- A new review suggests eating almonds can improve lipid markers linked with cardiovascular risk.
- Eating almonds may lower levels of a particle that helps form LDL (bad) cholesterol.
- Add almonds and almond butter to salads, snack mixes, smoothies and more.
If you already keep a bag of almonds in your desk or gym bag, good news: that simple snack may be doing more for your heart than you think, according to the latest research.
Most of us know to watch our LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol levels, but doctors are increasingly paying attention to a newer number called apolipoprotein B, or ApoB. ApoB sits on every bad cholesterol particle in your blood. Because there is one ApoB per particle, your ApoB level is essentially a headcount of how many artery-entering particles are circulating—and fewer is better.
A new study in Nutrients pulled together 36 randomized trials with 2,485 adults and found that people who ate almonds improved their ApoB levels and their ApoB-to-ApoA ratio—a measurement used to gauge cardiovascular risk—plus familiar wins for LDL and total cholesterol. In plain language, swapping in almonds as a regular snack was linked with small but meaningful shifts in several heart-relevant numbers.
How Was This Study Conducted
Researchers gathered results from randomized controlled trials, the strongest kind of nutrition experiment. In these studies, people were assigned to eat almonds or follow a similar plan without nuts. To be included, studies had to last at least four weeks and involve adults who didn’t have diagnosed heart disease.
Most of the reviewed studies had participants eat a daily portion of almonds and then checked cholesterol and other blood fats after an overnight fast. Some trials had people switch between almond and non-almond periods; others compared two separate groups. Altogether, the review combined 36 studies (48 almond-versus-control comparisons) with 2,485 participants, allowing the authors to see the overall effect of almonds across many different settings rather than relying on any single study.
What Did the Study Find?
Researchers found that ApoB levels and the ApoB:ApoA ratio improved with almonds. Across a dozen trials, people who ate almonds saw ApoB drop by about 4 to 5 milligrams per deciliter. ApoB is essentially a count of cholesterol-carrying particles, so lower is generally better. The ApoB:ApoA ratio also nudged lower, which can indicate better heart health.
Traditional cholesterol numbers also moved in a heart-healthy direction. Almonds lowered LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol and common cholesterol ratios improved as well. Triglycerides showed a small downward trend, but the evidence was somewhat mixed.
But generally, the results were consistent. The benefits of almonds largely held up when the authors looked only at the highest-quality studies. Triglycerides were the exception, since those results were less certain.
There are few nuances to keep in mind. Bigger ApoB improvements tended to show up in people whose LDL wasn’t ideal to begin with. Changing the almond amount within the study ranges, taking cholesterol medicines or having all meals provided did not meaningfully change the overall picture. This study had important limitations. People knew when they were eating almonds, which is common in whole-food studies and can influence behavior. Triglycerides also vary a lot from person to person, which makes that particular result harder to pin down.
How Does This Apply to Real Life
If you’re looking for a snack that supports heart-healthy numbers, almonds are an easy, evidence-backed option. Practical ways to use them:
- Make a swap. Trade a refined-carb or ultra-processed snack for a small handful of almonds to avoid extra calories while adding unsaturated fats and fiber.
- Aim for an easy baseline. About 1 ounce (roughly 23 almonds) is portable and satisfying.
- Pair for staying power. Combine almonds with fruit or plain yogurt to layer fiber and protein.
- Mind the salt. Choose unsalted or lightly salted to keep sodium in check.
Curious whether ApoB belongs on your lab list? Because it reflects the number of atherogenic particles, ApoB can complement standard cholesterol testing. Ask a healthcare provider if measuring it makes sense for your prevention plan.
The Bottom Line
Pooling 36 randomized trials, this analysis links almond consumption with improvements in ApoB and the ApoB:ApoA ratio—markers tied to cardiovascular risk—along with consistent reductions in LDL and total cholesterol. Triglyceride effects were less certain, and standard limitations of nutrition trials apply. As a simple snack swap, almonds are a pragmatic way to nudge several heart-relevant numbers in the right direction.
