Diabetes symptoms can cause serious long-term health problems if left untreated or not treated properly. The signs include peeing more than usual, particularly at night, feeling thirsty all the time, feeling very tired and blurred vision.
The longer you have diabetes, and the less controlled your blood sugar, the higher the risk of complications, which can be disabling or even life-threatening.
The best way of preventing and controlling diabetes type 2 is eating a balanced diet and exercising, but more specifically, eating a certain nut on a daily basis could slash your risk of the condition developing.
According to the study from the University of California, Los Angeles, those who consume walnuts may have about half the risk of developing diabetes type 2 compared to adults who don’t eat nuts.
In the research involving more than 34,000 American adults, the average intake among want consumers was approximately 1.5 tablespoons per day.
Doubling walnut consumption (eating 3 tablespoons) was associated with a 47 per cent lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes. This amount of walnut intake is close to the recommended serving size of walnuts, which is 30g or four tablespoons.
The researchers did not look at the impact of increasing walnut consumption beyond doubled intake.
“These findings provide more evidence for food-based guidance to help reduce the risk for diabetes,” said Dr. Lenore Arab of the David Geffen School of Medicine at The University of California, Los Angeles.
“The strong connection we see in this study between walnut consumers and lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes is additional justification for including walnuts in the diet. Other research has shown that walnuts may also be beneficial for cognitive function and heart health.”
Researchers looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which draws from a large sampling of the U.S. population.
In this study, 34,121 adults ages 18-85 years old were asked about their dietary intake, as well as if they had been diagnosed with diabetes or if they were taking medications for diabetes. Individuals were also assessed for diabetes using common laboratory measurements including fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c.
Those who reported consuming walnuts showed a lower risk for type 2 diabetes compared to those who did not consume any nuts regardless of age, gender, race, education, BMI, and amount of physical activity.
Individuals with diabetes often have elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, or triglycerides, which can increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.
Previous studies have examined the association between walnut consumption and cardiovascular health as well as diabetes.
Findings from this study provide additional support for the role of walnuts as part of a healthy diet that may help reduce the risk for diabetes.
Among the numerous properties in walnuts that may be providing health benefits, walnuts are a rich source of recommended polyunsaturated fat (17.2g per 30g portion), which includes the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid.
As with any scientific research, some study limitations should be considered. Participants were asked about their dietary choices over the course of one to two days, which may not be representative of usual consumption patterns.
In addition, because of the cross-sectional nature of the study, the findings cannot prove causality.
Dr Sarah Brewer says herbal supplements could help stabilise blood sugar levels.
Reviewing the evidence or the best natural herbs and supplements for diabetes when used individually, Dr Brewer recommends swertia chirata supplements.
