A recent study from the University of Toronto has found that eating nuts instead of carbohydrates may help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar more effectively.
This discovery could be especially important for the millions of people living with diabetes, as good blood sugar control is key to preventing serious health complications like heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve problems.
Nuts are simple, dry fruits that contain edible seeds inside a hard shell. Common varieties include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and even peanuts. Although peanuts are technically legumes, they are often considered nuts because of their similar nutritional profile.
Not only are nuts tasty, but they are also packed with important nutrients, making them a great addition to a healthy diet. They are rich in healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals, which help support heart health and weight management.
Previous research has already shown that adding nuts to a healthy diet can aid in weight control and protect against chronic diseases. This new study aimed to go further by exploring whether swapping out carbohydrates for nuts could lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
The researchers also wanted to see how eating more nuts would affect other health markers like blood clotting and LDL cholesterol, commonly known as “bad” cholesterol. Reducing LDL cholesterol is important because high levels can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The study, led by David J A Jenkins and his team, involved 117 older adults with type 2 diabetes. All the participants were already taking medication to help manage their blood sugar. They were divided into three groups, each following a different diet for three months:
- The “full-dose nut diet” group ate 75 grams of mixed nuts every day.
- The “full-dose muffin diet” group ate whole-wheat muffins that contained the same amount of protein and calories as the nuts but were made mostly of carbohydrates.
- The “half-dose nut diet” group ate half the amount of nuts and muffins.
After three months, the results were clear: the participants who followed the full-dose nut diet showed significant improvements in blood sugar control compared to those who ate the muffins. Their blood sugar levels were lower, which is a major goal for people with type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, the full-dose nut diet helped lower cholesterol levels, specifically LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, both of which are linked to heart disease. This suggests that replacing carbohydrate-rich foods with nuts, which are high in healthy fats like monounsaturated fats, could be an effective strategy for managing diabetes and reducing heart disease risk.
The benefits of nuts don’t stop there. Different types of nuts offer different health advantages:
- Almonds are rich in calcium and contain many essential vitamins and minerals.
- Pecans are high in dietary fiber, which helps with digestion and supports stable blood sugar levels.
- Macadamia nuts are packed with monounsaturated fats, which are known to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
- Walnuts are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that supports heart health.
The researchers believe that nuts could be a valuable part of a healthy diet for people with type 2 diabetes, especially when used to replace high-carb foods. Their findings suggest that these simple changes could help lower blood sugar and improve heart health, making it easier to manage diabetes in the long term.
One participant in the half-dose nut group did experience a health issue—a heart rhythm problem after shoveling snow. However, the researchers noted that this incident was unrelated to the study, and overall, no major health issues were reported among the participants.
The study’s findings were published in the journal Diabetologia and add to the growing evidence that small changes in diet can have big benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. Eating more nuts instead of carbs might not only help manage blood sugar but also reduce the risk of heart disease, making it a smart choice for better health.
Researchers plan to continue studying how different types of nuts might benefit people with diabetes in unique ways. For now, it seems clear that adding a handful of nuts to your daily diet could be a simple and delicious way to improve blood sugar control and protect your heart.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes, and to people with diabetes, some fruits are better than others.
For more health information, please see recent studies that low calorie diets may help reverse diabetes, and 5 vitamins that may prevent complication in diabetes.
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