According to Heart UK, one in every four adults in the UK has metabolic syndrome, but scientists believe a daily snack may help
Scientists claim that eating around 56g (two ounces) of one snack per day may bolster cardiometabolic and gut health. The new research, led by Oregon State University, delved into the impact of dietary choices on adults with metabolic syndrome in the United States.
This syndrome describes a group of conditions that potentially increase the risk of heart disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar or obesity.
As part of the project, participants were split into two groups. One group was asked to consume whole, dry, or roasted almonds every day for 12 weeks, while the other was asked to snack on crackers with the same calorific content.
Blood samples taken after the experiment revealed critical changes in those who consumed the almonds, including an average decline in total ‘LDL cholesterol’. This is typically dubbed the ‘bad cholesterol’, which can potentially heighten the risk of heart attacks if levels spike too high.
Weight circumference decreases and lower gut inflammation were observed among those in the almond group, too. At a time when Heart UK believes one in every four UK adults has metabolic syndrome, these findings could be game-changing for improving population health.
With this in mind, Emily Ho, director of the Linus Pauling Institute, said: “Evidence suggests that people with metabolic syndrome are three times as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke and twice as likely to die from coronary heart disease compared to people without this condition.
“Poor diet and inactivity contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, and gut health and chronic inflammation may also play roles…Unless there is concern about nut allergies, it’s easy to recommend a handful or two of almonds as a healthy snack, especially for people concerned about their metabolic disease risk.”
Blood samples also showed that almond-snacking participants saw significant upticks in vitamin E. This nutrient is crucial for maintaining healthy skin and eyes while strengthening the body’s immune system.
The NHS encourages adult men to consume at least 4mg of vitamin E daily, while women need around 3mg. It’s thought that 28g (one ounce) of almonds contains 50% of the recommended daily value for vitamin E.
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Research associate Laura Beaver also added: “In addition to vitamin E, almonds have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, fibre, polyphenols, biotin, copper, potassium and magnesium.
“A full assessment of the nutritional impact of almonds is ongoing, but the changes in cholesterol levels we saw suggest that a metabolic shift occurred in people who snacked on almonds daily.”
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