Canberra, A New research by the University of South Australia suggests that a handful of almonds can help keep additional pounds at bay.

Researchers, who studied how almonds can alter human appetite, discovered that a snack of 30-50 grammes of almonds could encourage people to consume fewer kilojoules each day.

The study, which was published in the European Journal of Nutrition, found that those who ate almonds instead of an energy-equivalent carbohydrate snack reduced their energy consumption by 300 kilojoules at the next meal, the majority of which came from junk food.

According to the study, consumption of almonds was associated with lower levels of C-peptide responses (47 per cent lower), higher levels of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (18 per cent higher), glucagon (39 per cent higher), and pancreatic polypeptide responses.

C-peptide responses can improve insulin sensitivity and lower the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Pancreatic polypeptide slows digestion, which may cause a reduction in food intake, and glucagon sends satiety signals to the brain, both of which promote weight loss.

Source: Oman News Agency