almonds, not meat.
edit: the numbers I found from a quick Wikipedia search are that 11% of Cali's Ag water is used on pasture forage (though this doesn't necessarily mean it's for meat; from other information on the Wiki page it looks like a lot of this pasture forage is for horses), and 18% on Alfalfa which is exported as cattle feed. So that's anywhere from 18% - 29% on "meat and meat products", whereas 34% is "fruit and nuts" (it's unstated how much of that is almonds).
Almond production does not require a lot of water. California almond growers use a lot of water because they're allowed to get away with it.
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/board_info/faqs.h...
Do you have any sources on that specific 1/20th water usage claim?
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/05/19/407760579/wh...
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Propylene_oxide#se...
The amount of propylene oxide remaining on the almond after pasteurization and whether or not it would have substantial effects on humans after consumption doesn't seem clear, but I didn't know that before. Apparently organic or specialty almonds be pasteurized with steam and other non-chemical techniques.
Buy organic almonds.
There are compounds in almonds that bind to testosterone, and that would sure do it. But also get all of the Maslow's hierarchy of needs sorted-out to reduce resting BP, LDL, triglycerides:
- Lose weight
- Eat better - eat what bodybuilders do, but in SMALLER quantities - more lean/simple protein, more vegetables, less simple carbs, better fats - more water before meals
- Workout almost like a goddamn gym rat (cardio, strength, flexibility, yoga)
- Sleep hygiene - get outside more, remove screens/TV/mobiles from all bedrooms, exercise in the morning, strict bed time
- Have more sex
Source?