Scientific Study

Almond consumption is associated with ameliorations in obesity; hyperlipidemia; hypertension; and hyperglycemia. The hypothesis of this 12-week randomized crossover clinical trial was that almond consumption would improve glycemic control and decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease in 20 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (9 male; 11 female; 58 years old; body mass index; 26 kg/m2) with mild hyperlipidemia. After a 2-week run-in period; patients were assigned to either a control National Cholesterol Education Program step II diet (control diet) or an almond diet for 4 weeks; with a 2-week washout period between alternative diets. Almonds were added to the control diet to replace 20% of total daily calorie intake. Addition of approximately 60 g almonds per day increased dietary intakes of fiber; magnesium; polyunsaturated fatty acid; monounsaturated fatty acid; and vitamin E. Body fat determined with bioelectrical impedance analysis was significantly lower in patients consuming almonds (almonds vs control: 29.6% vs 30.4%). The almond diet enhanced plasma a-tocopherol level by a median 26.8% (95% confidence intervals; 15.1-36.6) compared with control diet. Furthermore; almond intake decreased total cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; and the ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 6.0% (1.6-9.4); 11.6% (2.8-19.1); and 9.7% (0.3-20.9); respectively. Plasma apolipoprotein (apo) B levels; apo B/apo A-1 ratio; and nonesterified fatty acid also decreased significantly by 15.6% (5.1-25.4); 17.4% (2.8-19.9); and 5.5% (3.0-14.4); respectively. Compared with subjects in the control diet; those in the almond diet had 4.1% (0.9-12.5); 0.8% (0.4-6.3); and 9.2% (4.4-13.2) lower levels of fasting insulin; fasting glucose; and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index; respectively. Our results suggested that incorporation of almonds into a healthy diet has beneficial effects on adiposity; glycemic control; and the lipid profile; thereby potentially decreasing the risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.