Eating nuts ‘regularly’ can lower risk of type 2 diabetes

This Morning: Type 2 diabetes can be 'devastating' says expert

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Diabetes is a serious and often life-long condition. Regardless of the type you have, it causes your blood sugar levels to rise. Therefore, keeping your blood sugar under control can help lower your risk of the condition as well as preventing potentially dangerous blood sugar spikes if you are living with it already.

It is not exactly known what causes type 1 diabetes, however, it is thought to be triggered by an autoimmune reaction where the body attacks itself by mistake.

But in the case of type 2 diabetes this is often due to being overweight or inactive.

It can also run in families.

Therefore, health bodies advise losing weight and eating a healthy, balanced diet, among other ways, to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.

One expert spoke with Express.co.uk about a type of snack that could help with this. Doctor Joseph Ambani, from GlowBar, championed the consumption of nuts.

He said: “Nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews, are nutrient-dense foods that are rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals.”

Dr Ambani shared some of the health benefits of nuts, linked to diabetes.

Reducing inflammation

“Chronic inflammation is associated with the development of many chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” he said.

“Nuts are high in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation in the body.”

Control blood sugar levels

He explained: “Nuts are a low-glycemic-index food, which means they are digested slowly and do not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.

“This can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”

Weight management

“Incorporating filling food like nuts into a healthy diet may help reduce hunger and cravings, promote weight management and reduce the risk of developing obesity, which is a major risk factor for both heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” he added.

But he warned: “It’s important to note that nuts are high in calories, so it’s best to consume them in moderation.”

What does research say?

One study, published in Oncotarget journal in 2018, found that nuts had both anti-inflammatory and blood sugar controlling properties.

Following the analysis of data of more than 16,000 patients it concluded: “The low glycaemic and anti-inflammatory effects of nuts may provide a reason for the inclusion of nuts in diets aimed at reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism and cardiovascular disease, substituting high glucose index carbohydrates and thus favourably affecting individual metabolism.

“Furthermore, it may be beneficial to advise people with any non-communicable diseases to consume nuts instead of carbohydrates as part of their daily diet to reduce the acute, post-prandial glycaemic impact of the meal.

“Our findings and recommendations are in line with current guidelines by the American Diabetes Association and the International Diabetes Federation which emphasise on the consumption of a healthy diet to control post-meal hyperglycemia.”

Dr Ambani also recommended eating nuts if you are at risk for heart disease.

“Nuts are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower low-density lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol levels and increase high density lipoprotein (good) cholesterol levels,” he said.

“High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are a major risk factor for heart disease.”

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