Effects of Daily Almond Intake as a Preload Before Meals Versus as a Snack Among Korean Adults

The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of daily almond intake on body composition, lipid profile, and oxidative and inflammation indicators among young Korean adults based on the timing of almond consumption. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a pre-meal group (PM; n = 58) in which participants were instructed to consume 56 g of almonds per day as a preload when having regular meals; (2) a snack group (SN; n =55) in which participants were instructed to consume 56 g of almonds between meals as snacks; and (3) a control group (CL; n = 56) in which participants were provided high-carbohydrate iso-caloric control food. The three-day diet records, including two consecutive weekdays and one weekend day, were done once before the trial and twice during the trial. Body composition was assessed through multi-frequency whole-body bioimpedance measurement using InBody 620 (Biospace Co., Ltd, Seoul, Korea).After a 12-hour fast, blood samples were taken at the baseline time point (week 0) and at weeks 8 and 16 by standard venipuncture. The serum total cholesterol and triglycerides levels were measured by the enzymatic-colorimetric method using a Cobas 8000 c702 chemistry analyzer (Roche Diagnostics; Mannheim, Germany). HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels were determined via homogeneous enzymatic colorimetry.

Inclusion criteria

• non-smokers
• age 20-39 yr
• Male and Female non-smokers
• BMI 17-30 kg/m2
• under Korean habitual diet

Exclusion criteria

• any diseases
• any weight change 6 mo before the study
• >2 times/wk nut consumption
• frequent alcohol consumption
• any use of nutrient supplements
• erratic exercise habits
• women who were with irregular menses, taking birth control pills, pregnant or lactating