Apparently Almonds Have 20% Fewer Calories Than You Thought
KIND just changed their nutrition labels to reflect updated calorie information for almonds and cashews.
A study in 2012 found almonds have 20 percent fewer calories than previously thought.
In 2018, a study found cashews have 16 percent fewer calories.
Nuts are notoriously bursting with good-for-you fat and protein...but they also have a rep for being a bit calorie-dense. Until now. Research has found that nuts (particularly almonds and cashews) have a lot fewer calories than everyone previously thought. (Go on...)
Yup, a study published in 2012 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that almonds have 20 percent fewer calories than everyone thought. Researchers specifically found that a one-ounce of almonds has 129 calories—a pretty big change from the 160 that they were believed to contain before. More research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2016 backed that up, and they updated info on their database in 2017.
And in 2018, a study published in the journal Nutrients found that cashews have up to 16 percent fewer calories than everyone thought before. At the time, everyone thought a one-ounce serving of cashews was 163 calories, when it was actually 137 calories. Mind=blown.
Okay, but this happened a few years ago...why does it matter now? Well, despite these findings, not all companies have scrambled to change their nutrition labels. In fact, KIND just announced that they're rolling out new, updated nutrition info on their packaging over the next few months, making them the first national snack bar brands that applied these findings to over 95 percent of its nut bar portfolio. As a result, you might notice anywhere from 10 to 30 less calories listed for your favorite KIND bars.
Speaking of plant-based...watch Olivia Munn taste-test vegan ice creams:
But let's rewind for a second: Why the change in almonds and cashews? The difference in the calorie counts is because research found your body doesn’t actually break down and use all of the calories that are in nuts, explains Alissa Rumsey, RD, nutrition therapist and owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness. “This concept is called bioavailability,” she says. “Basically, just because nutrients are present in a food, that doesn’t automatically mean that the body will readily use them. Therefore fewer calories may actually be absorbed.”
Overall, it’s a good FYI if nuts are a staple part of your diet, but you don’t necessarily need to change anything about your eating habits. “Just because nuts have fewer calories than you might have thought doesn’t mean you need to fill in those calories,” says Samantha Cassetty, RD, nutrition and wellness expert and contributor to Sugar Shock. “The truth is, nothing has actually changed in terms of how your body processes nuts, so you don’t need to make any adjustments.”
Right now, KIND is the only company that’s publicly shared that they’re using this updated nutrition info, but the odds are high other nut-based companies won't be too far behind.
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