diabetes is on the rise, research shows. that small behavior changes such as diabetes risk reduction is linearthat is, the. people who ate nuts more often …
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Volume 7, Issue 3
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Type 2 diabetes, or non-insulindependent diabetes, was traditionally known as adult onset diabetes, since it often appeared in older adults But now this type of diabetes is affecting many younger adults–and even children–at alarming rates In fact, the occurrence of type 2 diabetes continues to escalate all over the world The disease currently affects approximately 135 million people and it is estimated that by 2025, this number will increase to 300 million people 1 Although the occurrence of type 2 diabetes is on the rise, research shows that small behavior changes such as dieting and getting more exercise can substantially decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes 2 Furthermore, these same behavior changes can help people who have already developed type 2 diabetes
Eating Peanuts Peanut Butter to Prevent Manage Type 2 Diabetes
Data from the Nurses Health Study at the Harvard School of Public Health adds to the body of scientific evidence advocating dietary changes to prevent chronic disease A recent study reveals that the consumption of a full serving 1 ounce of peanuts or other nuts five or more times a week is
associated with a 27 reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women Similarly, eating a half serving 1 tablespoon of peanut butter five or more times a week resulted in a 21 reduced risk of developing the disease 3 The association between consuming peanut butter, peanuts and other nuts and type 2 diabetes risk reduction is linear–that is, the people who ate nuts more often gained the greatest protection against type 2 diabetes Study participants who ate peanuts one to four times a week also reduced their risk, but the reduction was much greater when peanuts were consumed five or more times per week 3 A daily dose of a small amount of peanuts or peanut butter seems to be the key
It is easy to incorporate a small portion of peanut butter or peanuts into a healthy diet each day
Start your day with hot or cold cereal and add chopped nuts and dried fruit Spread peanut butter on half of a whole-wheat bagel or a slice of toast instead of butter Snack on peanuts instead of crackers to satisfy your afternoon hunger
Peanuts and Peanut Butter May Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Weekly Peanut and Peanut Butter Consumption 1-4 half-servings 1 tbsp of peanut butter 1-4 servings 1 oz of
peanuts/nuts 5 half-servings 1 tbsp of peanut butter 5 servings 1 oz peanuts/nuts Change in Diabetes Risk 3 9
16
21
A second Harvard Nurses Health Study recently identified dietary magnesium as a possible mechanism for protection against type 2 diabetes 4,5 Research has shown that low magnesium intake may impair insulin sensitivity, or function Consuming adequate levels of magnesium helps insulin function properly in the body, which may prevent type 2 diabetes Furthermore, research has shown that regular consumption of peanuts increases dietary magnesium to adequate levels 6
The Ongoing Debate: Fat versus Carbohydrate
There is still debate surrounding how much fat versus carbohydrate people should consume For years, a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet was recommended to prevent chronic disease However, more recently, research supports a moderate-fat diet 25 to 35 of total calories, provided most of the fat is unsaturated 8, which may be beneficial for both diabetes management and cardiovascular disease prevention Several studies have shown that a higher intake of both monounsaturated MUFA and polyunsaturated fat PUFA improves the bodys ability to use insulin, thereby potentially
decreasing the risk of diabetes 9,10 Conversely, a higher intake of saturated fat and trans fat adversely affects glucose metabolism and decreases the bodys ability to use insulin to lower blood sugar levels 10,11 Research also supports decreasing trans fatty acids in the diet and substituting polyunsaturated fats in their place to lower risk of diabetes 12
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The Go-Ahead to Eat Nuts
In the past, concerns regarding the fat content of nuts and peanut butter often have colored health professionals attitudes towards these foods On the concern about weight gain, a recent study showed that frequent nuteaters do not have higher body weights than non-nut-eaters 7 This may be because peanuts and peanut butter curb hunger, allowing people to balance their intake of other foods eaten throughout the day Although nuts are high in calories, moderate portions a small handful, or about 40 pieces can be included in any diet, even one for weight loss or the management of diabetes Experts emphasize that to avoid increasing caloric intake, nuts should replace refined grain products or red or processed meats 3
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International Guidelines for the Nutritional Management
of Diabetes
Organization Recommendation 60-70 CHO MUFA; 15-20 PRO; 7 SAT; 10 PUFA Canadian Diabetes Association: 50-60 CHO; 15 PRO; 30 total fat; 10 SAT low GI Diabetes Australia: high CHO; 30 fat; low GI European Association for 45-60 CHO; the Study of Diabetes 2000 10-20 PRO; 25-35 total fat; also 60-70 CHO MUFA A combination of the two recommendations above Explanation Share the calories between MUFA and CHO, while decreasing SAT; No differentiation between types of CHO A high-CHO, low-fat, and low-SAT diet; Emphasize CHO with a low GI and high-fiber content
Based on the available scientific evidence, various guidelines have been developed for the nutritional management of diabetes The table contains a summary of recommendations from several different countries 13
CHART KEY: CHO Carbohydrate MUFA Monounsaturated fatty acids SAT Saturated fatty acids PRO Protein GI Glycemic Index
American Diabetes Association 2002
The Canadian Diabetes Association 2000 and Diabetes Australia 2001
Peanuts Offer Good Balance of Nutrients
Peanuts and peanut butter fit well into diets that are consistent with current guidelines for diabetes management They can also be an important part of a
