Appetitive, dietary and health effects of almonds consumed with meals or as snacks: a randomized, controlled trial

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 67; no. 11; pp. 1205 - 1214
• Main Authors: Tan, S Y, Mattes, R D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01-11-2013; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/700/2814; Adult; Almond; Alpha tocopherol; alpha-Tocopherol - administration & dosage; alpha-Tocopherol - pharmacology; Appetite; Appetite - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body weight; Clinical Nutrition; Control; Diet; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; Dietary Fats - blood; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Energy Intake - drug effects; Epidemiology; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated - blood; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated - pharmacology; Feeding; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose; Glucose Tolerance Test; Health aspects; Humans; Hunger; Internal Medicine; Male; Meals; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Nutrients; Nutrition research; Nuts; Original; original-article; Plant Preparations - pharmacology; Postprandial Period; Prunus - chemistry; Public Health; Satiation; Satiation - drug effects; Snacks; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weight; Weight gain; Young Adult; United States; randomized-controlled trial; body weight; blood glucose; appetite; almonds; Appetite; Health; Body weight; Meal; Metabolic diseases; Corporal biometry; Glucose; Blood; Feeding; Randomization; Diet; Clinical trial
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.184

Background/Objectives:
Snacks contribute toward a significant proportion of human total daily energy intake. This study investigated the effects of almonds, a satiating and nutrient-rich, common snack, on postprandial glycemia, appetite, short-term body weight and fasting blood parameters when consumed with meals or alone as a snack.
Methods:
This was a 4-week randomized, parallel-arm study that entailed consuming almonds (43 g/day) with breakfast (BF) or lunch (LN), alone as a morning (MS) or afternoon (AS) snack or no almonds (CL). Participants (
N
=137) with increased risk for type 2 diabetes completed an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and acute-feeding session at baseline, followed by almond consumption for 4 weeks before repeating the OGTT and acute-feeding trials. Anthropometric, biochemical and appetite responses were assessed.
Results:
Almonds lowered serum glucose responses postprandially. Effects were most prominent in the snack groups. Almonds, consumed as snacks, also reduced hunger and desire to eat during the acute-feeding session. After 4 weeks, anthropometric measurements and fasting blood biochemistries did not differ from the control group or across intervention groups. Without specific guidance, daily energy intake was reduced to compensate for energy from the provided almonds. Dietary monounsaturated fat and α-tocopherol intakes were significantly increased in all almond groups.
Conclusion:
Almonds provide post-ingestive metabolic and appetitive benefits and did not increase the risk for weight gain. This suggests that almonds may be a healthful snack option.