Food scientists are looking at the components of almonds to adapt the nut’s weight control, blood glucose and blood lipid managing factors as functional foods or nutraceuticals.
As well as their high protein content, monounsaturated fat and fibre, almonds contain as much calcium as cow’s milk as well as good amounts of vitamin E and some vitamin B.
Food researchers from IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) have studied people eating diets supplemented with almonds and compared them people on other weight loss diets to unlock the weight control benefits of almonds.
Almonds Better than Complex Carbohydrates for Weight Loss
The researchers compared two low calorie diets – an almond-enriched (high monounsaturated fat) diet, and a complex carbohydrate-enriched (high carbohydrate) diet – on people with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Both diets were matched for calories and protein levels.
Sixty five overweight and obese people aged between 27 and 79 participated in a randomized 24-week trial in which they either ate the diet enriched with 84 grams of almonds a day or their choice of low calorie complex carbohydrate diet.
The researchers said both diets were more effective at helping participants lose weight than long-term pharmacological interventions.
However, the people who ate the almond–enriched diet had a 62% greater reduction in weight and BMI, 50% greater reduction in waist circumference, and 56% greater reduction in fat mass compared to those on the low calorie complex carbohydrate diet.
The study,Almonds vs complex carbohydrates in a weight reduction program, by M.A Wien et al. was published in the International. Journal of Obesity.
Almonds Leave You Feeling Full
Dr. Wein and his colleagues hypothesised that the high levels of protein and fibre in the almond-enriched diet resulted in a feeling of satiety or fullness after eating, so that people were not so tempted to overeat.
The subjects who ate almonds were issued with weekly allowances of pre-packaged whole unblanched, unsalted almonds which they could eat whenever they liked.
The fact that the almond eaters could have their almonds at any time of day, reduced the urge to snack on inappropriate foods, as they could snack on almonds.
Almonds Can Reduce Blood Cholesterol, Glucose Levels
Dr. Wein stated in the abstract to the paper that “given the almonds in this way, the subjects benefited most from favourable changes in blood lipids” from consuming high levels of monounsaturated fat and low levels of saturated fat.
Participants with metabolic syndrome, hypertension and cholesterol problems all benefited from this almond-enriched diet.
Their blood glucose and insulin levels, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and LDL to HDL ratio all decreased significantly, Dr. Wein stated.
What’s In Almonds
One ounce of almonds (28 grams or about 23 almonds) contains:
- Protein: 6 grams
- Monounsaturated fat: 10 grams
- Fibre: 3.5 grams
- Calcium: 125mg
You might also be interested in Portion Control Key to Weight Loss, Oatmeal to Lower Your Cholesterol, or Why Garlic is Good for Your Health.
Sue Cartledge - I'm a science, health, nutrition and lifestyle journalist, fascinated by the way the physical world operates in all its forms, and how ...
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