Tag Archives: almonds

New studies demonstrate improved cognition and gut health from eating nuts

Researchers are revealing that just four weeks of eating mixed tree nuts could have positive effects on mood, memory and overall thinking capability. This same study and others also found that eating nuts can help to modulate metabolites, bacteria and microbes in the gut, according to Nutrition Insight.

We look at two recent studies – one on mixed nuts and one on almonds – to see how the tree-born treats can best benefit the body, especially hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. Though all of the nuts on their own have previously been found to have their correlated benefits, the new studies suggest that a mix of many may provide the most noticeable health boosts.

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One study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, focused on mixed nuts and their effects on cognition and the microbiome. Dr. Crystal Haskell-Ramsay, professor of biological psychology at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, and lead author of the study states, “This study provides exciting evidence for improvements to cognition following only 4-weeks consumption of tree nuts.” 

“Since the study participants were healthy, non-elderly adults, it’s possible that more profound effects may be shown in those at increased risk for cognitive decline or in those with poor gut health,” she adds.

Getting highbrow with hazelnuts
The mixed nut study, funded by the organization INC International Nut and Dried Fruit, is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind and counterbalanced trial including 76 healthy volunteers from 18 to 49 years of age.

The participants were given 30 g of mix of nuts – 15 g walnuts, 7.5 g hazelnuts and 7.5 g almonds – each day for four weeks, along with one microcrystalline cellulose placebo capsule. Following that, they performed a four-week washout and then switched to two placebo capsules a day for four more weeks.

The cognitive test included word, number, picture and location recall, measuring choice reaction times and accuracy and logical reasoning along with other factors.

The results show “significant increases” in reaction and recall times across all factors, as well as an increased aversion to false selections when recalling the pictures, numbers and words.

An almond a day?
The study further measured the nuts’ effects on the makeup of the microbiome. Researchers took stool and urine samples twice (before and after) during the trial. 

It found that the bacteria Lachnospiraceae was significantly increased through supplementation, which has been found to produce short-chain fatty acids. It also found a 25% increase in the short-chain fatty acid butyrate.

A separate study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that eating roughly 46 almonds a day (about 56 g) can improve butyrate levels in the microbiome, improve overall gut health and act as a source of fiber.Eating 46 almonds a day may greatly improve gut health

“Butyrate is involved in several health-promoting processes such as providing energy to the cells lining the gut, regulation of the immune system and signaling to the cells of the gut to absorb certain nutrients,” Dr. Alice Creedon, lead author of the almond study, recently told NutritionInsight.

Moreover, Dr. Creedon further stated that “due to the effect of almonds on increasing butyrate production, they could be promoted as a snack food that can be consumed to benefit gut health by targeting bacterial metabolism.”

Additionally, higher levels of butyrate in the gut have been linked to decreased bloating, a decreased severity in irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and reduced inflammation in the gut and body.

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10 Top brain power foods

I don’t know if these really will increase your brain power, but I don’t see any harm in letting you know about them.

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Please let me know if you have any experience with these.To my knowledge they are all excellent foods nutritionally.

Tony

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7 Super Fat Burning Foods – Infographic

Although the orientation on this blog has shifted from straight weight loss to outright good health and long life, I thought this was an interesting and useful infographic. Besides the fact that these are ‘fat burning’ foods, they also happen to be wonderful nutritious foods with good calories, not the stuff you get in fast foods or junk foods. To read the other side of the good calories vs. empty calories coin, check out my post – A Love Letter to Hostess Ho Ho’s and Twinkies – NOT.

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Tony

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The Breakfast Nutrient That Keeps You Alert and Calm

vegan proteinAs a bonus, protein-rich foods eaten in the morning help control cravings for fatty foods later in the day. Scientists at the University of Missouri found that those who ate a high-protein breakfast ate 26% fewer calories at lunch than those who ate the same number of calories but lower amounts of protein for breakfast. “Breakfasts that are high in protein also reduce cravings for savory – or high-fat – foods. On the other hand, if breakfast is skipped, these cravings continue to rise throughout the day,” observes Heather Leidy, a nutritionist who was part of the research team.

Our Better Health

Shubhra Krishan  November 27, 2014

What do the following breakfast menus have in common?

  • Coffee and doughnut.
  • Pancakes with syrup.
  • Milk with sweet cereal.

Yes, they are quick to put together and taste good. But if you start feeling irritable and jittery a few hours later, these very foods could be responsible, thanks to the quick blood sugar rise and crash they cause.

That’s because they have one other factor in common: they lack protein.

Protein takes longer for the stomach to digest, so it keeps you feeling satisfied for longer. This in turn helps keep blood sugar levels stable, easing feelings of anxiety and nervousness.

But this nerve-easing benefit goes even further when you eat proteins at breakfast. Researchers at the Franklin Institute explain that a morning meal high in protein raises your brain’s tyrosine levels. This helps your brain produce neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and dopamine, which give you…

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14 Great Sources Of Clean Protein

Our Better Health

BY NADYA ANDREEVA     DECEMBER 21, 2013 

Clean protein is harder to come by than you might think. Pesticides, heavy metals, and antibiotics are abundant in almost all factory-produced nonorganic meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs. Fast food joints pump almost all of their items with food flavorings and chemicals to increase shelf life. To avoid all the negative health effects, go for the following foods whenever possible. Make friends with farmers at the closest farmers’ market, read food labels at the stores, and ask questions at the restaurants. You deserve to know where your food is coming from.

Almonds

Almonds are strongly anti-inflammatory, and are a good source for healthy fats, fiber, and protein. To make almonds easier to digest, soak them overnight and peel the skins. Nuts aren’t a complete protein since they don’t have a full range of amino acids, but they serve as a great…

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Almonds May Lower Heart Disease Risk

The quantity of almonds and muffins provided to each participant varied according to estimations to maintain his or her baseline weight. The muffins were formulated to provide the same number of calories and the same amount of saturated fat (SFA), polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), protein, and fiber as the almonds.

Cooking with Kathy Man

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that eating almonds daily may improve certain factors associated with heart disease risk.

The randomized, controlled clinical study, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, included 27 adult participants (mean age of 64 years) with elevated LDL cholesterol. Participants followed a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol that also included each of three dietary interventions for four weeks each in a crossover design. Each day for four weeks, researchers gave one group 50–100 g (2–4 oz) of almonds. A control group received 100–200 g of muffins and a third group received 25–50 g (1–2 oz) of almonds plus 50–100 g of muffins. Each participant completed all three dietary treatments, so the total length of the study was 12 weeks.

The quantity of almonds and muffins provided to each participant varied according to estimations to maintain his or her…

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Foods to Eat for a Leaner Body

Another fine food for thought infographic. Never forget that healthy eating is healthy aging.

The only thing missing is coconut oil. Check out Why Should I Try Coconut Oil? for more details.

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Tony

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