Can I Eat Almonds with IBD? What You Need to Know | Ep 007

Today, I am going to answer the question, “Can I eat almonds when I have been diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease?” Then, I will walk you through the almond flour nutrition facts. (Yes, I will explain how we need to go from talking about almonds straight to almond flour. I won’t leave you hanging.)

If you have ever wondered about these questions – you are not alone. When you are in the middle of a flare, it can be challenging to try and figure out what you can eat that won’t make your symptoms worse. Here’s what you need to know about almonds.

Let’s examine the evidence-based information about almonds when it comes to IBD.

Variety: Although almonds are generally referred to as nuts, they are actually tree nuts. When we talk about almonds, this applies to all varieties. Today, I will address whole almonds, almond slivers, almond flour, and almond meal. I will not be going over almond butter, almond milk, or almond oil. Those will be covered in separate segments.

Are almonds included in the IBD Vegan diet? Yes, with a few notable restrictions that I will walk you through.

Benefits: Research has shown that almonds reduce inflammation, help to regulate blood sugar, lowers blood pressure, lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and are satiating (meaning eating them reduces hunger).  

Almonds are high in healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, protein, and nutrients such as vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, copper, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and antioxidants (found in the almond skin) to help protect against oxidative stress.

They can also increase the good bacteria in your gut (eating them without the skins) as it helps your microbiome.

Cautions: Eating whole or raw nuts in general can trigger IBD symptoms. You need to cook or roast almonds and then ground or mill them. On a side note, you should avoid phosphates from nuts if you suffer from kidney disease or are in an active flare where you have identified you have phosphate sensitivities.

Elimination Diet Phase: During the elimination and reintroduction phases, you can try almonds unless you have kidney disease or are sensitive to high phosphates during a flare, then strongly consider excluding almonds from your diet. Depending on how that experiment goes, because of the many benefits you can make your own decision about eating almonds when you are in remission.

Skins: A reminder about fiber:

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool and increases the volume and amount of bowel movements that you may experience. Insoluble fibre is found in the seeds and skins of some fruit and vegetables and in whole grains.

Soluble fibre, in contrast, dissolves in water to form a gel that helps to slow and solidify bowel movements. Soluble fibre comes from the flesh of some fruits and vegetables and legumes. It can also help lower cholesterol and decrease blood sugar, if you have diabetes. There is strong evidence that soluble fibre supports the beneficial effects of the gut microbiome.

Now, let’s talk about an important part of successfully introducing almonds into your IBD Vegan Diet. If you have IBD, you cannot eat the skins of the almonds as they can trigger IBD symptoms. Instead, you need to look for “blanched” almonds, which means the skin has been removed.

It is also important to note that almond meal is made from ground almonds with the skins on, while almond flour is skin-free.

Preparation: You cannot eat raw or whole almonds without triggering symptoms. They must be cooked or roasted without the skins and ground or milled (like in almond flour or almond butter). You can buy almonds with the skins removed, usually in bulk. By removing the skins of the almonds, you are removing the lectin, which research has shown causes inflammation.

Portion Limits - Almonds: The maximum portion limit per FODMAP research for whole or slivers that have been blanched (without the skins) is 1/8 cup or 12 grams, which is about 10 nuts. But remember, you cannot eat whole or raw nuts without the likelihood of triggering IBD symptoms. This would be something better tried when you are in remission.

Portion Limits – Almond Flour: So, the question then becomes, “What can I try during the reintroduction phase, to experiment with when I don’t have symptoms?” The maximum portion limit per FODMAP research for almond flour is 1/4 cup or 24 grams. Remember, almond flour is made from almonds without the skins. It provides a light, fluffy, cake-like texture with a neutral flavor when baking.  

Substitutions: Almond flour, which is made from blanched almonds, removing their skins, is a good substitution for both almond meal (which does have the skins included) and all-purpose flour that is made from wheat. Remember, wheat causes inflammation. 

