Pre-meal almond snacking improved blood sugar control, and approximately one-quarter of Asian Indians with prediabetes and overweight/obesity saw a 12-week prediabetes reversal, according to two recent studies.
Two recent studies using almonds, one over three days and the other over three months, showed benefits to blood sugar control for Asian Indians who had prediabetes and were overweight or obese. The three-month almond intervention set a new record by reversing prediabetes, or glucose intolerance, to normal blood sugar levels in nearly one-quarter (23.3%) of the participants.
In both studies, 60 people ate 20 g (0.7 oz) of almonds, around a small handful, 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the study duration. Researchers expressed their enthusiasm for these almond studies and the first-of-its-kind statistically significant reduction in measures of prediabetes by calling the reversal of prediabetes through diet “the holy grail of medicine.” Better glucose control over time through dietary strategies like including almonds could help stave off diabetes progression. Nearly 70% of individuals with prediabetes will develop diabetes within their lifetime.
Both studies were randomized controlled trials funded by the Almond Board of California. The researchers hypothesized that the almond snack before major meals, known as “preloading,” would reduce glucose and insulin fluctuations after meals and reduce overall hyperglycemia compared to the control diet. The findings complement the breadth of research on different populations on how almonds support healthy blood sugar as part of a balanced diet.
“Results from our studies indicate almonds might be a key differentiator in helping regulate blood glucose levels as part of a dietary strategy. These results showcase that the simple addition of a small portion of almonds before each meal can quickly and drastically improve glycemic control in Asian Indians in India with prediabetes in just three days.
Eating 20 g of almonds 30 minutes before an oral glucose load showed a significant decrease in blood sugar and hormones. Almonds’ nutritional makeup of fiber, monounsaturated fats, zinc, and magnesium work together to help provide better glycemic control and reduce hunger,” said lead author Dr. Anoop Misra, Professor and Chairman, Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases, and Endocrinology (New Delhi). “Our outcomes provide a promising dietary strategy for reducing prediabetes progression and returning people to normal glucose regulation.”
His coworkers concur. “In light of the rising prevalence of diabetes, dietary strategies like consuming almonds 30 minutes before major meals offers a good option to decrease the spike in blood glucose levels after meals,” said Dr. Seema Gulati, head of the Nutrition Research Group at the National Diabetes, Obesity, and Cholesterol Foundation.
