A Summary of the article on “The Effects of Almond Consumption on Cardiovascular Health and Gut Microbiome: A Comprehensive Review”
Background
This comprehensive review article by Singar S, Kadyan S and Patoine C et al (2024) titled “The Effects of Almond Consumption on Cardiovascular Health and Gut Microbiome: A Comprehensive Review” and published in Nutrients in June 2024, explores the multifaceted benefits of almonds, particularly concerning cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and gut health. CVD remains a significant public health concern, being the leading cause of mortality among adults in the United States, with its prevalence projected to rise, especially among minority groups. Major modifiable risk factors for CVD include hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, smoking, and physical inactivity.
Almonds (Prunus dulcis) possess a rich nutrient profile, including monounsaturated fats (predominantly oleic acid), dietary fibre, vitamins (especially vitamin E), minerals (magnesium, potassium), and polyphenols. These components are crucial to their health-promoting properties.
Results
The review highlights several key impacts of almond consumption on cardiovascular health:
- Lipid Profile Improvement: Regular almond intake can reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), while maintaining or increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Almonds also enhance HDL functionality and modify HDL subclasses. These effects are attributed to their fibre, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and phytosterols, which block cholesterol absorption.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Almonds have a low glycaemic index and can reduce postprandial blood glucose levels, improve fasting glucose, insulin levels, and insulin resistance, and lower long-term marker hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
- Antioxidant Increase: As a rich source of vitamin E (α-tocopherol), almonds protect cells from oxidative damage, increasing plasma α-tocopherol concentrations and reducing oxidative stress biomarkers like malondialdehyde (MDA).
- Blood Pressure Reduction: Almond consumption has been linked to reductions in diastolic blood pressure (DBP), though its impact on systolic blood pressure (SBP) is less conclusive. This benefit is partly due to magnesium, potassium, and arginine, which support vascular health and vasodilation.
- Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation Amelioration: Almonds may decrease markers of inflammation such as E-selectin and C-reactive protein (CRP).
- Endothelial Function Improvement: Almonds have been associated with enhanced endothelium-dependent vasodilation, indicated by improvements in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a key factor in vascular health.
- Body Composition Improvement: Studies suggest almonds can reduce body fat percentage and central adiposity, which are significant risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases.
- Appetite and Satiety Regulation: High fibre, protein, and healthy fats in almonds enhance satiety, reduce hunger, and may influence appetite-regulating hormones.
Furthermore, the review delves into the emerging concept of the gut–heart axis, highlighting how almond consumption positively modulates the gut microbiome. Almonds promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, including Lachnospira, Roseburia, Dialister, Oscillospira, Ruminococcaceae, Bifidobacterium spp., and Lactobacillus spp., while potentially reducing pathogenic Clostridium perfringens. This modulation leads to increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, particularly butyrate, which has anti-inflammatory properties and enhances gut barrier function. The physical form of almonds (e.g., chopped vs. whole) also influences specific bacterial populations.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the current literature suggests that incorporating almonds into the diet can significantly improve cardiovascular health markers and positively modulate the gut microbiome. While the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines recommend plant-based diets that include nuts for CVD prevention, the review notes limitations in existing research, such as variability in study design, duration, and sample sizes. Future research is needed to fully understand the clinical implications of these findings, particularly the role of specific gut microbes and their metabolites in mediating these health benefits.
References
Singar, S., Kadyan, S., Patoine, C., Park, G., Arjmandi, B., & Nagpal, R. (2024). The Effects of Almond Consumption on Cardiovascular Health and Gut Microbiome: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients, 16(12), 1964. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121964
This post is based on Open Access research and is for informational purposes only.
