Eating almonds may well support a healthy diet, according to a new study in a US journal.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, funded by the Almond Board of California, reported on the impact of almonds on the blood.

Dr Sarah Berry of the Nutritional Sciences Division, King's College London, said: "This new study expands upon previous cardiovascular research by investigating not only how the plant cell wall may impact how fats are absorbed into the body, but also the potential impact on acute changes in triglyceride levels.

“The data suggests that an intact plant cell wall, as found in whole almonds, may impact on how much and how quickly fat is released into the blood, contributing to a lower acute rise in blood triglyceride levels," she said.

Researchers at King's College in London discovered that the increase in plasma triglycerides levels was lower after eating a meal that included muffins made with pieces of whole almonds than muffins made with oil-based fat sources, like almond oil and sunflower oil.

Triglycerides are the primary form of fat in foods, regardless of the type of fat, i.e. unsaturated or saturated. Blood triglycerides normally increase after eating a meal containing dietary fat. Elevated blood triglyceride levels are a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease.

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