The best afternoon snack for your metabolism
Afternoon munchies? Reach for tree nuts, new research suggests, and you may curb your metabolic syndrome risk.
Researchers conducted a randomized intervention trial that lasted 16 weeks, with 84 young adults between the ages of 22 and 26 that had BMIs above the healthy range, and at least 1 risk factor for metabolic syndrome (e.g., high blood sugar, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, etc.).All the participants had to do was swap a typical carb-heavy afternoon snack for ¼ cup of unsalted raw cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, and almonds.After the 16 weeks, all participants snacking on tree nuts daily experienced reductions in triglycerides. Furthermore, female participants benefited from a reduction in waist circumference and visceral fat, while male participants saw lowered blood insulin levels, compared to those not eating nuts.
A handful per day…
- The 8 best nuts for protein
- How to make nuts even easier to digest
From the mindbodygreen editorial team.