You've Heard of an Almond Mom—Now Meet Woman's 'Almond Husband'

You might be familiar with the almond mom trend that's swept social media, but a woman has gone viral after revealing that it's not her mother she has to worry about—it's her "almond husband." Social media user Tess posted a video on TikTok (@tessplk) highlighting her husband's immaculate preparation of fresh produce, the vegetables and nuts he snacks on when hungry, and even his idea of a delicious "sweet treat"—a banana and a piece of dark chocolate. Speaking to Newsweek, Tess, 37, said that her husband Marcel is "extremely disciplined about his nutrition" and pays attention to everything that goes into his body. "He does intermittent fasting every day, so he starts eating at around 3 p.m., only eats healthy food, tries to avoid artificial sugar, processed foods, and whenever I eat junk food, I eat it alone," Tess, from Germany, said. "He tries to eat within an eight-hour window, and when he wants a snack, he has dried fruits, nuts, fruits, pickled or raw veggies."

Intermittent fasting means only eating within a specific window each day, which prolongs the period when the body has burned through calories and begins burning fat. Although it's unsafe for everyone, Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests it can boost memory, improve heart health and prevent obesity. Since the clip was shared in July, it has gone viral with over 2.9 million views and more than 282,400 likes on TikTok.

What Is An Almond Mom?

The almond mom trend on social media is thought to have come from a resurfaced clip of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The clip shows young supermodel Gigi Hadid telling her mom, Yolanda Hadid, that she felt weak. Her mom advised her to have a couple of almonds and chew them thoroughly. Many TikTok users have reshared the clip to highlight the dangers of extreme dieting. When Tess joined the trend with her "almond husband" post, it was all in jest. She says Marcel is just interested in nutrition and eating healthily. While for many, the almond mom trend refers to being restrictive, Tess explains that her husband is simply trying to fuel his body with good nutrients. "For me, it's funny, and I can laugh about his almond antics. I'm glad I get the benefits of his knowledge and motivation to eat healthily because otherwise, I wouldn't eat as healthy," she said. "He cooks and prepares food for me every day, and the only meal I make for myself is breakfast, as he doesn't eat it."

Dr. Charlotte Norton, chief medical officer of The Slimming Clinic, says intermittent fasting can put bodies into a "calorie deficit which causes short-term weight loss." There are different plans that people can follow if they're fasting, including Marcel's, in which he fasts for 16 hours and eats for 8. An alternative is the 5:2 diet, whereby people fast for two days a week with a very limited amount of calories and consume a balanced diet for five days. As it's such a big adjustment, Norton highlights the importance of getting plenty of nutrients from food to help during fasting. She told Newsweek: "You need to make sure that every meal counts, so you need to make sure that you're not just eating anything. The main part of your meals should be based on protein, so that's beans, lentils and pulses, tofu, meat, fish, chicken, yogurts [and] eggs. "If you've got a higher amount of protein, you're going to feel fuller, so you're not going to feel as hungry when fasting. Also, maximize your green, leafy vegetables." Of course, it's not for everyone and Norton urges women trying to conceive, breastfeeding, or people who have type 1 diabetes not to intermittent fast. Anyone with a history of disordered eating or who needs to take medication at specific times with food should avoid it, too. "Fundamentally, fasting has got to work in with your lifestyle long term," Norton added.

How Did TikTok React?

After her video captured so much attention online, Tess shared a follow-up video about what it's like to live with an "almond husband." In that clip, she revealed that he tracks all his nutrition on a spreadsheet, grows his own basil sprouts, drinks algae water, and has a plate of veggies as a healthy snack. The second video also went viral, gaining over 1.2 million views and 80,500 likes on TikTok. Tess never anticipated that her posts would generate so much attention online, and the responses have been largely mixed on social media. "It's been very controversial, and people either love it and are envious of having a husband like him, or they hate it and say it's a nightmare because it's obsessive," Tess told Newsweek. "I literally eat anything and love having an intuitive approach to food. I just wanted to make a funny video about the habits of my husband for people's amusement," she said. With over 2,900 comments on the video about living with an almond husband, social media users were fascinated by Marcel's regimented way of living. One comment reads: "I know this man's gut health is thriving." Another TikTok user wrote: "He's not an almond husband. He's a healthy husband. You won the lottery actually." But it isn't for everyone, as one TikToker said: "That's my absolute nightmare." Another commenter joked: "My husband won't even eat a vegetable without acting like I'm poisoning him." Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.