© Almond Board of California

A study published in February 2011 in cooperation with Purdue University, West Lafayette, and Indiana University, Indianapolis, both USA, found that the addition of whole almonds to the breakfast meal significantly increased satiety, and decreased blood glucose concentrations throughout the day compared to the control breakfast meal.  Almond oil had less, but similar, effects on post-meal blood glucose concentrations as whole almonds; but both whole almonds and almond oil significantly reduced the insulin response after the second meal compared to the control breakfast meal. That means, participants consuming a breakfast containing whole almonds experienced more sustained feelings of fullness and had lower blood glucose concentrations after breakfast and a second meal compared to subjects consuming the control breakfast. It was noted that whole almonds provided the greatest feeling of fullness. The study was carried out with 14 adults with impaired glucose tolerance, average age of 39 years. It was a randomised, 5-arm, crossover trial. Each participant was given either a breakfast of orange juice and farina (Cream of Wheat®) containing 1.5 ounces of a form of almonds (whole almonds, almond butter, almond oil, defatted almond flour) or a control breakfast consisting  of orange juice and farina (Cream of Wheat®) with no almonds or almond products.