Postprandial Effect of Almond (Prunus dulcis) Nut on Glucose and Lipid Levels in Apparently Healthy Individuals

There is a complex and predominantly unfavorable effect of increased intake of highly processed carbohydrate and lipid profile which may have implications for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. This study aims to determine the effect of almond consumption on postprandial glucose and lipid levels. Fifty (50) volunteers (35 males and 15 females) of varying weights, heights and age group were recruited, and were placed on 12 hours overnight fast. The volunteers were equally divided into two groups (the test and control group), 25 volunteers for each group. The test individuals were given an 830g meal of rice, together with 30 seeds of almond nut, with a 50cl of water while, the control individuals were given the same size of rice with a 50cl of water, but they were not given almond nut. The weight and height of each volunteer were measured, and blood samples (fasting and 2hr postprandial) were collected from each volunteer, analysis for glucose and lipid profile was done on the samples. The controls postprandial low density lipoprotein cholesterol (2.74 1.05mmolL-1) was significantly higher than the tests postprandial LDL-C (1.88 0.87mmolL-1), (p = 0.0036). The controls postprandial total cholesterol level (5.20 1.18mmolL-1) was found to be significantly higher than the tests postprandial TC level (4.19 0.97mmolL-1), (p=0.002). The postprandial glucose of the control (5.02 0.61mmolL-1) was found to be significantly greater than the postprandial glucose of the test (4.44 0.31mmolL-1), (p-value = 9.57E-0.5). No significant difference was observed between the postprandial triglyceride levels of the test and control (p = 0.1338), and the postprandial high density lipoprotein levels of the test and control (p = 0.7998). Almond nut consumption may induce postprandial reduction in humans blood glucose, total cholesterol, and Low density Lipoprotein Cholesterol levels, thereby preventing the complications of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases and so is recommended as an in-between meal snacks for patients suffering from these diseases.