Abstract
Consuming nuts may have advantages over other snack foods for health and body-weight regulation. Suggested mechanisms include increased satiety and lower glycaemia. We used an acute randomised crossover trial to assess glycaemic and appetite responses to consuming two isocaloric snacks (providing 10% of participants’ total energy requirements or 1030 kJ (equivalent to 42.5 g almonds), whichever provided greater energy): raw almonds and sweet biscuits among 100 participants with available data (25 males and 75 females) following 106 being randomised. Two hours after consuming a standardised breakfast, participants consumed the snack food. Finger-prick blood samples measuring blood glucose and subjective appetite ratings using visual analogue scales were taken at baseline and at 15 or 30 min intervals after consumption. Two hours after snack consumption, an ad libitum lunch was offered to participants and consumption was recorded. Participants also recorded food intake for the remainder of the day. The mean area under the blood glucose response curve was statistically and practically significantly lower for almonds than biscuits (mean (95% CI) difference: 53 mmol/L.min (45, 61), p < 0.001). Only the composite appetite score at 90 min was higher in the almond treatment compared to the biscuit treatment (45.7 mm vs. 42.4 mm, p = 0.035 without adjustment for multiple comparisons). There was no evidence of differences between the snacks for all other appetite ratings or for energy intake at the ad libitum lunch. However, mean energy intakes following snack consumption were significantly lower, both statistically and in practical terms, for the almond treatment compared to the biscuit (mean (95% CI) diff: 638 kJ (44, 1233), p = 0.035). Replacing popular snacks with almonds may have advantages in terms of glycaemia and energy balance.
Highlights
Nuts are more often consumed as snacks rather than meals [1,2]
Tey et al reported improvements in overall diet quality among free-living participants provided with daily nuts to consume rather than other snack foods [5]
When energy intakes from the ad libitum lunch and for the remainder of the day were combined, mean energy intakes were 638 kJ (44, 1233) (p = 0.035) lower after consumption of the almond snack compared to the biscuit snack (Table 4 and Figure 3)
Summary
Nuts are more often consumed as snacks rather than meals [1,2]. Given that snacking is common, and has reportedly increased in recent years [3], encouraging more healthful snack options is likely to support energy balance and positively impact diet quality. Nuts provide a more nutrient-dense alternative to some commonly consumed snack foods. Rehm et al used food-pattern modelling to assess the impact of substituting typical snacks with tree nuts or almonds only [4]. Substitution using either nuts or almonds improved diet quality, in particular, increasing unsaturated fat, fibre, magnesium and potassium, while decreasing saturated fat and sodium. Tey et al reported improvements in overall diet quality among free-living participants provided with daily nuts to consume rather than other snack foods [5]
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