Replace Carb Snacks with Nuts- Research says Yes

Research published online by the journal Diabetes Care detailed findings by a team of researchers at the University of Toronto Department of Nutritional Sciences that consuming two ounces of nuts daily as a replacement for carbohydrates proved effective at controlling both blood sugars and serum lipid in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers provided three different diet supplements to subjects with Type 2 diabetes;

• muffins for one group,
• a mixture of nuts including raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, and macadamias for another, and
• a mixture of muffins and nuts for a third

Subjects receiving the nut-only supplement reported the greatest improvement in blood glucose control using the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test. The nut diet subjects also experienced a reduction in LDL cholesterol  (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol”). The subjects provided the muffin supplement or mixed muffin-and-nut supplement experienced no significant improvement in blood sugar control, but those receiving the muffin-nut mixture also significantly lowered their serum LDL levels.

Significantly, neither this study nor others has associated nut consumption with weight gain. The researchers suggest, therefore, that nuts provide a suitable food option for people with diabetes looking to reduce carbohydrate consumption.Research published online by the journal Diabetes Care detailed findings by a team of researchers at the University of Toronto Department of Nutritional Sciences that consuming two ounces of nuts daily as a replacement for carbohydrates proved effective at controlling both blood sugars and serum lipid in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers provided three different diet supplements to subjects with Type 2 diabetes;

• muffins for one group,
• a mixture of nuts including raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, and macadamias for another, and
• a mixture of muffins and nuts for a third

Subjects receiving the nut-only supplement reported the greatest improvement in blood glucose control using the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test. The nut diet subjects also experienced a reduction in LDL cholesterol  (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol”). The subjects provided the muffin supplement or mixed muffin-and-nut supplement experienced no significant improvement in blood sugar control, but those receiving the muffin-nut mixture also significantly lowered their serum LDL levels.

Significantly, neither this study nor others has associated nut consumption with weight gain. The researchers suggest, therefore, that nuts provide a suitable food option for people with diabetes looking to reduce carbohydrate consumption.