Not logged in
A Nutty Way to Prevent Diabetes
By Victor Marchione, M.D. on 01/21/2011
Researchers have found that eating more almonds helps prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It does so by improving your insulin sensitivity and lowering levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
About 16 million Americans are today believed to have “prediabetes.” This is a condition that is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. By 2020, half all Americans are expected to have either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Because of this, nutritional approaches to prevention are essential.
A new study has found that almonds are one way to improve your insulin sensitivity and lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in people with prediabetes.
Researchers looked at the effects of consuming an almond-enriched diet on factors linked to the progression of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It included 65 adults with prediabetes, average age 54. They either received a control diet (15%-20% calories from protein, 10% total energy from saturated fat, 60%-70% from carbohydrate and monounsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol) or a diet that ensured that 20% of the calories came from almonds.
The study lasted four months. Those people eating almonds showed significantly improved LDL-cholesterol levels and measures of insulin sensitivity. Both are huge risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Nutrients in almonds, such as fiber and unsaturated fat, have been shown to help reduce LDL-cholesterol levels, increase insulin sensitivity and increase beta-cell function, all of which can help to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. These explain why the almond group in the study experienced such health benefits.
There is a growing body of evidence tying almonds to a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. But this new study adds something: it shows that almonds might help reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases through their nutrient composition. Almonds offer 3.5 grams of fiber, 13 grams of unsaturated fat and only one gram of saturated fat per one-ounce serving.
It is another promising sign that, for people with risk factors for chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, dietary changes may help to improve factors that play a potential role in the disease development.
If you are concerned about the fat content of almonds, know on one hand that at least it is largely healthy fats. But you can aim to incorporate a healthy handful of almonds each day to get this desired effect. Make sure they are the unsalted variety.
Printer-friendly versionAbout the author
Dr. Victor Marchione received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1973 and his Medical Degree from the University of Messina in 1981. He has been licensed and practicing medicine in New York and New Jersey for over 20 years.
Dr. Marchione is a respected leader in the field of smoking cessation and pulmonary medicine. He has been featured on ABC News and World Report, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather and the NBC Today Show and is the editor of the popular The Food Doctor newsletter.
Dr. Marchione has also served as Principal Investigator in at least a dozen clinical research projects relating to serious ailments such as bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Email this Article
Comments
almond chas
Irradiated, or not? California almonds labeled RAW - have been treated to prevent disease - but in the process irradiation changes the good stuff in the almonds - and this fact is seldom mentioned in various studies. I eat almonds twice/day - hoping to get some benefit. Organic almonds cost 4X as much.
LADI
Does almond milk have the same benefits?
Digit
Hi guys, Can someone define "unsaturated" fat for me, I believe we should be eating much more saturated fat than is acceptable by mainstream medicine... it is after all how the body stores fat for later use, (it's hard to argue with thousands or even millions of years of traditional success in eating habits), if the almond has 13 grams of "unsaturated" fat, what is it exactly, is it polyunsaturated fat or mono-unsaturated fat. I can't remember what the ratio should be but I know mono-unsaturated is greater than polyunsaturated and saturated is best and needed most by the body but it is a ratio.
Lori
Digit - saturated fats are solid at room temperature. And I agree with you, we need some in our diet. Almonds are great, we should all eat them. But I have to take issue with looking so myopically at a health issue like diabetes. Again, almonds are a great option, but eliminating refined grains and sugar, and limiting "whole" grains works better, honestly, than adding almonds. It's a total picture, not an isolated food. One more comment - let's get off the LDL "bad" cholesterol kick. There's no such thing as "bad" cholesterol. God gave us both, and LDL is absolutely crucial for transporting fat soluble nutrients from the liver to the cell. Why doesn't anyone tell us this?? Lowering it to the point where it barely exists is deadly. It's when it oxidzes due to poor food choices, inflammation, artery calcification, etc. it will become a problem. Ten years ago, it was acceptable to have LDL levels up to 150. The acceptable level now continues to plummet because pharma is making a gazillion bucks from it. Most heart attacks happen in people with "normal" cholesterol levels and newer research tells us that, as we age, our numbers should go UP, not down. Want to really balance cholesterol and do the best you can to prevent disease? Ditch the sugar, flour, and grains, and eat plenty of healthy fats, protein, veggies, beans, nuts, along with some fruit. Folks have been doing this for centuries, without worrying about LDL levels!
Tully
I understand that the fatty acid profile of almonds is more like that of olive oil than any other oil, with about 70 per cent oleic acid, which is mono-unsaturated, and therefore much less likely to wreak havoc than oils with a higher proportion of poly-unsaturates.
If you want saturates, you need coconut oil or palm-kernel oil.
Tully
Oops, I left out avocado and macadamia oils, which I would guess are similar. Heavy on monounsaturates, and lovely stuff. If you are ever in a kitchen, you need them all.
Post new comment