Replacing Solid Snacks with Almonds or Adding Almonds to the Diet Improves Diet Quality and Compliance with the 2020–25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans - Modeling Analyses of NHANES 2017–23 Data

Sep 30, 2026

Healthier between-meal snacks can strengthen diet quality in the US and globally, but outcomes depend on the nutrient and calorie profile of snack choices. This study models how replacing solid snacks with almonds or adding almonds (30 g) affects diet quality and alignment with the 2020–25 Dietary Guidelines. Analyses used NHANES 2017–23 dietary data from 4333 children and 10,925 adults, applying Healthy Eating Index-2020 and nutrient density indices. Results show lower added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat with improved nutrient adequacy, especially for children and young adults.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Methods

Results

Conclusions

1. Introduction

Article Replacing Solid Snacks with Almonds or Adding Almonds to the Diet Improves Diet Quality and Compliance with the 2020–25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Modeling Analyses of NHANES 2017–23 Data Mattieu Maillot 1, Romane Poinsot 1, Maha Tahiri 2 and Adam Drewnowski 3, * Academic Editors: Megan A. McCrory and Christian Ritz Received: 24 November 2025 Revised: 23 December 2025 Accepted: 25 December 2025 Published: 26 December 2025 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 1 MS-Nutrition, 27 bld Jean Moulin, Faculté de Médecine la Timone, Laboratoire C2VN, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France; [matthieu.maillot@ms-nutrition.com](matthieu.maillot@ms-nutrition.com) (M.M.); [romane.poinsot@ms-nutrition.com](romane.poinsot@ms-nutrition.com) (R.P.) 2 Nutrition Sustainability Strategies LLC, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, USA; [info@nutritionsustainability.com](info@nutritionsustainability.com) 3 Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Box 353410, Seattle, WA 98195, USA * Correspondence: [adamdrew@uw.edu](adamdrew@uw.edu) Abstract Background: Healthier between-meal snacks can improve diet quality in the US and globally. Objectives: To assess the impact on diet quality of replacing solid snacks with almonds or adding almonds (30 g) to the diet. Methods: Dietary data for 4333 children (4–19 y) and 10,925 adults (>19 y) came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2017–23) . Nutrient composition data came from the Food and Nutrient Databases for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) . Substitution Model 1 replaced all solid snacks with almonds on a per-calorie basis. Model 2 exempted “healthy” snacks. Model 3 added almonds to the observed diet. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2020), Nutrient Rich Food Index (NRF), Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR), and Mean Excess Ratio (MER) were measures of diet quality. Results: Solid snacks provided 329 kcal/day (15.6% of dietary energy), of which 58 kcal came from healthy snacks (2.9%) . The 4–13 y age group consumed the most energy from snacks. Diets with almonds replacing solid snacks were lower in added sugar, sodium, and saturated (solid) fat but higher in protein, fiber, mono-and polyunsaturated fats, and magnesium. MAR dietary nutrient density scores were significantly higher, and MER scores were lower. Total HEI-2020 scores rose from 52.4 (observed) to 59.6 (Model 1) and to 60.6 in Model 2_100. The addition of almonds (30 g or 50 g) increased HEI-2020 values to 59.2 and to 61.4, respectively. Several HEI-2020 sub-scores increased as well. The greatest dietary benefits were obtained for children and young adults. Conclusions: Replacing solid snacks with small amounts of almonds led to higher quality modeled food patterns, especially for younger age groups. The DGA 2025–30 should address the inclusion of healthy energy-dense snacks into everyday diets. Keywords: almonds; diet modeling; diet quality metrics; Healthy Eating Index 2020; Nutrient Rich Food Index (NRF); snacks 1. Introduction Foods and beverages consumed between meals now account for about 23% of daily energy intakes in the US [1,2] . American eating habits are shifting toward more eating events per day and more eating occasions away from home [3] . Frequent between-meal snacks are increasingly replacing cooked sit-down meals, particularly dinner [4] . The market for snacks in the US has grown substantially since the COVID-19 confinement and is now estimated at close to USD 200 billion per year [5] . The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recognize that snacks can help meet energy and nutrient needs, especially for children, teens, older adults, and very active people [6] . However, the DGA also specify that between-meal snacks should provide nutrients and not just excess calories [6]. Many energy-dense snacks

FAQs

What dietary change did the study model regarding snacks and almonds?

It modeled three scenarios using NHANES 2017–23 data: replacing all solid snacks with almonds on a per-calorie basis, exempting “healthy” snacks from replacement, and adding almonds to the observed diet.

Which diet quality measures were used to evaluate outcomes?

Diet quality was assessed with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2020), Nutrient Rich Food Index (NRF), Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR), and Mean Excess Ratio (MER).

What were the main nutritional improvements when almonds replaced or were added to snacks?

Replacing solid snacks with almonds reduced added sugar, sodium, and saturated (solid) fat while increasing protein, fiber, healthy unsaturated fats, and magnesium; overall nutrient density improved and excess ratio scores decreased.

Sep 30, 2026

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