A mid-morning snack of almonds generates satiety and appropriate adjustment of subsequent food intake in healthy women

European Journal of Nutrition, Sep 2014

Purpose To assess the effect of consuming a mid-morning almond snack (28 and 42 g) tested against a negative control of no almonds on acute satiety responses. Method On three test days, 32 healthy females consumed a standard breakfast followed by 0, 28 or 42 g of almonds as a mid-morning snack and then ad libitum meals at lunch and dinner. The effect of the almond snacks on satiety was assessed by measuring energy intake (kcal) at the two ad libitum meals and subjective appetite ratings (visual analogue scales) throughout the test days. Results Intake at lunch and dinner significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in response to the almond snacks. Overall, a similar amount of energy was consumed on all three test days indicating that participants compensated for the 173 and 259 kcals consumed as almonds on the 28 and 42 g test days, respectively. Subjective appetite ratings in the interval between the mid-morning snack and lunch were consistent with dose-dependent enhanced satiety following the almond snacks. However, in the interval between lunch and dinner, appetite ratings were not dependent on the mid-morning snack. Conclusion Almonds might be a healthy snack option since their acute satiating effects are likely to result in no net increase in energy consumed over a day.

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A mid-morning snack of almonds generates satiety and appropriate adjustment of subsequent food intake in healthy women

Sarah Hull 0 1 Roberta Re 0 1 Lucy Chambers 0 1 Ana Echaniz 0 1 Martin S. J. Wickham 0 1 0 L. Chambers School of Psychology , Pevensey Building, University of Sussex , Brighton BN1 9QH, UK 1 S. Hull (&) R. Re A. Echaniz M. S. J. Wickham Nutrition Research, Leatherhead Food Research , Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7RY, UK Purpose To assess the effect of consuming a mid-morning almond snack (28 and 42 g) tested against a negative control of no almonds on acute satiety responses. Method On three test days, 32 healthy females consumed a standard breakfast followed by 0, 28 or 42 g of almonds as a mid-morning snack and then ad libitum meals at lunch and dinner. The effect of the almond snacks on satiety was assessed by measuring energy intake (kcal) at the two ad libitum meals and subjective appetite ratings (visual analogue scales) throughout the test days. Results Intake at lunch and dinner significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in response to the almond snacks. Overall, a similar amount of energy was consumed on all three test days indicating that participants compensated for the 173 and 259 kcals consumed as almonds on the 28 and 42 g test days, respectively. Subjective appetite ratings in the interval between the mid-morning snack and lunch were consistent with dose-dependent enhanced satiety following the almond snacks. However, in the interval between lunch and dinner, appetite ratings were not dependent on the mid-morning snack. Conclusion Almonds might be a healthy snack option since their acute satiating effects are likely to result in no net increase in energy consumed over a day. - Satietythe inter-meal inhibition of hunger and eating that arises as a result of consuming food [1]is influenced by a wide variety of interacting factors, involving physiological processes in the brain and body, and the social and physical environments [2]. Foods that generate strong sensations of satiety can help consumers control their appetite, eat healthily and manage their weight [3]. A problem for weight management is thought to be snacking [4]. This eating habit is commonplace [5] and likely to add calories to a persons total daily energy intake if the consumed snack food has little impact on satiety, resulting in poor adjusted intake at their next meal(s). Therefore, it is important to identify healthy satiating snack foods that support appropriate calorie-dependent adjustment of subsequent intake, so that snacking is less likely to result in a net increase in energy consumed. It is well established that calorie-for-calorie not all foods deliver the same level of satiety [6]. For example, in satiety studies where comparison foods were matched for energy content, there is considerable evidence that high-protein foods are more satiating than those that are high in carbohydrate and/or fat [7]; that fibre-rich foods are more satiating than low-fibre foods [8]; and that energy-dense foods are less satiating than those with lower energy density [9]. Whole almonds have a nutritional profile consistent with satiety, being the tree nut highest in protein and fibre. Additionally, they have other health benefits because they are a good source of vitamin E, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, magnesium and potassium [10]. However, almonds are also a high-fat energy-dense food; these types of foods might be an inappropriate snack choice since when eaten in the same volume as low-energy-dense foods they are equally as satiating but higher in energy [9]. There is some evidence that consuming almonds can have positive effects on appetite control. Long-term studies indicate that almonds do not lead to significant changes in body weight [1114]; this might be because habitual consumption of almonds increases resting energy expenditure and/or because almonds have a high satiety value and people are able to appropriately compensate for their consumption [12]. In the short term, adding almonds to a meal has been reported to decrease blood glucose concentrations and increase satiety in adults with impaired glucose tolerance [15], with similar glycaemic results reported for healthy individuals [16, 17]. In a recent study, 250 kcal of almonds as a snack reduced hunger and desire to eat at a subsequent meal in people with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, though intake at this meal was fixed and so compensation effects cannot be assessed [13]. One shortterm study has examined the acute effects of almond intake on satiety in healthy people [18]; however, an unusually large portion of almonds was consumed (80 g: 500 kcals) and only self-reported measures were used to assess effects on satiety. No acute studies have objectively assessed whether snacking on almonds leads to portion-size-dependent changes in subsequent food intake, and this is the aim of the present study. This information will shed light on whether the high satiety value of almonds is the reason why habitual snacking on this food results in insignificant (...truncated)


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Sarah Hull, Roberta Re, Lucy Chambers, Ana Echaniz, Martin S. J. Wickham. A mid-morning snack of almonds generates satiety and appropriate adjustment of subsequent food intake in healthy women, European Journal of Nutrition, 2015, pp. 803-810, Volume 54, Issue 5, DOI: 10.1007/s00394-014-0759-z