Calorie-matched fries and almonds equally impact metabolic health, study finds

10 Mar 2022 --- Adding a 300-calorie serving of french fries to a typical diet does not result in differential weight gain or other biomarker changes associated with impaired blood sugar regulation compared to adding the equivalent daily serving of almonds.

This is according to US research funded by The Alliance of Potato Research and Education that unveiled these health risks are dependent on the quantity of french fries or potatoes consumed.

“Based on our findings, there is no statistically significant evidence of differential effects between consuming a typical 300 calorie serving of french fries daily and a 300 calorie serving of almonds daily when it comes to weight gain or markers of Type 2 diabetes risk, at least in the short term,” says David Allison, study author, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

“Nutrition recommendations that focus primarily on single foods in isolation may be missing the mark. A more effective approach to dietary guidance is likely one that takes total diet, lifestyle and individual needs and risk factors into account,” says Daniel Smith, study co-author, department of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Findings and correlation between almonds and potatoes
At the end of the one-month study, changes in body composition, body weight, fasting glucose and fasting insulin levels were comparable across the french fry and almond intervention groups and were not clinically significant.

“Our results show two food items identified previously for opposite associations with health outcomes had no differences in effects on the health outcomes we measured,” adds Smith.

As expected, given the carbohydrate content differential between french fries and almonds, acute peak blood glucose and insulin levels were higher after eating the french fries. These levels, however, were not abnormally high and the variation did not affect any other glucoregulatory indicators.The researchers observed no short-term, statistically significant difference between calorie-matched fries and almonds.

The participants were invited to incorporate one of the three food items into their “regular daily diet.” The three food groups – which all measured 300 calorie servings each – included almonds, standard french fries and french fries with a herb or spice mix.

Measuring body weight, blood sugar and insulin
At the start of the study and the end, researchers measured body composition (body fat mass), weight, blood sugar, insulin and hemoglobin A1c.

A subset of five people underwent post-meal examinations to see how their blood sugar levels changed in the short term.

A free-living study limited the researchers’ control over the participants’ diets; nonetheless, such a study design allows for real-world data collection. It also omitted those with Type 2 diabetes, restricting the findings’ applicability to people who don’t have the disease.

Health potential of potatoes and almonds
According to a global meta-analysis, fried food consumption is linked to an increased risk of significant heart disease and stroke. However, experts have cautioned that due to broad research variation and other confounding factors, conclusions cannot be drawn.

According to another study supported by the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, eating baked or boiled potatoes reduces sodium retention more effectively than supplementation and lowers systolic blood pressure.

Meanwhile, the University of Toronto found that the calorie labeling on almonds may not accurately reflect the number of calories consumed. This led researchers to conclude that the findings may alleviate concerns about almonds contributing to weight gain.

Edited by Nicole Kerr