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Photo:Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images
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Nuts are high in calories and fat, so should you avoid them if you’re trying to lose weight? Luckily, you shouldn’t! Studies have shown that people who include nuts in their diets experience great metabolic health benefits. In fact, a review found that people who regularly eat nuts have less weight gain and a reduced risk of obesity.
Registered dietitianBianca Tamburello, RDN, with Fresh Communications, says, “Nuts are a great food for weight loss because they’re packed with healthy fats, which boost satiety, and protein and fiber to keep you full.” But she does note, “Nuts are nutrient-dense and pack a good amount of calories per serving, but this is not a reason to avoid them. Be aware of portions and aim for one to two servings per day,” she adds.
What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Nuts Every Day
The Benefits of Almonds for Weight Loss
If you’re looking for a satisfying snack to improve your health while losing weight, look no further than almonds. With almonds, you know you’ll be giving your body a boost of quality nutrients that may aid you in your weight-loss goals. Almonds are great for weight loss for several reasons.
High in Fiber
“Fiber is an important nutrient in most diets, especially knowing the average American only eats about half of the daily recommended amount,” saysSamantha MacLeod, M.S., RDN, a registered dietitian with Fresh Communications. “If you are trying to lose weight, fiber can be important because it helps you to stay fuller and more satisfied for longer.” Two ounces of almonds contain over 7 grams of fiber.Additionally,high-fiber foodslike almonds have been shown to help reduce inflammatory molecules in the body, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF).Fiber-rich foods like almonds are also associated with improved metabolism, a lower risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, better digestive function, and possibly even a lower risk of colon cancer.
Packed with Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Full of Protein
Your body is constantly rebuilding and maintaining your bones, muscles, cells and tissues, and itneeds protein to do it. Tamburello notes that over-restricting food, a common mistake when losing weight, can lead to eating too much later on. Foods high in protein slow down digestion, keeping you full. Additionally, protein is key to maintaining your muscle mass. Muscle mass is a metabolically active tissue that helps increase yourbasal metabolic rate(BMR)—how many calories your body needs for basic functions. A higher metabolic rate leads to burning more calories. Two ounces of almonds have over 12 grams of protein, making them a greathigh-protein foodto help you maintain your muscle mass.
Other Nuts for Weight Loss
Almonds are a good choice if you’re ready to include nutritious and delicious foods in your diet to help you lose weight, but any nut can help you with your goals. If you enjoy another nut more than almonds, feel free to make a swap. Other great options are:
The Bottom Line
Even though almonds and other nuts arehigh in calories, they have plenty of health benefits that can aid you in your weight-loss journey. MacLeod says, “Generally speaking, nuts are high in fat and can be calorie-dense, but that does not mean you should exclude them from your diet if you are trying to lose weight!” And as we’ve seen here, the health benefits go beyond weight loss for overall health.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Eslami O, Shidfar F, Dehnad A.Inverse association of long-term nut consumption with weight gain and risk of overweight/obesity: a systematic review.Nutr Res.2019;68:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2019.04.001U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Nuts, almonds.Grosso G, Laudisio D, Frias-Toral E, Barrea L, Muscogiuri G, Savastano S, Colao A.Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients and Obesity-Associated Metabolic-Inflammation: State of the Art and Future Direction.Nutrients. 2022; 14(6):1137. doi:10.3390/nu1406113NIH. News in Health.Rough up your diet.Gracia B, Reig D, Rubio-Cabetas M, Garcia M.Study of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Spanish Almonds.Foods. 2021; 10(10): 2334. doi:10.3390/foods10102334Hildebrandt X, Ibrahim M, Peltzer N.Cell death and inflammation during obesity: “Know my methods, WAT(son)”.Cell Death & Diff. 2022; 30: 279-292. doi:10.1038/s41418-022-01062-4Dreher M.A Comprehensive Review of Almond Clinical Trials on Weight Measures, Metabolic Health Biomarkers and Outcomes, and the Gut Microbiota.Nutr.2021;13(6):1968. doi: 10.3390/nu13061968Caldas A, Rocha D, Dionisio A, Hermsdorff H, Bressan J.Brazil and cashew nuts intake improve body composition and endothelial health in women at cardiometabolic risk (Brazilian Nuts Study): a randomised controlled trial.BJN. 2022; 128(9): 1747-1757. doi:10.1017/S000711452100475XFarr O, Tuccinardi D, Upadhyay J, Oussaada S, Mantzoros C.Walnut consumption increases activation of the insula to highly desirable food cues: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over fMRI study.Diabetes, Obes, & Metab.2017; 20(1): 173-177. doi:10.1111/dom.13060Rock, Zunshine E, Nguyen H, Perez A, Zoumas C, Pakiz B, White M.Effects of Pistachio Consumption in a Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention on Weight Change, Cardiometabolic Factors, and Dietary Intake.Nutr. 2020; 12(7): 2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Eslami O, Shidfar F, Dehnad A.Inverse association of long-term nut consumption with weight gain and risk of overweight/obesity: a systematic review.Nutr Res.2019;68:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2019.04.001U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Nuts, almonds.Grosso G, Laudisio D, Frias-Toral E, Barrea L, Muscogiuri G, Savastano S, Colao A.Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients and Obesity-Associated Metabolic-Inflammation: State of the Art and Future Direction.Nutrients. 2022; 14(6):1137. doi:10.3390/nu1406113NIH. News in Health.Rough up your diet.Gracia B, Reig D, Rubio-Cabetas M, Garcia M.Study of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Spanish Almonds.Foods. 2021; 10(10): 2334. doi:10.3390/foods10102334Hildebrandt X, Ibrahim M, Peltzer N.Cell death and inflammation during obesity: “Know my methods, WAT(son)”.Cell Death & Diff. 2022; 30: 279-292. doi:10.1038/s41418-022-01062-4Dreher M.A Comprehensive Review of Almond Clinical Trials on Weight Measures, Metabolic Health Biomarkers and Outcomes, and the Gut Microbiota.Nutr.2021;13(6):1968. doi: 10.3390/nu13061968Caldas A, Rocha D, Dionisio A, Hermsdorff H, Bressan J.Brazil and cashew nuts intake improve body composition and endothelial health in women at cardiometabolic risk (Brazilian Nuts Study): a randomised controlled trial.BJN. 2022; 128(9): 1747-1757. doi:10.1017/S000711452100475XFarr O, Tuccinardi D, Upadhyay J, Oussaada S, Mantzoros C.Walnut consumption increases activation of the insula to highly desirable food cues: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over fMRI study.Diabetes, Obes, & Metab.2017; 20(1): 173-177. doi:10.1111/dom.13060Rock, Zunshine E, Nguyen H, Perez A, Zoumas C, Pakiz B, White M.Effects of Pistachio Consumption in a Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention on Weight Change, Cardiometabolic Factors, and Dietary Intake.Nutr. 2020; 12(7): 2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Eslami O, Shidfar F, Dehnad A.Inverse association of long-term nut consumption with weight gain and risk of overweight/obesity: a systematic review.Nutr Res.2019;68:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2019.04.001U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Nuts, almonds.Grosso G, Laudisio D, Frias-Toral E, Barrea L, Muscogiuri G, Savastano S, Colao A.Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients and Obesity-Associated Metabolic-Inflammation: State of the Art and Future Direction.Nutrients. 2022; 14(6):1137. doi:10.3390/nu1406113NIH. News in Health.Rough up your diet.Gracia B, Reig D, Rubio-Cabetas M, Garcia M.Study of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Spanish Almonds.Foods. 2021; 10(10): 2334. doi:10.3390/foods10102334Hildebrandt X, Ibrahim M, Peltzer N.Cell death and inflammation during obesity: “Know my methods, WAT(son)”.Cell Death & Diff. 2022; 30: 279-292. doi:10.1038/s41418-022-01062-4Dreher M.A Comprehensive Review of Almond Clinical Trials on Weight Measures, Metabolic Health Biomarkers and Outcomes, and the Gut Microbiota.Nutr.2021;13(6):1968. doi: 10.3390/nu13061968Caldas A, Rocha D, Dionisio A, Hermsdorff H, Bressan J.Brazil and cashew nuts intake improve body composition and endothelial health in women at cardiometabolic risk (Brazilian Nuts Study): a randomised controlled trial.BJN. 2022; 128(9): 1747-1757. doi:10.1017/S000711452100475XFarr O, Tuccinardi D, Upadhyay J, Oussaada S, Mantzoros C.Walnut consumption increases activation of the insula to highly desirable food cues: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over fMRI study.Diabetes, Obes, & Metab.2017; 20(1): 173-177. doi:10.1111/dom.13060Rock, Zunshine E, Nguyen H, Perez A, Zoumas C, Pakiz B, White M.Effects of Pistachio Consumption in a Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention on Weight Change, Cardiometabolic Factors, and Dietary Intake.Nutr. 2020; 12(7): 2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155
Eslami O, Shidfar F, Dehnad A.Inverse association of long-term nut consumption with weight gain and risk of overweight/obesity: a systematic review.Nutr Res.2019;68:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2019.04.001
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Nuts, almonds.
Grosso G, Laudisio D, Frias-Toral E, Barrea L, Muscogiuri G, Savastano S, Colao A.Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients and Obesity-Associated Metabolic-Inflammation: State of the Art and Future Direction.Nutrients. 2022; 14(6):1137. doi:10.3390/nu1406113
NIH. News in Health.Rough up your diet.
Gracia B, Reig D, Rubio-Cabetas M, Garcia M.Study of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Spanish Almonds.Foods. 2021; 10(10): 2334. doi:10.3390/foods10102334
Hildebrandt X, Ibrahim M, Peltzer N.Cell death and inflammation during obesity: “Know my methods, WAT(son)”.Cell Death & Diff. 2022; 30: 279-292. doi:10.1038/s41418-022-01062-4
Dreher M.A Comprehensive Review of Almond Clinical Trials on Weight Measures, Metabolic Health Biomarkers and Outcomes, and the Gut Microbiota.Nutr.2021;13(6):1968. doi: 10.3390/nu13061968
Caldas A, Rocha D, Dionisio A, Hermsdorff H, Bressan J.Brazil and cashew nuts intake improve body composition and endothelial health in women at cardiometabolic risk (Brazilian Nuts Study): a randomised controlled trial.BJN. 2022; 128(9): 1747-1757. doi:10.1017/S000711452100475X
Farr O, Tuccinardi D, Upadhyay J, Oussaada S, Mantzoros C.Walnut consumption increases activation of the insula to highly desirable food cues: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over fMRI study.Diabetes, Obes, & Metab.2017; 20(1): 173-177. doi:10.1111/dom.13060
Rock, Zunshine E, Nguyen H, Perez A, Zoumas C, Pakiz B, White M.Effects of Pistachio Consumption in a Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention on Weight Change, Cardiometabolic Factors, and Dietary Intake.Nutr. 2020; 12(7): 2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155
