RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: A recent study investigates the effect of almond snacking on daily caloric intake.
A recent study2 investigates how almond snacking may be one way to help trim your daily calorie intake. In this study of 100 New Zealand adults aged 18 – 65 years, participants ate either at least 1.5 ounces of unroasted almonds or a calorie-matched sweet biscuit snack (the most popular New Zealand snack according to a survey). Both snacks accounted for 10% of total calorie intake, so in some cases, the amount of snack eaten was higher.
This study had a randomized crossover design, meaning that each participant completed the study eating the almond snack and then repeated the study eating the biscuit snack on a separate day, or vice versa, with a washout period between each treatment. On the test days, participants ate a standardized breakfast. Two hours later, they ate their assigned snack food. Blood glucose and appetite ratings were measured at baseline and at 15 or 30-minute intervals after they finished eating. Two hours after the snack, lunch was offered to participants, who ate as much or as little as desired and consumption was recorded. Participants then recorded their food intake for the remainder of the day.
Results:
- The blood sugar response was lower after the almond snack than the biscuit snack. The mean (95% CI) difference in incremental blood glucose area under the curve was 53 mmol/L.min (p<0.001).
- Appetite ratings did not differ between groups except for the appetite score at 90 minutes, which was lower for the biscuits compared to the almonds. The mean satiety quotient for hunger when using the Atwater factors for energy was statistically significantly lower for the almonds compared to biscuits (p=0.037). This difference was no longer statistically significant when digestible energy was used in the equation.
- There were no differences in calories consumed at lunch between snack groups. However, those in the almond group reported consuming ~150 calories less (on average) over the course of the day compared to the biscuit snack group. There were no statistically significant differences in other nutrients, although there was a non-statistically significant tendency for lower absolute intakes of saturated fat (p=0.056) and sugar (p=0.053) in the almond treatment compared to the biscuit treatment.
Study Limitations: The acute nature of the study provides useful information over the short term, but results will not necessarily translate into long-term behavior. Due to the different nutrient composition of the snack foods, energy density was not controlled. Monitoring blood glucose concentrations over longer periods may have been more informative since research has shown that whole almonds reduced glycemia acutely and the effects persisted after a second meal. Finally, the participants were of normal weight or overweight, so results cannot be extrapolated to other populations.
Conclusion: Eating almonds as a mid-morning snack, instead of a usual biscuit snack with equal calories, improved participants’ post-snack blood sugar responses and reduced energy intake over the remainder of the day. Replacing less healthy snacks with almonds may help support weight management efforts and help maintain healthy blood glucose levels. More research is needed to determine longer-term effects of this intervention and on broader populations.
Almonds + RDNs In The News
Starting the day off with the proper nutrients is essential to not only keeping you fueled throughout the day, but also to setting yourself up for long-term success and optimal health. In a recent article for Eat This, Not That, Registered Dietitian and recipe developer specializing in millennial nutrition Maggie Michalczyk suggests a better-for-your alternative to your flavored morning coffee. Instead of starting your day off with a high-calorie, low nutrient beverage which can lead to a sugar crash, she recommends making a coffee smoothie at home with “cold brew, banana, almond butter, and some delicious, pure honey."
