RESEARCH UPDATE: New Study Examines Almond Consumption Among Those with Prediabetes
A new study1, funded by the Almond Board of California, showed that almond snacking helped improve glucose metabolism in adolescents and young adults with prediabetes. The first study of its kind, it aimed to determine the effect of almond consumption on factors of metabolic dysfunction in 275 participants (aged 16-25 years old), who resided in Mumbai, India. At the start of the trial, participants’ weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences were measured and fasting blood samples were taken. Participants also underwent a glucose tolerance test and their lipid profiles were assessed.
The almond group (n=107) ate 56 grams (about 2 one-ounce servings, or ~340 calories) of unroasted almonds every day for three months and the control group (n=112) ate a calorie-matched savory snack commonly consumed by this age group in India. Both snacks accounted for ~20% of participants’ total calorie intake.
Throughout the duration of the study, participants were monitored to ensure they were compliant in eating their snacks. At the end of the study, participants completed dietary intake assessments and the same measurements and blood tests were performed again. Results showed:
- Significant decrease in HbA1c in the almond group compared to the control group. Improving blood sugar levels at the pre-diabetes stage may help prevent or delay the development of diabetes.
- Significant decrease in total cholesterol and “bad” LDL-cholesterol, while maintaining “good” HDL-cholesterol levels among the almond snackers compared to those in the control group.
- Inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-6) decreased in the almond group and increased in the control group, but this was not a statistically significant result.
- There were no changes in measures of weight, height, waist or hip circumferences or biochemical markers, nor macronutrient intake between the almond group and the control from the start to post-intervention.
“Lifestyle changes including improved nutrition and exercise targeted at teens and young adults have the potential to halt the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes. Results from this study show that the change does not have to be a major one – simply including a twice-daily snack of almonds can make a difference. The study results are very promising in showing how almonds improved total and LDL-cholesterol levels and reduced HbA1c levels in just 12 weeks of consumption,” said principal investigator, Dr. Jagmeet Madan PhD, Professor and Principal, Sir Vithaldis Thackersey College of Home Science (Autonomous), SNDT Women’s University (Mumbai).
Limitations of the study include that participants could not be blinded. Further, nutritional intervention studies can also trigger behavioral changes in both groups, as the participants are made aware of their risk during the recruitment process. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of almond consumption on the same measures in other age groups and of different ethnicities. Click here to read the full study.