Card: Here are the complete cards for almonds. Stay tuned for the upcoming almond flour nutrition facts. 

CALL TO ACTION: If you are new to the world of FODMAPs, for more detailed information, check out my segment on FODMAPs here. I will put the link down in the description section. Be sure to check it out because this is an important part of understanding dietary needs with an IBD diagnosis.

Nutrition Facts: What are the nutrition facts for almond flour?

Before we dive into that, remember before embarking on any dietary changes, you should consult with a registered dietician or another member of your healthcare team.

Nutrition Card: Here, we are looking at almond flour since it is made without the skins, where almonds should be eaten cooked (not raw) and ground (not whole). If you use other varieties, use the resource listed in the lower right corner of the screen to access the database. For those of you listening to the podcast, this is the FoodData Central database by the United States Department of Agriculture located at fdc.nal.usda.gov forward slash.

The portion size used was 100 grams. You will have to adjust the portion size and average nutrition amounts accordingly.

Lastly, note the high level of phosphorus in almond flour. This shows you how almonds have a high amount of phosphorus and should be avoided in the elimination and reintroduction phases if you have kidney disease or are sensitive to phosphates when you are experiencing an active flare.

This is IBD Vegan. I am your host, Alexis, and I want you to remember, it is possible to become more educated, resilient, and feel empowered for a better quality of life. 

--------------------

REFERENCES

🗎 Bond, S. (2023, October 16). 23 Types pf Almonds (with photos!). Live Eat Learn. https://www.liveeatlearn.com/types-of-almonds/   

🗎 Crohn’s and Colitis of Canada. (2019). Diet and Nutrition: Eating with IBD. Crohn’s and Colitis of Canada. https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/About-Crohn-s-Colitis/IBD-Journey/Diet-and-Nutrition-in-IBD/Eating-and-Drinking-with-IBD# 

🗎 Crohn’s and Colitis of Canada. (2021, November). IBD Kitchen (Part 1). Crohn’s and Colitis of Canada. Ebmed Inc. https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Crohns_and_Colitis/documents/Support/IBD%20Kitchen/EBMed-IBD-Kitchen-Part-1_NOV29-2021_1.pdf   

🗎 Elkins, L. (2015, February 23). Your Kidney-Friendly Food Plan: Managing Phosphorus. American Kidney Fund. https://www.kidneyfund.org/article/your-kidney-friendly-food-plan-managing-phosphorus 

🗎 Gundry, S. R. (2018). The Plant Paradox Cookbook, p. 18. Harper Wave, HarperCollinsPublishers. 

🗎 Leech, J. (2023, October 30). 9 Evidence-based health benefits of almonds. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-proven-benefits-of-almonds#TOC_TITLE_HDR_11 

🗎 Monash University. (2019). High and low FODMAP foods. Monash University. https://www.monashfodmap.com/about-fodmap-and-ibs/high-and-low-fodmap-foods/   

🗎 My Food Data. (n.d.) Amino acids: Nutrition Data Tools [database]. Protein Comparison Table, Amino Acid Protein Calculator, MyFoodData.com. https://tools.myfooddata.com/ 

🗎 Shepherd, S. (2013/2014). The Low FODMAP Diet Cookbook, p. 9. The Experiment. 

🗎 Sugihara, K., Masuda, M., Nakao, M., Abuduli, M., Imi, Y., Oda, N., Okahisa, T., Yamamoto, H., Takeda, E., & Taketani, Y. (2017). Dietary phosphate exacerbates intestinal inflammation in experimental colitis. Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition, 61(2), 91–99. https://doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.16-117 

🗎 U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). FoodData Central [database].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

--------------------

HEALTH DISCLAIMER

⚠️ This content is not meant to replace medical or other professional advice. We strongly encourage you to seek advice from a licensed nutritionist, medical doctor, or other professional for your specific needs, if necessary.