The low carb snack you can eat on the run...

A new study by researchers at Loma Linda University in California has found that snacking doesn't have to be bad for you, especially if your preference is for almonds.

The study found that when individuals added almonds as a snack to their regular diet, their overall intake of several important nutrients increased.

Researchers followed eighty-one men and women, ranging in age from 25 to 70 years old, for one year, to evaluate the long-term impact of a diet supplemented with almonds.

During the first six months, patients in the study followed their standard diet. For the next six months, they added an average of 52 grams of almonds per day (approximately two one-ounce handfuls) to their routine.

After incorporating almonds into their diets, patients demonstrated a significant increase in their intake of several nutrients, including monounsaturated fats (42 per cent), polyunsaturated fats (24 per cent), dietary fiber (12 per cent), vegetable protein (19 per cent), alpha-tocopherol vitamin E (66 per cent), magnesium (23 per cent), and copper (15 per cent).

Moreover, researchers found a decrease in patients' intake of trans fats (14 per cent), sodium (21 per cent), cholesterol (17 per cent) and sugars (13 per cent).

Those who ate almonds tend to naturally balance their calorie intake. So, even though they were introducing an additional food into their repertoire, they were making appropriate dietary substitutions so there was not a significant change in body weight.

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Reference
Jaceldo-Siegl K, Sabate J, Rajaram S, Fraser GE. (2004). Long-term almond supplementation without advice on food replacement induces favourable nutrient modifications to the habitual diets of free-living individuals. Br J Nutr. 2004 Sep;92(3):533-40