Consuming Tree Nuts Daily as Between-Meal Snacks Reduces Food Cravings and Improves Diet Quality in American Young Adults at High Metabolic Syndrome Risk

<b>Background:</b> Daily energy intake from snacking behaviors has increased over the past few decades, during which the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome has risen to epidemic proportions. There remains considerable room for improvement in the overall quality of dietary intakes of the U.S. population when compared to national recommendations. Food cravings may contribute to the types of snacks chosen for consumption, and thus, the frequency of foods and food groups consumed, and the overall nutritional quality of the diet. <b>Methods:</b> Eighty-four young (28.5 ± 4.3 years) adults with at least one metabolic syndrome risk factor participated in a parallel-arm single-blind randomized trial designed to compare effects of consuming a mix of tree nuts versus typical high-carbohydrate food items as between-meal snacks for 16 weeks. Cravings for 28 common foods via the Food Craving Inventory, short-term dietary intakes via 24 h multi-pass methodology, food group frequency via the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants, usual hunger and fullness via visual analog scales, appetite-regulating hormones, and diet quality via the Healthy Eating Index-2015 were measured at baseline and end of study. <b>Results:</b> Participants in the TNsnack group had significant decreases in cravings for high sweet items and fast-food items, which were associated with decreased frequency of desserts and salty foods along with increased intake of higher protein items. In contrast, no significant reductions in food cravings or preference for sweets were observed in the CHOsnack group. Decreased cravings for sweets by TNsnack participants were associated with increased total GLP-1 levels: cake (r = -0.35, <i>p</i> = 0.03), brownies (r = -0.44, <i>p</i> = 0.02), candy (r = -0.36, <i>p</i> = 0.03) and ice cream (r = -0.33, <i>p</i> = 0.04). Overall, the total diet quality score improved by 19% among TNsnack participants. <b>Conclusions:</b> Replacing more typical between-meal snacks with tree nuts may reduce food cravings, particularly for sweeter food items that are likely to be nutrient poor and energy dense. By reducing cravings and frequency of intake, consuming tree nuts as snacks could facilitate having a higher quality, more nutrient-dense diet and mitigate potential negative effects of snacking on metabolic health in young adults.