According to a research, frequent consumption of almonds may help overweight and obese persons lose weight and control their blood sugar levels.
Eating almonds every day for a period of 12 weeks lowered insulin resistance, enhanced pancreatic function, and helped maintain blood glucose levels, according to study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.
The body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference of the almond-eating group were all significantly reduced throughout the course of the intervention, along with their total cholesterol, according to the study’s authors.
Viswanathan Mohan, president and director of diabetes research at Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai and one of the study’s authors, said that almond drinkers had improvements in both body weight and blood sugar.
“Obesity is a global health issue, and we know that it increases the chance of developing chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes. The issue is complicated and closely related to diabetes, but we believe we have found a rather straightforward solution, said Mohan in a statement.
The study’s primary author, Gayathri Rajagopal, a PhD student at the University of Madras, found that almond eaters showed improved beta cell activity, which are the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
This is significant for those who have prediabetes and shows that frequent almond intake may be able to postpone the development of diabetes. A healthful snack for those inclined to type 2 diabetes, almonds also promote satiety, according to Rajagopal.
Researchers also discovered that those who took part in the almond intervention had lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, both of which are crucial for managing diabetes and obesity.
According to them, nuts like almonds are a beneficial dietary addition that may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease as well.
“A serving of one ounce (28 grammes) of almonds contains 6 grammes of plant protein. The reductions in cholesterol and triglycerides we saw in the research are consistent with almonds’ favourable fatty acid profile and high vitamin E content, according to R M Anjana, vice president of Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and one of the study’s authors.
Anjana said, “Furthermore, the enhancements in body weight, pancreas function, decrease in insulin resistance, and improved blood sugar imply that almonds are a boon to cardiometabolic health.”
400 people between the ages of 25 and 65 with a body mass index of more than 23 kg/m2 participated in the research.
The World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Area adopted BMI criteria that state that over 23 kg/m2 is considered overweight and over 25 kg/m2 is considered obese.
The participants had central obesity, dyslipidemia, or an imbalance in blood lipids like cholesterol, a family history of diabetes, normal blood pressure as well as hypertension, and they often ate snacks in the middle of the morning.
126 people were requested to make up a subsample and wear a continuous glucose monitor for 14 days straight.
Researchers discovered that those who took the almond supplement had improved beta cell activity, decreased insulin resistance, and had lower total cholesterol.
These patients also reported substantial 12-week reductions in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, glucose, and triglycerides.
Participants in the almond intervention also consumed 13% less carbs, more calories from fat, and more protein, monounsaturated fat, and dietary fibre.
The almond intervention individuals showed superior glycemic responses than the control people for the subsample wearing the continuous glucose monitors, according to the researchers.
Researchers from Harvard University, Universitat Rovira I Virgili in Spain, Purdue University in the US, and other institutions participated in this work.
