Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Almonds Help Maintain Healthy Weight

A diet rich in almonds may help individuals maintain a healthy weight, according to a new study published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases.
 
Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health studied the impact of almond consumption on cholesterol levels for 81 men and women for 24 weeks; however, an unexpected finding was that when free-living individuals added almonds to their diets (without being asked to compensate calorically by cutting other foods), they did not gain weight.

All participants followed their usual diet for six months, after which they followed their usual diet supplemented with almonds for six months. For the almond supplement intervention, participants were provided with their choice of dry roasted or raw almonds in the amount of 15% of their mean habitual energy intake. Participants were free-living and compliance with the almond supplement was 90% according to reported intake. On average, daily almond supplementation was 52 g (or nearly 2 ounces).

"It is important for Americans to look at their whole diet over time in relation to weight management, not just one meal," said Karen Lapsley, Chief Science Officer for the Almond Board of California. "The healthy choices made at each occasion, on each day impact a person's weight over time. For this reason, it is important that more long-term research be conducted to examine what those choices should be."

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