Episode 28 - Almonds and appetite - Nuts for Life | Australian Nuts for Nutrition & Health

28 February 2023

February 2023.

About this episode

Nuts are rich in healthy fats and are energy (kilojoule) dense. But does this mean that regularly eating nuts is linked to weight gain? No, and in fact we tend to see the opposite – eating nuts is associated with a lower body weight and a lower risk of obesity.

We speak with Dr Sharayah Carter, as she explains new research, from the University of South Australia, investigating the effects of almonds on appetite-regulating hormones, appetite ratings and energy intake.

Published in the European Journal of Nutrition, the randomised controlled trial found that those who consumed almonds – as opposed to an energy-equivalent carbohydrate snack – reduced energy intake at a subsequent meal by as much as 300 kilojoules.

About today’s guest

Dr Sharayah Carter is an early-career researcher with experience coordinating multiple large, human-based dietary interventions, collaborating with food industry, lecturing and tutoring, and mentoring and supervising students.

Sharayah is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with more than 10 years of consulting experience in chronic disease management and healthy aging.

She completed her PhD at the University of South Australia investigating the effects of intermittent, compared to continuous, energy restriction in people with type 2 diabetes. She’s currently working as a post-doctoral research fellow, in Allied Health & Human Performance, where she’s investigating the effects of snacking on almonds for weight loss and weight loss maintenance, delving into the mechanisms of appetite control.

Dr Carter has also tutored for subjects including Human Nutrition (internal and online), Foundations of Nutrition and Health (online) and Nutrition and Exercise (internal).