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Todays Health Article

December 16th, 2010

If you been following the latest articles, everyone is becoming aware of many of the Health issues that are reaching alarming proportions. The facts of obesity, 64%  of all Americans are now obese, sugar intake has reached an all time high per person, this brings us to the dicussion of Type2 diabetes. Some facts have indicated, that nearly 16 million Americans are living today with pre-diabetes, a precursor to type2 diabetes. It has also been stated that half, YES Half of all Americans are expected to have some form of diabetes by the year 2020. Healthy Eating is becoming more and more important for each of us!  I stumble upon this recent research, looking for the health benefits of nuts, and found this worthy of passing on.

 GOOD NEWS

  The good news: a recent scientific study shows that including Almonds into your diet can help treat and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes. It also considered the impact of Almonds and their relating to cardiovascular disease.

By consuming an almond-enriched diet, the study looked at the effects relating to the progression of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adults with pre-diabetes. After 16 weeks of consuming either an almond-enriched or regular diet, both of which conformed with American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommendations, the group that consumed an almond-enriched diet showed significantly improved LDL cholesterol levels and measures of insulin sensitivity, risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

It also provides evidence that suggests almonds contribute to heart health. However, it adds a new dimension to the existing research because it shows almond consumption not only aids in disease management, but may also help reduce the risk  of certain chronic diseases. Almonds offer 3.5 grams of fiber, 13 grams of unsaturated fat and only 1 gram of saturated fat per one-ounce serving.

Study at a Glance:

• The People: 65 adults with pre-diabetes (48 women and 17 men) with an average age in the mid-50s.
• The Diet: The study population was randomly divided into either the group consuming almonds or the control group. The control group consumed a diet in accordance with the ADA recommendations. The group that consumed almonds followed the same diet, but with 20% of the calories from almonds. A caveat is that although study participants in both groups were instructed to consume the same amount of calories from carbohydrate-containing foods (i.e. bread, rice, pasta), there was less self-reported intake of carbohydrate containing foods among those consuming the almond-enriched diet.
• The Results: The intervention group, who were on an almond-enriched diet, showed greater improvements in insulin sensitivity and clinically significant reductions in LDL-cholesterol as compared to the nut-free group.

SOURCE …Almond Board of California

The study, published in the June 2010 Journal of the American College of Nutrition and one of the first of its kind to quantify prevention data, illustrates that consuming a diet rich in almonds may help improve insulin sensitivity and decrease LDL-cholesterol levels in those with pre-diabetes.

Todays Health Comments

Today this study is suggesting, that by including the ADA-recommended diet, consisting of 20% of the total calories from almonds for 16 weeks ,is effective in improving LDL cholesterol levels and measures of insulin sensitivity in individuals with pre-diabetes. That is Good News. Also the nutrients in almonds, such as fiber and unsaturated fat, have been shown to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and increase insulin sensitivity, preventing the development of type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.