Almonds may improve appetite-regulating hormones, study shows

A recent study shows that snacking on almonds may improve appetite-regulating hormones compared to a high-carbohydrate snack.

Almonds are well-known for their health benefits since they're packed with protein and rich in healthy fats.

They may also promote satiety, which could help curb hunger and promote healthy weight managementTrusted Source.

New research from the University of South Australia (UniSA) shows that people who ate almonds had improved levels of appetite-regulating hormones compared to those consuming a carbohydrate-rich snack bar.

But the almond snack was no better than the snack bar regarding participants' reported hunger levels or the amount of energy they consumed at a buffet 2 hours later.

For the study, researchers measured participants' energy intake in kilojoules(kJ) — 1 calorie is equivalent to 4 kilojoules.

The study involved 140 adults ages 25 to 65 with obesity and overweight.

After fasting overnight, participants were randomly allocated a snack, with 68 people being given almonds and the other 72 receiving a calorically similar carbohydrate-rich snack bar.

After measuring participants' hormonal changes, researchers questioned individuals regarding their perceived appetite 30 minutes, 1 hour, 90 minutes, and 2 hours after their respective snacks.

The researchers then offered 97 of the participants an all-you-can-eat-style buffet, during which their caloric intake was assessed. Of these people, 49 had consumed almonds, and 48 had snack bars.

The participants were given 30 minutes to eat all they wanted and were immediately asked about their appetites.

Researchers found no significant difference in the number of calories consumed at the buffet between those who snacked on almonds and those who had a carbohydrate-rich snack bar.

However, the current study did not demonstrate that almonds had a significant impact on short-term energy consumption compared to a carbohydrate-high snack bar.