Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health have been busy studying the association between nut consumption and the risk of Type 2 diabetes - and their findings are promising. The study results suggest that eating nuts and peanut butter may help lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes in women.

 

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Why?
Peanuts and peanut butter are high in unsaturated fat - the "good fats" - and are nutrition powerhouses containing fibre, folate, magnesium, zinc and vitamin E.

Study facts
Study participants: 83,818 women (34-59 years old) with no history of diabetes, CVD, or cancer followed up for 16 years

• Eating nuts and/or peanut butter lowered the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes
• Reduction in risk was greatest in those who had the highest nut consumption
• Those who never/ almost never ate nuts had no change in risk
• Those who consumed nuts (1oz/ 30g serving) less than once per week, had an 8 per cent lower risk
• Those who consumed nuts 1-4 times per week had a 16 per cent lower risk
• Those consuming nuts 5 or more times per week, had a 27 per cent lower risk
• Those who consumed peanut butter five or more times per week (the equivalent of 5 tablespoons) had a 21 per cent lower risk compared to women who never or almost never ate peanut butter
• Subjects who ate more nuts and who were at higher risk due to their other factors (e.g. overweight, smoking) had a lower risk than those who ate fewer or no nuts.

Peanuts and peanut butter also make delicious and nutritious additions to a variety of recipes: sauce, soup, dressing...

So spread the news! Regular or daily consumption of nuts and peanut butter can play a beneficial role in our diet and contribute to reducing risk of CVD, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

 

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(1) Jiang, R; Manson, JE; Stampfer, MJ; Liu, S; Willett, WC; Hu, FB. A prospective study of nut consumption and risk of type II diabetes in women. Journal of the American Medical Association; 288: 2554-2560, (2002).

(2) Dr. K McManus, L Antinoro, F Sacks. A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Moderate Fat, Low- Energy Diet with a Low Fat, Low- Energy Diet for Weight Loss in Overweight Adults. International Journal of Obesity, (October 2001). (Studies conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston USA - a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, a centre of excellence for nutrition research)