Six-Month Trial Finds Improvements in Cognition and Metabolic Health
Eating almonds regularly may help improve certain aspects of brain function while also supporting blood sugar control and metabolic health in middle-aged adults with prediabetes, according to a new clinical trial.
The study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, involved 60 adults aged between 40 and 60 years with prediabetes but without type 2 diabetes.
Researchers conducted the randomized controlled trial over 24 weeks at a medical centre in New Delhi.
Participants were divided into two groups.
Twenty-nine people were assigned to an almond group. Their diet included almonds providing around 20 percent of their daily energy intake alongside diet and exercise guidance.
The remaining 31 participants followed an equivalent diet and exercise programme without almonds.
Researchers assessed several areas of cognitive performance at the beginning and end of the trial.
These included executive function, memory, attention, processing speed and working memory.
After 24 weeks, participants consuming almonds showed significant improvements in executive function and processing speed compared with the control group.
Reaction-time measurements also improved, suggesting participants were able to process and respond to information more efficiently.
The results indicate that almonds could potentially have benefits beyond their already established role as a nutrient-rich food.
Almond Group Also Records Better Blood Sugar and Weight Measures
The researchers also observed several changes in metabolic health.
Participants in the almond group recorded reductions in body weight, body mass index and waist circumference during the study.
They also experienced improvements in several important measures of blood sugar control.
These included fasting blood glucose, post-meal glucose and HbA1c, which reflects average blood sugar levels over a longer period.
Researchers additionally recorded a reduction in TBARS, a laboratory marker associated with oxidative stress.
Levels of alpha-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E and an important antioxidant, increased among participants consuming almonds.
These findings are particularly relevant because prediabetes is associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Researchers also noted that metabolic problems such as insulin resistance, oxidative stress and persistent low-grade inflammation may be associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline.
Almonds contain protein, fibre, unsaturated fats, magnesium, vitamin E and other nutrients that could potentially contribute to their metabolic effects.
However, the trial itself does not establish that any single almond nutrient was responsible for the observed cognitive improvements.
Researchers Warn Larger and Longer Studies Are Still Needed
Despite the promising findings, researchers cautioned against treating almonds as a proven method for preventing cognitive decline or diabetes.
The study included only 60 participants and lasted 24 weeks.
It was also conducted specifically among middle-aged Asian Indian adults with prediabetes.
The results therefore cannot automatically be assumed to apply to everyone.
Researchers said larger and longer-term studies are needed to confirm the findings and determine whether similar benefits occur across different populations.
More research is also required to establish whether the improvements continue over several years and whether almonds can meaningfully reduce the risk of future cognitive impairment or type 2 diabetes.
The study nevertheless provides new evidence that adding almonds to a balanced diet may offer both cognitive and metabolic advantages for people already at increased metabolic risk.
Researchers concluded that six months of almond supplementation improved executive function, processing speed, overall cognition, glycemic measures and markers of oxidative stress in the participants studied.
The findings add to growing scientific interest in how everyday dietary choices may influence both metabolic and brain health.
