Today there are many people in the world who are suffering from diabetes. If not properly controlled, this is a slow-killing disease that may prove fatal. There are many preventions and cures suggested for the treatment of diabetes and eating almonds is quite helpful.
Firstly, let us understand what this fearful ‘diabetes’ is and how it develops in the human body.
Glucose is the sugar and the fuel source of the body that enters the blood stream when the food that we eat gets digested. The human pancreas control blood sugar in the body by producing a hormone named insulin. Insulin moves glucose from the blood into the muscles, liver cells and fat and is used as a fuel. When the insulin levels drop down or when the body develops resistance against insulin or when both these conditions occur at the same time, it may lead to diabetes. When this happens, the blood sugar levels rise due to the inability of the pancreas to make enough insulin and/or the pancreatic cells cannot respond normally to the insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common of all the diabetes. More than 40 million Americans have been affected by this type of disease.
Almonds have been found to help in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. Researchers have said that consuming these nuts improves insulin sensitivity and lowers levels of LDL cholesterol. A study lasing for a period of four months was conducted on sixty five pre-diabetic adults averaging 54 years to observe the effects of an almond-enriched consumed diet of two types:
1. A control diet constituting 15%-20% calories from protein, 10% total energy from saturated fat, 60%-70% from carbohydrate and mono-saturated fatty acids and cholesterol and
2. A diet in which almonds constituted 20% of the calories.
It was observed that people in (2) began showing significant improvement in the levels of their LDL-cholesterol and insulin-sensitivity; both of which pose a risk to the possibility of type-2 diabetes and also heart disease.
The fiber and unsaturated fat, which are the nutrients in almonds, are known to help in the reduction of LDL cholesterol levels, in the increase of the levels of insulin sensitivity and in the increase of the beta-cell function. Consequently, there is a possibility that the development of the type 2 diabetes can be prevented.
Almonds have been associated with healthy hearts and cardiovascular system since many years. With only one gram of saturated fat for an ounce of serving of almonds, there is fiber content of 3.5 grams and 13 grams of unsaturated fat in it. So now in addition, the nutrient composition in these nuts may aid in combating some chronic diseases that pose a risk in the human body, especially type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Changes in one’s diet along with regular exercises and walking too will go a long way in keeping diseases like type-2 diabetes at bay. Adding unsalted almonds to the same and following a routine will help one achieve this goal.
The Doctor’s Health Press publishes monthly newsletters and e-bulletins on a wide range of health topics and breakthroughs in health, focusing on natural and alternative medicines. It is the health publishing division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation.
Leave a Reply