A study from the University of South Australia shows that adding almonds to a weight loss diet can aid weight loss and have potential long-term cardiometabolic benefits. Nuts, while high in protein, are often criticized in weight loss discussions for being high in fat, causing many people looking to lose weight to avoid them. However, recent research from the University of South Australia shows that eating almonds can also lead to weight loss.
In the largest study, researchers found that adding almonds to an energy-restricted diet not only aided weight loss but also improved people's cardiometabolic health.
Researchers studied the effects of energy-restricted diets supplemented with California almonds or carbohydrate-rich snacks and found that both diets were successful in reducing weight by about 7 kilograms.
Globally, more than 1.9 billion adults are overweight (650 million are obese). Two in three people in Australia (about 12.5 million adults) are overweight or obese.
Australian National University researcher Dr Sharayah Carter said the study showed how nuts can support a healthy diet for weight management and cardiometabolic health.
"Nuts, such as almonds, are a great snack. They are high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, but they are also high in fat, which people associate with weight gain," Dr. Carter said.
"Nuts contain unsaturated fats, or healthy fats, which can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, and contribute to heart health. In this study, we looked at the effects of adding almonds to a nut-free diet to determine the impact on weight and cardiometabolic outcomes. Both the nut diet and the nut-free diet resulted in a weight loss of about 9.3 percent during the trial."
"However, diets supplemented with almonds also showed statistically significant changes in some highly atherogenic lipoprotein subfractions, which may improve cardiometabolic health in the long term. Additionally, nuts have the added benefit of making people feel fuller for longer, which is always beneficial for people struggling with weight control."
The study (funded by the Almond Board of California) included 106 participants who completed a 9-month eating plan (3 months of an energy-restricted diet for weight loss, followed by 6 months of an energy-restricted diet for weight maintenance). During both phases, participants consumed 15% of their energy from unsalted skinned almonds (nut diet) or 15% from carbohydrate-rich snacks such as rice crackers or baked cereal bars (nut-free diet).
These findings provide further evidence that nutritionists and nutritionists can recommend almonds as part of a balanced weight loss diet.