Almonds: a smart and energising snack swap for weight management

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is an important piece of the puzzle for your overall health and well-being. It not only reduces your risk for health problems, but can also help you have more energy, which may improve your overall quality of life.

Bursting with natural goodness, vitamins, nutrients and with 175 calories per handful (30g or about 23 almonds), almonds are the ideal snack to help you achieve your weight management goals.

Providing energising protein and packed with fibre and good fats, almonds are a feel-good fuel to keep you going between meals without having a negative effect on your weight, as shown by several studies:

• A study measuring digestibility¹ found that whole unroasted almonds contain 25% fewer calories than the nutrition label states, suggesting that because of their rigid cell structure, not all calories are available for absorption. Roasted almonds were found to offer 17% to 19% fewer calories.
• Another study found the calorie intakes and body weights of participants who ate 43g/day of almonds as a snack or as part of a meal (for 4 weeks) remained similar to those who did not did not eat almonds². Participants reported daylong reductions in hunger and reduced desire to eat compared to those who did consume almonds.  Even though the almond group added calories to their diet in the form of almonds, they compensated for this by taking in fewer calories from other foods during the day so their calorie intake remained constant.
• Almonds are a smart snack swap that may help with belly fat reduction. A study³ has shown that a daily snack of 42g of almonds, instead of a high-carbohydrate snack with equal calories, as part of a cholesterol-lowering diet, helped reduce belly fat and significantly improved cholesterol levels.
• A growing body of research shows that almonds can also play a positive role in satiety and support weight management. A recent study⁴ found people who snacked on almonds (compared to crackers with equivalent amounts of calories) as a mid-morning snack reported a lower overall hunger drive. Snacking on almonds also helped suppress unconscious desire (“implicit wanting”) to consume other high-fat foods, which could also be useful in helping people to manage their weight.

So, make smart snack swaps to get more of the nutrients your body needs while keeping your energy levels up and managing your weight more easily!