Dietitian E-News: Hip Heart Hooray

It’s probably no surprise that here at the Almond Board, February is our favorite month. What’s not to love about the terrific trifecta of Valentine’s Day, Heart Health Month and Almond Day? (In case you’re wondering, Almond Day is on Wednesday, February 16^th). 

It’s no coincidence that Almond Day is in February each year when you consider the 25-plus years of heart health research conducted by the Almond Board. The powerful nutrient package of almonds— low on the glycemic index and providing 6 grams of powerful plant protein, 4 grams of filling dietary fiber, 13 grams of unsaturated fats (with only 1 gram of saturated fat), and important vitamins and minerals like vitamin E (50% DV), magnesium (20% DV), and potassium (6% DV) - in every healthy one ounce handful makes them a deliciously easy way to snack smarter, especially when it comes to heart health.*

Read on to learn more about one novel study that investigated how almonds impact different types of HDL cholesterol. You’ll also find a recipe for trail mix with flavors to take you to the tropics this winter, along with links to our healthy heart and sustained energy handouts to share with your patients and clients. Wishing you a happy Heart Month, Valentine’s Day and Almond Day ahead! 

RECIPE: Tropical Trail Mix

Enjoy a taste of the tropics this winter with this trail mix featuring almonds and dried papaya, banana and pineapple. For more delicious recipes, visit our Recipe Center.

RESEARCH UPDATE: Helping HDL Cholesterol Work Even Better

A novel study by researchers at Penn State University provides insights into how eating almonds may benefit heart health, by boosting the most beneficial type of HDL cholesterol and improving its ability to remove harmful cholesterol from the body.¹

Research shows that both HDL and LDL cholesterol have several different types. In general, smaller, denser LDL particles are more harmful than the large ones. And though all HDL particles are helpful, the larger, more mature HDL is seen as most protective.

In this randomized control study, 48 middle-aged women and men, normal and overweight, with elevated LDL cholesterol and normal HDL cholesterol levels at baseline, were assigned a diet that either included almonds (43 g/d) or a calorie-matched muffin as snacks. Researchers assessed each snack option on HDL cholesterol particle type, distribution, and transport of cholesterol to the liver for elimination.

Compared with the muffin snack group, normal weight participants in the almond snack group experienced an increase in alpha-1 HDL (larger, more mature HDL - generally a marker of heart health protection) as well as several measures related to cholesterol efflux. Cholesterol efflux is an important step in the reverse cholesterol transport pathway, which is thought to be a key mechanism by which HDL removes cholesterol from peripheral tissues to protect against heart disease. These effects were not seen among overweight individuals.

Though total HDL cholesterol concentrations are viewed as important in assessing cardiovascular disease risk, recent evidence suggests that the protective effects of HDL may be more dependent on HDL particle type and function than on total HDL cholesterol concentration.

A potential limitation of the study, and all studies evaluating HDL biology and function, is a lack of method standardization across trials. The method used in this study was 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, which separates HDL subclasses by size and charge and then quantifies apoA-I in each sub particle, providing the most comprehensive measure of HDL subspecies distribution. Another potential limitation is that the sample size for this study was determined based on primary outcome measures, LDL cholesterol and abdominal adiposity; therefore, power to detect differences in secondary outcomes by BMI group may be limited.

Results of this study show that for normal-weight individuals with elevated LDL cholesterol levels, including almonds in place of a carbohydrate-rich snack as part of a diet lower in saturated fat, can improve function of beneficial HDL cholesterol type and cholesterol efflux. Almonds are a delicious and simple snack to help manage heart health. Click here to view the full study.

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