"Food as a means of promoting skin health...is a growing area of scientific research. Almonds are a rich source of antioxidant vitamin E and deliver essential fatty acids and polyphenols. They’re a smart choice for overall good nutrition. And, as seen in this study, almonds may hold promise as a food to include as part of a healthy aging diet, especially for post-menopausal women," said Dr. Raja Sivamani, lead researcher.
Diet as a means of promoting skin health — a beauty from the inside out approach — is of growing interest to consumers looking for natural options for healthy aging. According to UC Davis dermatologist, Dr. Raja Sivamani, it’s also a growing area of scientific research. And he should know...Dr. Sivamani is an associate professor of clinical dermatology at UC Davis, with additional training in Ayurvedic medicine. Much of Sivamani’s own research has focused on the integration of plant and nutrition sciences with principles of Ayurveda. His most recent work — a pilot trial investigating the effects of almond consumption on facial wrinkles in postmenopausal women1 — is no exception...and if smart nutrition looks as good as it feels, almonds could become the tastiest addition to your skin care routine.
Here are the study details.
Study participants:
The researchers recruited 28 postmenopausal women with Fitzpatrick skin type 1 or 2 (the skin types most susceptible to sunburn) to participate in the study.
Study design:
Participants were randomly assigned to an almond snacking group or a control group for a period of 16 weeks.
Those in the almond snacking group ate 20% of their daily calories from almonds — on average, 340 calories per day — roughly two one-ounce servings or ~60grams.
Those in the control group ate common nut-free snacks (cereal bars, granola bars or pretzels) also providing 20% of their daily calories.
Researchers used high-definition photographic imaging to assess wrinkle width and severity along with measures of skin barrier function.
Study results:
Though measures of skin barrier function remained unchanged, after 16 weeks of daily snacking, photographic analysis showed improvements for women in the almond snack group vs. those in the control group:
- Wrinkle width decreased by 10%
- Wrinkle severity decreased by 9%
This promising new trial has already inspired a larger and longer-term follow-up study with Dr. Sivamani’s research team. And in terms of ABC’s global outreach efforts, every market in which ABC has a marketing presence is conducting outreach around the study to spread the promising news about almonds and their potential skin benefits. The initial wave of outreach includes press releases in each market and personalized pitching to traditional health and general news media and — for the first time — to beauty media representing titles such as Allure, Byrdie, Cosmopolitan, Elle and InStyle. The U.S. team will also share the news with beauty editors from Family Circle, Shape and Women’s Health.
[1] Foolad N, Vaughn AR, Rybak I, Burney WA, Chodur GM, Newman JW, Steinberg FM, Sivamani RK. Prospective randomized controlled pilot study on the effects of almond consumption on skin lipids and wrinkles. Phytotherapy Research. 2019;1–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6495
