A new study has revealed that a daily snack of 42g of almonds instead of a high carbohydrate muffin with equivalent calories improved a number of heart disease risk factors in study participants. In addition to significantly improving LDL and total cholesterol, snacking on almonds instead of muffins also reduced central adiposity (belly fat); all three are well established heart disease risk factors.

Although heart disease remains the number one cause of death worldwide, it is estimated that at least 80% of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease can be avoided if diet and lifestyle risk factors are controlled. While a large body of evidence has demonstrated that almond consumption is associated with improved heart health, this is the first and largest controlled feeding study using identical diets (with the exception of almonds vs. a calorie matched snack) to investigate and isolate the cardio protective properties of almonds beyond their contributions to an overall heart healthy diet. The findings are also the first of their kind to show benefits of eating almonds in terms of reducing regional body fat – specifically abdominal and leg fat. Reducing abdominal fat is of particular benefit given its connection to metabolic syndrome and increased risk for heart disease.

"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," says Claire Berryman, PhD and lead researcher of the study. "Choosing almonds as a snack may be a simple way to help fight the onset of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease."

This study joins nearly two decades of research which shows that almonds can help maintain a healthy heart and healthy cholesterol levels, and provides new evidence showing that regularly eating almonds instead of a high carbohydrate snack may have benefits on body composition.