diet to control blood sugar and prevent cardiovascular di 
sease Peanuts contain mostly good, unsaturated fat They contain a small amount of saturated fat about two grams per oneounce serving and no trans fat, the two bad kinds of fat 14 Peanuts are high in plant protein and can be used to replace animal sources of protein that are higher in saturated fat such as red meat Peanuts are also rich in arginine, a key amino acid for maintaining healthy blood vessels Peanuts are relatively low in carbohydrates six grams per one ounce of peanuts, with 2 grams of fiber Peanuts contain fiber and magnesium, both of which increase the bodys ability to use insulin and have been inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes 3,6
Role of the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load in Diabetes Management
Another area of study related to diabetes and diet involves the glycemic index GI, which is a relative scale that ranks carbohydrate foods according to how quickly they are absorbed into the body and subsequently elevate blood sugar The GI of a food may be affected by many variables such as each individuals response, the nutritional profile of the previous meal eaten, and the nutritional profile of
the meal eg, a carbohydrate meal versus a balanced meal with carbohydrate, fiber, fat and protein 15 Glycemic load GL is similar to the GI, but takes into account the amount of carbohydrate in a standard serving size of food Therefore, GL is seen as the better measure when examining foods in the context of an overall healthy diet 15 Research has shown that eating a low glycemic load diet may help prevent diabetes 16, although more studies are needed Peanuts have a low GI and can form part of a low GL diet, in part because of the balance of healthful unsaturated fat, protein, fiber, and their low carbohydrate content 17
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Eating Peanuts:
An Easy Lifestyle Change to Prevent and Manage Diabetes
Research suggests it is possible to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by making dietary and other lifestyle adjustments Furthermore, it is evident that the type of fat–that is, the good unsaturated fat found in peanuts–is an important factor in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease, which is a disease often associated with diabetes Eating foods like peanuts that are rich in good unsaturated fat and other nutrients in
place of those foods full of refined carbohydrates and the bad fats–saturated and trans fats–is one easy way to make a small change that may prevent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease Go to wwwpeanut-instituteorg for: Peanut and peanut butter The Peanut Institute is a non-profit organization that supports nutrition research and develops educational programs to encourage healthy lifestyles For Further Information: The Peanut Institute PO Box 70157 Albany, GA 31708-157 USA TEL: 1-888-8PEANUT FAX: 1-229-888-5150 nutrition research Recipes Meal plans Educational materials
References
1 King H, Aubert RE, Herman WH Global burden of diabetes, 19952025: prevalence, numerical estimates, and projections Diabetes Care 1998;219:1414-1431 2 Steyn N, Mann J, Bennett P, et al Diet, nutrition and the prevention of type 2 diabetes Public Health Nutrition 2004;71A:147-165 3 Jiang R, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, et al Nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women Journal of the American Medical Association 2002; 28820:2554-2560 4 Fung TT, Manson JE, Solomon CG, et al The association between magnesium intake and fasting insulin concentration in healthy middle-aged
women Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2003;226:533-538 5 Lopez-Ridaura R, Willett WC, Rimm EB, et al Magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women Diabetes Care 2004;271:134-140 6 Alper CM and Mattes RD Peanut consumption improves indices of cardiovascular disease risk in healthy adults Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2003;222:133-141 7 Sabate J Nut consumption and body weight American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003;783 suppl:647S-650S 8 Kris-Etherton PM, Binkoski AE, Zhao G, et al Dietary fat: assessing the evidence in support of a moderate-fat diet; the benchmark based on lipoprotein metabolism Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2002;612:287-298 9 Parillo M, Rivellese AA, Ciardullo AV, et al A high-monounsaturatedfat/low-carbohydrate diet improves peripheral insulin sensitivity in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients Metabolism 1992;4112: 1373-1378 10 Vessby B, Unsitupa M, Hermansen K, et al Substituting dietary saturated for monounsaturated fat impairs insulin sensitivity in healthy men and women: The KANWU Study Diabetologia 2001;443: 312-319 11 Christiansen E, Schnider S, Palmvig B, et al Intake of a diet high in trans
monounsaturated fatty acids or saturated fatty acids: effects on postprandial insulinemia and glycemia in obese patients with NIDDM Diabetes Care 1997;205:881-887 12 Salmeron J, Hu FB, Manson JE, et al Dietary fat and risk of type 2 diabetes in women American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2001;736:1019-1026 13 Hung T, Sievenpiper JL, Marchie A, et al Fat versus carbohydrate in insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease Current Opinions in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2003;62:165-176 14 USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 16, July 2003 Accessed February 20, 2004 wwwusdagov 15 Ludwig DS The glycemic index: physiological mechanisms relating to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease Journal of the American Medical Association 2002;28718:2414-2423 16 Liu S, Manson JE, Stampfer M, et al Dietary glycemic load assessed by food-frequency questionnaire in relation to plasma high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting plasma triacylglycerols in post-menopausal women American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2001;733:560-566 17 Foster-Powell K, et al International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002 American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition 2002;76:5-56
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