EU Review Paper

To coincide with the 17th European Congress on Obesity (ECO), which took place in Amsterdam earlier this year, ABC convened a meeting of advisory board members from Europe and the United States. The discussion focused on the objective, which was to develop a scientific paper presenting a consensus view on the role of almonds in a healthy diet.

As a result of the successful meeting, a paper entitled 'The nutritional and health benefits of almonds' authored by Professor Arne Astrup, University of Copenhagen, Dr Arnaud Cocaul, l’hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, Dr. Peter Ellis, King’s College London, and Professor David Richardson, chair of ABC’s European Advisory Board, was submitted to the peer-review journal Food Science and Technology Bulletin.

Following is a brief abstract from that paper:

Over the last decade, the research on the effects of almonds on reducing blood cholesterol levels and reduction of risk of heart disease has grown significantly. Emerging research on almonds also shows promising health benefits linked to body weight control and diabetes. Almonds naturally contain high levels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, protein and dietary fibre, as well as a variety of essential nutrients including vitamin E and several trace elements. Almonds are very low in sodium and high in potassium, and they contain a range of phytoprotective constituents. The available evidence also indicates that weight gain may not be a concern when nuts are consumed in moderation, and that regular consumption of nuts can be recommended in the context of a healthy balanced diet.