Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. After 24 weeks, those on the almond diet (a low carbohydrate diet that included 84 grams of almonds) had significant decreases in blood lipid values, blood pressure, and body fat compared to those on a complex carbohydrate diet.
Over the past 15 years, adding nuts to your diet has been shown to yield a number of health benefits, leading the FDA to make a Qualified Health Claim in 2003 (1). Since that health claim was made, research has continued to show the health benefits of almonds, which include maintaining healthy levels of inflammation (2) and healthy blood profiles (3) and improving immune system function (4).
Now a new study (5) suggests that almond consumption may facilitate weight loss. The study involved 65 overweight/obese adults (37 women, 28 men) aged 51 to 59 with a Body Mass Index between 27 and 55 kg/m2. They followed a low-carbohydrate diet (39% calories from fat, 32% carbohydrate, 29% protein) that included 84 grams of almonds per day or a diet consisting of 18% total fat, 53% carbohydrate, 29% protein. Both diets contained the same amount of calories (1,012 calories per day in the almond group and 1,015 calories per day in the carbohydrate group). The almond group obtained 25% of their total fat from monounsaturated fatty acids compared to 5% in the carbohydrate group.
Regarding the consumption of complex carbohydrates, “subjects were given explicit instructions on how to self-select a combination of complex carbohydrates daily from a food list that was equivalent in calories to 84 g almonds. The food list included a wide range of high glycemic index complex carbohydrate-containing foods (peas, corn, potato, pasta, rice, etc.”
After 24 weeks, the almond group was superior to the complex carbohydrate group in every measurement, with statistical significance achieved in the following:
| Almond Group | Complex Carb | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (lbs.) | 17.6% decrease (244.7 to 201.7) | 10.7% decrease (244. to 218.1) | < 0.001 |
| Body Mass Index (kg/m2) | 17.5% decrease (38.3 to 31.6) | 10.9 % decrease (38.4 to 34.2) | < 0.001 |
| Waist Circumference (cm) | 14.2% decrease (120 to 103) | 10% decrease (120 to 108) | < 0.05 |
| Fat Mass (lbs.) | 30.4% decrease (102.6 to 71.5) | 19.6% decrease (102.1 to 82.1) | < 0.05 |
| Total Body Water (lbs.) | 7.9% decrease (100.1 to 92.2) | 1.5% decrease (99.0 to 97.6) | < 0.05 |
In addition, the following significant benefits were noted in the subjects’ blood work and blood pressure:
| Almond Group | Complex Carb | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systolic Blood Pressure (mm Hg) | 11.2% decrease (143 to 127) | 1.5% decrease (140 to 138) | < 0.005 |
| Ketone (millimole/Liter) | 260% increase (0.10 to 0.36) | 0% change (0.11 to 0.11) | < 0.005 |
When looking at the results, the significant blood pressure benefits seen in the almond group compared to the carbohydrate group (11.2% vs. 1.5%) could be a result of the water loss seen in the almond group (7.9% vs. 1.5%). The increase in ketone levels was also expected because of the lower carbohydrate intake and which the researchers suggested “may reflect a higher rate of fat breakdown”.
For the researchers, “The present study demonstrates that the use of almonds is a feasible option for consideration and has a potential role in the public health implications of obesity” though they admit that “Our findings call for additional studies in larger numbers of subjects.”
Source: Wien, M. A., et al. “Almonds vs complex carbohydrates in a weight reduction program.” International journal of obesity 27.11 (2003): 1365-1372.
© 2003 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved
Posted April 12, 2016.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- “Qualified Health Claims: Letter of Enforcement Discretion – Nuts and Coronary Heart Disease” posted on the FDA website
- Liu JF. The effect of almonds on inflammation and oxidative stress in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized crossover controlled feeding trial. Eur J Nutr 2012 Jun 22.[Epub ahead of print]. DOI 10.1007/s00394-012-0400-y.
- Berryman CE. Effects of daily almond consumption on cardiometabolic risk and abdominal adiposity in healthy adults with elevated LDL-cholesterol: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc 2015 Jan 5;4(1):e000993. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.000993
- Mandalari G, Faulks RM, Rich GT, Lo Turco V, Picout DR, Lo Curto RB, et al. Release of protein, lipid and vitamin E from almond seeds during digestion. J Agric Food Chem 2008;56:3409–16.
- Wien MA. Almonds vs complex carbohydrates in a weight reduction program. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Nov;27(11):1365-72
