Almond Benefits: Why Almonds Are Basically Perfect

For those craving a between-meal nibble,
a new U.S. study suggests that a handful
of almonds could fill you up and cut
cravings throughout the day, all without
piling on the pounds.

Researchers from Purdue University
looked at 137 subjects who were at risk
for type 2 diabetes. Participants were
divided into five groups -- a control
group who avoided all nuts and seeds, a
group who ate 1.5 ounces/43 grams of
almonds at breakfast, another who ate
the same amount at lunch, and two
snack groups, who snacked on 1.5 ounces
of almonds in the morning or in the
afternoon.

Despite consuming approximately 250
additional calories per day from
almonds, participants did not increase
the total number of calories they ate and
drank over the course of the day or gain
weight over the four-week study, the
researchers said. Still, it was the snack
groups who reported the most
pronounced reduction in hunger and
desire to eat throughout the day.

"This research suggests that almonds may
be a good snack option, especially for
those concerned about weight," says Dr.
Richard Mattes, distinguished professor of
nutrition science and the study's
principal investigator. "In this study,
participants compensated for the
additional calories provided by the
almonds so daily energy intake did not
rise and reported reduced hunger levels
and desire to eat at subsequent meals,
particularly when almonds were
consumed as a snack."

Findings, announced Tuesday, are
published in the October issue of the
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Prior research suggests that almonds
aren't the only nut for healthy snacking.

In a study published last month in the
Journal of the American College of
Nutrition, researchers from Yale
University found that overweight adults
can help protect themselves from diabetes
and heart disease by eating a handful of
walnuts a day.

A longitudinal study out of Spain
published this summer found that people
who ate nuts tended to have a lower
body mass index and a smaller waist,
were less likely to smoke and were more
likely to be physically active compared to
those who never included nuts in their
diets.