Eating nuts is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases for diabetics

Author Ольга Кияница

2019-03-08

According to a study conducted in the United States, diabetics who eat nuts regularly may be less likely to complain of heart problems compared to those who rarely or don’t eat nuts at all.

Researchers claim that diabetics who ate at least five servings of nuts, 28 grams per week, were 17% less likely to have heart disease than people with diabetes who did not consume more than one portion of nuts per week. However, even a single serving of nuts can be good for the heart. Adding only one extra portion of nuts per week was associated with a 3% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease in diabetics and a 6% reduction in the risk of death from heart disease.

“This data provides new evidence to support the recommendation of including nuts in a healthy diet to prevent complications of cardiovascular disease and premature death among people with diabetes,” said lead author Gang Liu, a nutritional researcher at the Harvard Tan Chan School, Public health care in Boston, Massachusetts.

The study was not a controlled experiment designed to prove whether nuts can protect people with diabetes from heart disease. But it is quite possible that eating nuts helps to improve things such as controlling blood sugar levels and the severity of inflammation. At least such assumptions are partial due to the nutrients contained in nuts, such as unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamin E and folate, and calcium, potassium, and magnesium minerals.

However, eating too many nuts may not bring the desired benefits. “A handful of nuts are good for the heart, but it’s unclear what the ideal serving size is,” Liu said. He also noted that more than half of the people in this study did not eat nuts at all.

The study used diet questionnaires, compiled independently by 16,217 men and women before and after they were diagnosed with diabetes. In particular, they were asked about eating peanuts and hazelnuts for several years. All participants had type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, which is associated with aging and obesity.

Some types of nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pine nuts, were more closely associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases than peanuts. He is actually a legume growing underground.

“One of the reasons why hazelnuts can have more protective properties is that they are usually consumed with skin or outer skin containing most antioxidants (at least in walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts). At that time, peanuts are usually eaten without the peel. "Said Dr. Emilio Ros from a hospital clinic in Barcelona.

In addition, peanuts are usually fried and salted, and the addition of salt can counteract the benefits of eating the original components of the nut.
It is worth knowing that a portion of nuts in 30 grams contains about 24 almonds, 18 cashews, 12 hazelnuts and 14 halves of walnuts. According to researchers, the ideal dose is from one to one and a half servings (from 28 to 42 g) per day. From a practical point of view, it is best to take a handful of nuts, and the larger the hand of the owner, the greater will be the portion.

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