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Nuts to you ...

IanD

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,429
Location
Peterchurch, Hereford
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Carbohydrates
Benefits of nut consumption for people with abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure

For the first time, scientists report a link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin in the bodies of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), who are at high risk for heart disease. Serotonin is a substance that helps transmit nerve signals and decreases feelings of hunger, makes people feel happier and improves heart health. It took only one ounce of mixed nuts (raw unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) a day to produce the good effects.

Nuts are an important component of my low carb diet. Nut porridge; nut cake-bread; nut snacks ... though I haven't got "abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, [nor] high blood pressure."
 
Nuts are a great food. Unfortunately I am constitutionally incapable of keeping my consumption to "1 ounce a day", so if anything they contribute to my "abdominal obesity" :oops: :lol:

I don't eat them every day, but I do have them for snacks sometimes and I do try to keep the quanities down.

I supposed the word I'm looking for is "greedy"! :shock:

Viv 8)
 
I eat loads of nuts I have walnuts in double cream as part of my breakfast I eat almonds as snacks during the day ,Brazil nuts when in the car etc and I am a size 8 almost 7 stone weakling I think I must just be weird :lol:
CAROL
 
Nuts may be good for you and there is quite a lot suggesting that diets including nuts,particularly almonds, have all sorts of benefits (lowering LDL cholesterol, increasing insulin sensitivity) This bit of research wasn't looking at this and the headline is really misleading. The actual title of the research is
Metabolomics* Unveils Urinary Changes in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome following 12-Week Nut Consumption

The researchers were comparing biomarkers in the urine between those that ate nuts and those that didn't.
Those that ate the nuts had a cluster of biomarkers that could be distinguished from those in the non nut eaters. The nut eaters had an increased excretion of serotonin metabolites ( and several other metabolites. ) Did it make a difference to health ? ... we don't know and they weren't trying to find out
They say that this type of research may help 'access unexplored metabolic pathways impacted by diet, thereby raising prospects for new intervention targets'

* metabolomics: wiki comes to the rescue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolomics
(although even that isn't easy to understand) 21st century scientific methods applied to much older beliefs; ie whats excreted in urine can show what's going on in the body
(that's my new word learned for today :lol: )
 
Is the fact that he almonds were raw significant? I like roasted/salted almonds - but would happily change to raw if there is a possibility of it being beneficial... :thumbup:
 
Here's one example from one study:

Almond consumption improved glycemic control and lipid profiles in
patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
http://libir.tmu.edu.tw/bitstream/98765 ... 24/1/6.pdf

The almond diet was prepared by incorporating roasted, unsalted whole almonds with skins
into meals to replace 20% calories of the control diet. Depending on the menus, almonds were either incorporated into entrees and deserts or consumed as snack. On average, a patient consumed 56 g of almonds a day. Almonds were sweet almonds containing small amounts of cyanogenic compounds

I can't see them using salted almonds (might raise blood pressure). I suppose it depends on whether the fibre adds any benefits. If it's just the 'meat' then ground almonds should be as effective.
A quick look shows there seems to be quite a lot of research on the benefits of walnuts. (we've got 2 walnut trees in our garden and the squirrels get most of the, perhaps I should use them more.)
I think overall though there are a few studies that show improvements in glucose control, they don't all show a benefit. There seems to be more evidence for nuts being useful in lowering lipids.
One thing... nuts have calories, hence they were a replacement in the above study, not an extra snack.
 
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