WELCOME FROM THE BOARD OF CALIFORNIA! NUTRITION BULLETIN FEBRUARY 2016

February is often considered the month of love and sweet treats; but with the recent announcement that children in the UK are consuming three times their daily recommended sugar intake, it’s also a good time to look at family diets and healthier snacking options. The good news is that making positive changes to your family’s health doesn’t have to be challenging. This issue includes new study findings about the connection between eating and improving diet quality for the whole family, fun facts about almonds to help you ace quiz nights, and an insight into the life of a very inspiring almond farmer.

Burns AM et al. Diet quality improves for parents and children when almonds are incorporated into their daily diet: a randomized, crossover study. Nutrition Research 2015; doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2015.11.004. RESEARCH In this study, researchers examined the impact of eating almonds and/or almond butter on diet quality and microbiota composition in parents and their children. SPOTLIGHT Researchers also assessed the ease of adding almonds to the family diet. Although higher intakes of almonds or longer interventions may be needed to demonstrate effects on immune status, a moderate intake of almonds improves diet quality in adults and their young children and modulates microbiota composition, reinforcing their attributes as a smart snack as part of a healthy diet.

Adult parents (n=29; age 35 +/- 0.6 years) and their children (n=29, age 4 +/- 0.2 years). Parent-child pairs were screened and excluded if they were allergic to any type of , taking any immune- STUDY enhancing dietary supplements or medications for constipation, diarrhea or inflammation on a regular POPULATION basis, amongst other screening parameters.

Parents and children ate 42g and 14g of almonds and/ or almond butter, respectively, on a daily basis for three weeks, as part of their usual diet. Parents completed daily questionnaires of compliance with nut intake and rated how challenging it was to incorporate almonds into the diet.

This was followed by a 4-week washout period and a 3-week control period in which no almonds were eaten. Diet quality was assessed using U.S. Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores, which is a measure of adherence to national dietary guidelines and reflective of the overall healthfulness of the diet. The HEI is based on 12 components of healthy eating (for example /vegetable intake, whole grain intake, fatty acid ratio), with a total score of 100.

METHODOLOGY Nutrient intake was assessed based on the results of dietary recall questionnaires and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Response Scale (GSRS), both administered weekly. Participants provided stools for microbiota analysis and saliva for secretory immunoglobulin A (a marker of immune system function). Blood was also drawn before and after the study to assess other immune markers.

• Parents reported it being relatively easy to incorporate almonds into the family diet, with only minor challenges reported if the children didn’t like almonds or almond butter

• During the almond intervention, total HEI score increased from 53.7 ± 1.8 to 61.4 ± 1.4 (parents) and 53.7 ± 2.6 to 61.4 ± 2.2 (children) (P<0.001). Parent and child component scores increased for fatty acids, total protein, and seafood and plant protein and decreased for empty calories

• Component scores for parents also decreased in whole fruit and sodium; however, energy intake did not change. This suggests that the almonds may have replaced fruit or salty empty-calorie in the diet

• Based upon dietary recall data, when eating almonds, participants consumed significantly more vitamin E and magnesium while maintaining the same calorie intake

• Minimal changes in gastrointestinal symptoms and no change in stool frequency were noted with the almond intervention. Microbiota was stable at the phylum and family level, but genus level changes occurred with nut intake, especially in children. No differences were observed for immune markers

• Although children consumed only one third of the amount of almonds compared to adults, microbiota was affected to a greater extent in children. Thus, adding almonds to the diet of children might provide an effective means for increasing the prevalence of specific beneficial gut bacteria.

• The study was relatively short term at three weeks for the intervention phase and nutrient intake was assessed using self-reported dietary recall data

• Parents completed the diet record for their participating child, and as most children attended STUDY school or daycare, it may have been difficult for parents to determine foods eaten away from home. LIMITATIONS Completion of the questionnaire by the parent on the intake of their children has not yet been validated.

ALMOND DAY: FIVE FUN FACTS ABOUT OUR FAVOURITE DRUPE*

*Hint: Almonds are technically drupes, which are made of three parts: a green protection layer, the hull, and the crunchy nut we love. The botanists among us know FACT #1 the drupe family also includes and cherries.

70% of almond farmers use micro-irrigation to make sure water is applied only where the tree needs it. By using this method, farmers have been able to reduce the FACT #2 amount of water they use per pound of almonds by 33%.

More than 30 different almond varieties grow in Californian . FACT #3

A perfect portion, 28 grams or about 23 almonds, can fill up a square post-it note, FACT #4 a shot glass or the palm of your hand.

Almonds are bees’ first natural source after winter. After almonds, honey bees move throughout the United States, pollinating FACT #5 over 90 other crops and making honey.

Preparation:

SNACK COMBINATION: • Put the almonds into a dry frying pan and heat for about one minute to toast ALMONDS WITH them, shaking the pan occasionally. • Cool and then toss with the cherries. If you FRESH CHERRIES like, sprinkle with desiccated .

• Tip: This snack combo works great with blueberries too. Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories 200kcal Fat 15g Saturated fat 1g Monounsaturated fat 9.5g Polyunsaturated fat 3.7g Protein 6.7g Almonds and cherries work well in Carbohydrate 12g dessert recipes, but this healthy combo Fibre 4.6g is a snap to make with appetising colour Cholesterol and crunch. Almond skins are rich 0mg in polyphenols, and cherries contain Sodium 0mg antioxidant polyphenols and vitamin C. Calcium 85mg Magnesium 80mg Makes: 4 servings Potassium 310mg Ingredients: • 120g whole natural almonds Vitamin E 8mg** • 160g fresh cherries **total alpha-tocopherol equivalents

There are many of us at the Almond Board who consider ourselves true almond girls. However, the real “Almond Girl” is Jenny Holtermann. Jenny grew up on her family’s almond and farm in the Northern California town of Chico, where her family has been farming since the early 1900s. With all her family involved in farming, she too was going UPDATE to continue the family tradition after finishing college. In pursuit of an agriculture business degree, Jenny made the trek to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and met her husband. FROM THE

They grow almonds at her husband’s family farm in Wasco, a small farming town in California’s southern Central Valley, and with hopes that their son will carry on the legacy someday. Jenny writes a fantastic blog with amazing photos to share her experience as a modern farmer and busy mom. Read it here at Almond Girl.

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*Nutrition claims are based on 100g, as per Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.