In a partnership with the Almond Board of California, AI nutrient discovery firm Brightseed has uncovered 530 phytochemicals in the nuts, including six seen for the first time.
Almonds may be way more beneficial than previously thought, with a new study finding four times as many phytochemicals in the nuts as has been reported.
San Francisco firm Brightseed partnered with the Almond Board of California to analyse three varieties of almonds from the state using the former’s AI-led nutrient discovery platform, Forager. They found 530 health-promoting phytochemical compounds. Of these, 17 were bioactive compounds with biological effects, six of which had never been discovered in almonds before.
“The thermal processing of almonds leads to chemical transformations that increase the availability of certain beneficial compounds, like antioxidants,” the researchers wrote in the Food Chemistry journal, suggesting that processing can positively influence almonds’ nutritional profiles.
Bioactive compounds and unsaturated fats found across almond varieties
According to Brightseed, over 200 studies have explored the connection between California almond consumption and wellbeing in the last 30 years, including heart health, blood glucose regulation, and weight management.
But the molecular composition of the nuts “remained a relatively uncharted territory”. So it used Forager’s state-of-the-art liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology, described as the world’s largest library of plant natural products, alongside an “expert-curated” human health model that leverages peer-reviewed research on the health benefits of bioactive compounds.
Brightseed then performed an extensive metabolomic analysis on three California almond varieties: Nonpareil, Independence, and Monterey. The compounds found in these nuts, like metabolites and lipids, are natural plant chemicals that present benefits for cellular, gut, metabolic, immune, and brain health, according to scientific literature.
“Essential bioactives such as Beta-Sitosterol, Isorhamnetin, and other flavonoids are consistently present across all examined almond types,” the study stated. “Irrespective of the specific almond variety or processing method employed, almonds generally maintain a robust profile of health-promoting compounds.”
Beta-Sitosterol can help reduce cholesterol levels and enhance prostate health, and Isorhamnetin is noted for its anti-inflammatory and cognitive benefits. Alpha-linolenic acid, also prevalent across the almond types, is an omega-3 fatty acid that boosts bone density and maintains cholesterol levels.
Meanwhile, over 70% of lipids in almonds are healthy unsaturated fats shown to benefit various facets of human health, while another 23% are monounsaturated fats with similar advantages (though they can be synthesised in humans so aren’t as essential). Saturated fats, known to have a negative impact (particularly on cardiovascular health), make up 6% of the lipids.
How pasteurisation affects almonds’ nutritional value
The researchers studied the impact of pasteurisation on almond composition, and found that while the process enhances their oxidative stability and shelf life, it alters the metabolic and nutritional profiles of almonds.
“Unsaturated fatty acids… especially polyunsaturated ones like linoleic acid, are highly susceptible to heat and oxidative stress during pasteurisation. This results in lipid degradation, leading to a decrease in the levels of these phospholipids,” they explained.
At the same time, thermal processing “leads to chemical transformations that increase the availability of certain beneficial compounds, like antioxidants”.
“These findings deepen our understanding of almonds’ nutritional value and health benefits and further validate the inclusion of almonds in healthy dietary patterns,” said Elena Hemler, associate director of nutrition research at the Almond Board of California. “This study underscores the power of leveraging emerging metabolomic and AI tools to uncover new insights across health and nutrition.”
Lee Chae, co-founder and CEO of Brightseed, added: “These compounds support brain, gut, immune, cellular, and metabolic health, confirming what we’ve long believed: nature holds extraordinary potential for human health. We just need the right tools to illuminate it.”
The firm said the study sheds light on future discoveries in almonds and can guide both nutritional research and functional food development. It has previously worked with Blue Diamond to find 188 bioactive compounds in almonds, and its Forager tool can help companies speed up ingredient formulation from years to months.
Brightseed produces bioactives for dietary supplements, food and beverage CPG companies, specialty nutrition, and medical foods, and has worked with giants like Danone, Haleon and Ocean Spray.
“As the field of metabolomics continues to evolve, it promises to unlock new insights into the intricate relationships between diet and health,” said Clay Bloszies, associate director of metabolomics at Brightseed. “With millions of bioactives yet to be discovered, our Forager AI platform is really just in the early days of illuminating powerful small molecules to elevate human health.”
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