In Australia, two in three (12.5 million) adults are overweight or obese. Globally, 1.9 billion adults are overweight with 650 million of these being obese.
In a study from the University of South Australia, scientists found weight loss is never an easy nut to crack, but a handful of almonds could keep extra kilos at bay.
Examining how almonds can affect appetite, they found that a snack of 30-50 grams of almonds could help people cut back on the number of kilojoules they consume each day.
The team found that people who consumed almonds – as opposed to an energy-equivalent carbohydrate snack – lowered their energy intake by 300 kilojoules (most of which came from junk food) at the subsequent meal.
In the study, the team found that people who ate almonds had 47% lower C-peptide responses (which can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease); and higher levels of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (18 percent higher), glucagon (39 percent higher), and pancreatic polypeptide responses (44 percent higher).
Glucagon sends satiety signals to the brain, while pancreatic polypeptide slows digestion which may reduce food intake, both encouraging weight loss.
The team says rates of overweight and obesity are a major public health concern and modulating appetite through better hormonal response may be key to promoting weight management.
This research examined the hormones that regulate appetite, and how nuts – specifically almonds – might contribute to appetite control.
Almonds are high in protein, fiber, and unsaturated fatty acids, which may contribute to their satiating properties and help explain why fewer kilojoules were consumed.
The findings of this study show that eating almonds produce small changes to people’s energy intake, which may have clinical effects in the long term.
The team says even small, positive lifestyle changes can have an impact over a longer period. Almonds can be a fantastic healthy snack to incorporate into the daily diet.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies that hop extract could reduce belly fat in overweight people, and early time-restricted eating could help lose weight.
For more information about weight loss, please see recent studies that low-carb keto diet could manage obesity effectively, and onions could help reduce body fat in overweight people.
The study was conducted by Dr Sharayah Carter et al and published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
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