If your New Year’s resolution is to trim your waistline and slim down, we could have just the answer…
And it’s all down to a handful of almond nuts.
A new study from Pennsylvania State University showed that the calories in almonds were counteracted by the health benefits, with the group being split in two and measured for weight, leg fat, belly fat, waist circumference as well as cholesterol.
A group of 52 overweight middle-aged adults were split in two, with one group being fed a banana muffin for six weeks that provided the same number of calories as whole natural almonds. The other group simply snacked on the same number of calories but in whole natural almond form.
Although there was no difference in weight between the two groups, the almond diet participants were found to have significantly reduced belly fat, waist and leg fat.
In the results published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the nut source was also seen to greatly reduce cholesterol levels in the body, lowering the risk of heart disease.
Speaking about the results, lead researcher on the study Dr Claire Berryman, said:
“Our research found that substituting almonds for a high-carbohydrate snack improved numerous heart health risk factors, including the new finding that eating almonds reduced belly fat.
“Choosing almonds as a snack may be a simple way to help fight the onset of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.”
Almonds are a great source of protein and fibre for the body. Packed with Vitamins E, they are a powerful antioxidant.
They also boast Vitamin B as well as calcium, potassium, zinc and folic acid, making them great for your heart, digestive system, and even the skin.
For a tasty way to sneak some almonds into your daily diet, find a recipe for here for Cinnamon Vanilla Almond Butter.
