Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1268831
RESEARCH UPDATE 21 2007 ABC's Nutrition Research Subcommittee Becomes a Committee 2006 Almond Tin Consumer Giveaway To further promote almonds' heart health benefits among consumers, ABC launched a consumer almond tin giveaway in Parade Magazine's heart health issue. 2009 ABC Begins Funding USDA Calorie Research ABC was a pioneer among other tree nut commodities in funding this research, which sought to better understand the actual calorie count of one serving of almonds. 2010 ABC Begins Funding Healthy Lifestyle Research This research provided a deeper understanding of how regular almond consumption can help humans maintain a healthy lifestyle amidst external challenges, such as harmful air quality or flu season. 4 2011 ABC Begins Participating in the American Heart Association Heart-Check Food Certification Program This gave ABC the ability to use the Heart-Check mark in marketing and advertising materials, and enables handlers to participate in the program at a discount when they certify qualifying almond products under ABC's license agreement. 2015 ABC Begins Funding Skin Health Research ABC became interested in almonds' impact on skin health after exposure to Ayurveda, a 3,000-year-old well- documented and recognized ancient medicinal system that promotes the use of almonds for the benefit of skin health, among other health benefits. Ayurveda set the stage for greater research using modern science and clinical studies, including ABC's most recent research into almonds' impact on wrinkle reduction among postmenopausal women. 5 ABC Begins Funding Research on Cognitive Health ABC began research in this area by looking at whether almonds, if included in an aging person's regular diet, could help slow the rate of age-related cognitive decline. Research in this area, as with other areas ABC has invested in, is ongoing. 4 Burns, A.M., M.A. Zitt, C.C. Rowe, B. Langkamp-Henken, V. Mai, C. Nieves, Jr., M. Ukhanova, M.C. Christman, W.J. Dahl. 2016. Diet quality improves for parents and children when almonds are incorporated into their daily diet: a randomized, crossover study. Nutr. Res. 36:80-89. 2003 FDA Approves First Qualified Heart Health Claim The International Tree Nut Council filed a petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to acknowledge the role nuts can play in improving heart health and reducing the risk of heart disease. What is the Heart Health Claim? Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. 1.5 oz. Three days after FDA approved the Qualified Heart Health Claim for almonds, ABC ran full-page ads in The New York Times and USA Today. Eating almonds has a lot of benefits! Continued from page 20