A new feeding study suggests that replacing common processed snacks with a daily serving of almonds may do more than improve nutrition.
Replacing typical Western-style snacks with a daily serving of almonds may improve gut bacteria, lower several inflammatory signals, and increase hormones linked to fullness, according to a new controlled feeding study.
The research focused on 15 adults with overweight or obesity who completed two four-week diet periods. In one, they ate an average American diet with calorie-matched snacks such as refined grains, butter, and cheese. In the other, they ate a similar diet that included 42.5 grams of almonds per day, or about 1.5 ounces.
Because the diets contained similar calories, the study tested the effect of changing snack quality rather than simply adding more food.
Almonds and the Gut Microbiome
Researchers found that almond snacking increased Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a beneficial gut bacterium known for producing butyrate, a compound that helps nourish the colon lining and may support lower inflammation. Several bacteria linked with less favorable gut patterns declined during the almond period.
The almonds did not dramatically change overall gut diversity, but the results suggest a more targeted shift in the gut ecosystem in which specific beneficial microbes gained ground.
The study also found changes in stool chemistry, with almond intake increasing plant-derived sugars such as xylose and arabinose from almond cell walls that can serve as fuel for gut microbes. At the same time, several amino acids decreased in stool, which may indicate that gut bacteria were using them more actively.
