- The nuts are beneficial for those on cusp of type 2 diabetes, scientists say
- Levels of sugar and insulin fell when test subjects ate 60 nuts per day
20:04 EST, 29 May 2014
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05:03 EST, 30 May 2014
Eating pistachio nuts could help prevent diabetes, research suggests.
Pistachios, which are rich in healthy fats, could be particularly beneficial for those already on the cusp of type 2 diabetes.
It is the most common form of the condition and is fuelled by obesity.
Eating pistachio nuts, which are rich in healthy fats, could help prevent diabetes, particularly those on the cusp of type 2 diabetes, according to scientists
In the Spanish study, 54 people with borderline diabetes were put on a Mediterranean diet for eight months.
They ate the same amount of calories all the way through but for half the time they also ate 57g of pistachios – or around 60 of the nuts – a day.
Their weight did not change but blood tests clearly showed that eating pistachios did make a difference.
Most importantly, levels of sugar and the hormone insulin in the blood fell – a sign the body was finding it easier to process the sugar in food.
This should cut the risk of the volunteers going on to develop full-blown diabetes, the European Congress on Obesity in Sofia, Bulgaria, was told.
Researcher Mònica Bulló, of the Rovira i
Virgili University in Spain, said it is likely the various
health-boosting nutrients in pistachios – including unsaturated fats, fibre, anti-oxidants and carotenoids – combine to make it easier to for
the body to deal with sugar.
Other benefits included a fall in artery-clogging ‘bad’ cholesterol, the conference in Sofia, Bulgaria heard.
She said that although nuts are thought of as high in fat, the fats are healthy when eaten in moderate amounts.
She advises that people snack on nuts to improve their general health.
The researcher said: ‘I advise people to eat more nuts, and pistachios in this case, for everything.
‘I would say include a handful in your diet – maybe not every day but when you can.’
The nuts contain unsaturated fat, fibre, anti-oxidants and carotenoids, which combine to make it easier for the body to deal with sugar – which ultimately wards off diabetes
However, other experts said more research is needed before we can be sure that pistachios will help with diabetes.
Dr Richard Elliott, of Diabetes UK, said the charity isn’t aware any strong evidence to support the claims.
He added: ‘What we do know is that the best way to reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes is to maintain a healthy weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet and by being regularly physically active.’
Despite the dangers, pre-diabetes is symptomless, meaning people will not realise they are at risk until it is too late.
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Katie_B,
Wollongong, Australia,
38 minutes ago
I love snacking on nuts but can’t have them for morning/afternoon tea anymore as there are children with allergies / anaphylaxis at the schools that I work in. Pistachios are very tasty but are also quite salty which could cause other health issues if eaten in the quantity suggested by DM.
Phil Osopher,
Glasgow, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
it is not clear from this article how they know it was the nuts preventing diabetes… and not the Mediterranean diet. they should have done half on the diet alone, and half with the added nuts. 60 a day is probably quite calorific. as well as expensive. if it works, fine, but it needs more official tests. otherwise I might just be thinking that someone out there has a large amount of pistachios to sell…
Aynsley,
Palm Springs,
3 hours ago
They’d definitely prevent me from getting diabetes. I’m allergic to them.
Ishkandar,
London,
4 hours ago
Does this also apply to pistachio ice-cream ???
Egg sandwich,
London, Christmas Island,
57 minutes ago
Bagpiper13,
Calgary, Canada,
5 hours ago
By the way, pre-diabetes is not necessarily symptomless – you can get peripheral neuropathy.
Bagpiper13,
Calgary, Canada,
5 hours ago
Pistachios is tasty….but expensive.
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