Obesity is a global public health problem. According to WHO, more than one billion people on Earth are overweight, which impairs both physical and psychosocial health and well-being.


There are many ways to cope with this problem, but in the long run, a constant balance between energy intake and energy expenditure is required. Curiously, it's not always energy-rich foods - such as nuts - that lead to excess weight gain.


There is conflicting data on the ability of nuts to reduce body weight: some researchers claim that the consumption of nuts really helps to lose extra pounds, others - that, on the contrary, so the mass is only added. To clarify this issue, Australian scientists evaluated the effect of almonds on hormones that regulate appetite, appetite self-assessment and short-term energy intake.


The subjects (140 people in total) were randomly divided into two groups: some people ate a handful of raw almonds on an empty stomach (its caloric content was about 15 percent of their daily energy needs), while others received a similar dose of calories from a nut-free carbohydrate bar. The researchers then conducted regular blood draws to determine hormone levels for two hours, and two hours later, the subjects were given a buffet of food to eat.

The scientists found that the subjects who ate the almonds had a smaller appetite during the subsequent meal. Their average portion compared to the portion of people who received a carbohydrate bar contained 70 kilocalories less (it is about one slice of bread). Also in the blood of "almond eaters" increased concentrations of hormones responsible for feeling satiety and slowing digestion. Both are useful for reducing the amount of food consumed and normalizing weight.


Of course, almonds cannot be called a "miracle" remedy that will quickly get rid of problems with overeating and overweight, but 30-50 grams of nuts can become part of a healthy daily diet and allow people to reduce the amount of food consumed in the long term. In addition, this snack is also good for overall health, as almond nuts are rich in protein, fiber and unsaturated fatty acids.


The study was published in the European Journal of Nutrition.