In addition, almond consumption also reduced total cholesterol and acebad” LDL-cholesterol significantly compared to the control group, while maintaining “good” HDL-cholesterol levels.
‘Almonds might be a smart choice for a healthy snack, as they provide a dose of good fats, vitamin E and fiber. When people incorporate almonds into their diet, they can expect multiple benefits, such as lower risk of diabetes, cholesterol and heart disease.’
“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,” said principal investigator Jagmeet Madan, Professor and Principal at Sir Vithaldis Thackersey College of Home Science in Mumbai.
“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,” Madan added.
For the study, the team included 275 participants (59 male, 216 female) with impaired glucose metabolism (prediabetes).
The almond group ate 56 grams (about 2 one-ounce servings, or nearly 340 calories) of unroasted almonds every day for three months and the control group consumed a savory snack made using whole wheat flour, chickpea flour, salt, and Indian spices, with the same number of calories.
Both the almond and savory snacks accounted for nearly 20 per cent of participants’ total calorie intake.
In the almond group, HbA1c — a measure of long-term blood sugar control that also serves as a diagnostic criteria for prediabetes and diabetes — decreased significantly compared to the control group. There was a decrease in the fasting blood glucose in the almond group in comparison to the control group but was not statistically significant.
Source: IANS
