Nuts are superfoods that provide all-around nutrition for your body. For people with type 2 diabetes, avoiding foods that spike your blood sugar level is essential in managing the disease. According to Texas A&M researchers, pecans give diabetes and obesity a slim chance.
“Obesity and diabetes numbers are increasing in modern society worldwide, and the trend in high fat diet consumption is one of the main reasons besides lifestyle and genetic predisposition,” said Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, Ph.D., professor of horticulture and food science in the Department of Horticultural Sciences in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and affiliate scientist in the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture.
Diabetes also increases the risk of heart disease in people due to arteries narrowing. This condition can be managed by making smart dietary choices like healthy snacks, of which there has been a debate on whether pecans can help in reducing the risk of the disease or not. Are pecans good for diabetics?
Pecan Nuts and Diabetes - All You Need to Know
Pecans have mono-un
saturated and polyunsaturated fats that help stabilize the blood sugar. The pecan nuts do this by lowering the “bad cholesterol “also known as LDL while increasing the “good cholesterol” or HDL to regulate insulin levels. Pecan nuts also have a low Glycemic Index (GI) and research has shown that foods with low GI index don't raise the blood sugar levels of people. The Glycemic Index is a relative ranking of carbs in foods on how they’re absorbed by the body and how they affect blood glucose levels. Patients with type 2 diabetes had a 17% lower risk of cardiovascular disease when they consumed about 5 servings of nuts per week. This was according to the American Heart Association’s Circulation Research journal. Eating pecans also makes you have the satiety feeling thus they can make you not to eat too much food to satisfy your cravings. Pecans also act as a good substitute of sugary snacks which would otherwise spike your blood sugar. So, are nuts good for diabetics? People with diabetes are advised not to eat salted varieties of pecans because the sodium in the foods will spike your blood sugar.
Some of the dangers of high blood sugar include:
- Heart disease that may lead to heart attacks and stroke
- Kidney failure
- Eye damage to the retina, cataracts
- Problems with the skin
- Pain and burning of the nerves
The other benefits of including pecans in your daily meals been shown to have many health benefits, so next time to you want to order some candied pecans, roasted pecans or toasted pecans, pecan halves or even pecan pie remember that not only are they delicious, but also healthy. Some of the most common health benefits include promoting a healthy heart because it reduces the “bad cholesterol” thus reducing the risk of diseases such as heart disease.
Magnesium and vitamin E which are found in pecans also have some anti-inflammatory effects on the body, and they help fight diseases such as arthritis. Apart from the healthy fats which are known for, the nuts are also rich in plant-based protein, making it a good choice of food for vegans. It is also rich in several minerals and vitamins which boosts the body's immune system. Research has also shown that neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease are greatly reduced when you increase your consumption of pecans.
Millican Pecan, a San Saba, Texas pecan company offers the sale of pecans, be it in wholesale pecans, raw, shelled pecan halves or chopped pecan pieces, just to name a few. There’s free shipping on U.S. retail orders above $99 on lower 48 states.
