Eating nuts cuts women's risk of diabetes

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Eating nuts or peanut butter can help cut the risk of heart disease among women

with Type 2 diabetes, research suggests.

http://tinyurl.com/las7t7

 

 

Published: 7:00AM BST 26 Jun 2009

A study of more than 6,000 women found those who ate lots of nuts or peanut

butter slashed their risk of heart disease almost in half.

 

The women were asked to complete a food questionnaire every two to four years

between 1980 and 2002.

 

The number of women suffering from conditions such as heart attack or stroke, or

needing revascularisation treatment for heart disease, was also recorded.

 

Overall, there were 452 coronary " events " such as heart attack or

revascularisation - surgery to improve bloody circulation - and 182 cases of

stroke.

 

Women at the start of the study who consumed more nuts and peanut butter were

leaner, more physically active, and tended to smoke less, the authors said.

 

After adjusting for those factors that could influence the results, the experts

found that women who ate at least five servings per week of nuts or peanut

butter had a 44 per cent lower risk of heart disease and events such as heart

attack or stroke.

 

A serving was defined as 28g of nuts or 16g (one tablespoon) of peanut butter.

 

The authors, from the Havard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health

in Boston, said: " These data suggest that frequent nut and peanut butter

consumption is associated with a significantly lower CVD risk in women with Type

2 diabetes. "

 

Ellen Mason, cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation, said: " It is

beneficial to include nuts in our diets as they are low in the saturated fats

that raise our cholesterol.

 

" However, peanut products can be full of added sugar or salt so check the label

first as this may cancel out their positive benefits. Also don't forget that

nuts are high in overall calories.

 

" Eating more of one food in isolation will not make much difference to your

health if you are inactive and don't have a balanced diet.

 

" Unfortunately, preventing heart disease is more complicated than just eating

peanuts. "

 

The research was published in The Journal of Nutrition.

 

 

 

 

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