Almond

Studies in people

• Open question

  Trigger threshold unknown⁴

  Scientists do not yet know how much almond is needed to trigger a reaction in allergic people.

• Benefit

  Body weight and fat⁵

  In people, eating almonds slightly lowered body weight and fat, but not BMI or waist size.

• Open question

  Body inflammation⁶

  Almonds lowered one inflammation marker in adults, but not another, and scientists say more trials are needed.

• Benefit

  Heart and gut health⁷

  Almonds may improve cholesterol and gut bacteria, but whether this helps the heart is unclear.

• Open question

  Food allergy outcomes⁸

  Most children tested for almond allergy passed, and serious reactions were uncommon.

• Benefit

  Heart health in adults⁹

  Eating almonds daily may help lower blood pressure and heart risk scores in adults with high cholesterol.

• Open question

  Heart and blood sugar health¹⁰

  Almond oil has been studied for heart and blood sugar benefits, but its cancer and fertility effects are not yet proven.

• Benefit

  Weight and hunger¹²

  Eating almonds may slightly lower body weight, waist size, and hunger, but scientists say more studies are needed.

• Benefit

  Blood pressure¹³

  In people, eating almonds lowered the bottom blood pressure number a little, but not the top one.

• Benefit

  Blood fat levels¹⁴

  Eating almonds lowered triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL in adults, though scientists say more trials are needed.

• Benefit

  Heart disease risk¹⁵

  Eating almonds may lower cholesterol and body weight, but scientists say the studies differ too much for firm conclusions.

• Benefit

  Oxidative stress in adults¹⁶

  In adults, eating almonds lowered one marker of oxidative stress, though another marker showed no change.

• Open question

  Body's oxidation balance¹⁷

  Eating more than 60g of almonds a day changed several markers of oxidation in adults, but studies varied widely.

• Benefit

  Mood and blood sugar in diabetes¹⁹

  In people with type 2 diabetes, an almond-based low-carb diet improved depression scores and blood sugar control.

• Benefit

  Acne and skin bacteria²⁰

  People with acne who ate almonds daily had fewer spots and more varied skin bacteria.

• Open question

  Blood sugar after meals²¹

  Eating almond paste with bread lowered blood sugar and insulin in healthy Chinese men, but raised blood fats.

• Open question

  Muscle and hydration in older women²²

  In postmenopausal women, it is not yet known how almond protein powder affects amino acids and hydration.

Animal and lab studies only

• Open question

  Bread antioxidant boost²⁶

  Almond skin added to bread released antioxidants after digestion, but it also carried germs that need watching.

• Benefit

  Inflammation signal reduction²⁷

  In lab studies, fermented almond and chickpea mixes lowered an inflammation signal, most in chickpea-rich ones.

• Open question

  Fat digestion in the stomach²⁸

  In lab studies, almond milk's fat clumped in stomach acid, so much of it stayed there instead of moving on.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Heart and blood vessel health²³

  Almonds contain vitamin E and have shown benefits for heart and blood vessel health.

• Concern

  Protein in all samples²⁵

  All 60 almond samples tested contained amandin, the protein that almond-allergic people's immune systems react to.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Nut allergy triggers³

  Almonds contain five known allergens, and scientists think five more may also set off allergic reactions.

• Allergic reactions to food¹¹

  Almond contains proteins that can trigger immune reactions in people allergic to it, ranging from mild to life-threatening.

• Nut allergy¹⁸

  Almond vicilin is a protein in almonds that some people's immune systems react to.

How it’s made and used

• Vitamin E in nuts²⁴

  Almonds hold vitamin E, and hot, dry growing conditions can raise how much they hold.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.