According to a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, daily almond supplementation, especially at a higher dose, may significantly improve certain cardiovascular risk markers in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia—conditions associated with increased risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes.
In this 12-week randomized controlled trial, researchers assessed the effects of almond supplementation at two different doses (10 grams/day and 25 grams/day) on blood pressure, lipid profile, and heart rate in 103 pregnant women with confirmed hypertension and/or dyslipidemia. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a group instructed to eat 10 grams of almonds per day, a group instructed to eat 25 grams of almonds per day, or a control group. The researchers measured changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure every 4 weeks. They also assessed serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and heart rate at baseline and at week 12.
After 12 weeks, the researchers found that almond supplementation had significantly improved blood pressure and lipid profile, especially at the higher dose of 25 grams/day. These findings highlight the potential role of almonds as a complementary dietary strategy for managing cardiometabolic risk in pregnancy.
Arslan, J., Najam, Z., Abdullah, H., Siddiqi, H. S., Bano, R., Gilani, A. U., & Jamshed, H. (2025). Daily Almond Supplementation Improves Blood Pressure and Lipid Profile in Pregnant Women with Hypertension and Dyslipidemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Nutrition, 101270. Advance online publication.