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A Daily Almond Habit Helped Adults Think Faster. It Also Lowered Blood Sugar and Weight
A six-month trial linked daily raw almonds with faster processing, stronger executive function, lower blood sugar, and greater weight loss. But there’s a catch
Aug 31, 2026
Illustration: Inc.; Photos: Adobe Stock
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If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, a handful of almonds may have similar benefits. In a new study, people with prediabetes were able to boost their cognitive abilities by eating almonds every day. Researchers at the Diabetes Foundation in New Delhi, India, found that adding almonds to a balanced diet improved the processing speed and executive function in adults at risk of prediabetes
In India, there is a high rate of undiagnosed prediabetes and millions of adults are at risk for both cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. For this reason, the research team focused on middle-aged Asian Indians with undiagnosed prediabetes
Over the course of six months, researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial of adults between 40 and 60 years old. After meeting the prediabetes requirements, participants were divided into two groups. One group served as the control and were given basic dietary and exercise counseling while the other group received the exact same health guidance along with a daily serving of raw, unroasted almonds. Every day they ate about 30 to 40 grams of nuts, based on the calculation that the nuts constituted about 20 percent of a person’s daily energy requirement.
By replacing some cooking fats and carbohydrate-rich cereals with the intrinsic fats found in the almonds, the almond group modified their typical meals, balancing their overall daily energy intake.
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Using a specific kind of neuropsychological assessment to evaluate how well participants performed cognitively, researchers measured brain function once at the start of the study and again after 24 weeks had passed. The digital tests required participants to touch the screen to match complex patterns, follow visual cues, and complete spatial arrangements
The study sought to evaluate whether the antioxidant properties of almonds affected cognition. With that in mind, researchers collected blood samples to check for changes in blood sugar, insulin production, and inflammatory markers. In the samples, they were looking for a specific protein that signifies systemic inflammation. Then, they also measured a specific form of vitamin E to show how well the body was absorbing the nutrients from the almonds.
By the end of the six-month period, there were distinct cognitive differences in the group consuming almonds. Compared with the control group, the almond group performed noticeably better on tasks requiring executive function and also displayed faster overall processing speeds.
