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FITNESS TIPS : A Real Nut Case

Topic: Menu Planning
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New research is making a strong case in favor of adding more nuts to your diet.
In a study, the people who ate an ounce of nuts or a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter five times per week had a much lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to the people who rarely ate nuts or peanut butter. Nuts are high in healthy fats and other nutrients that may help ward off type 2 diabetes by keeping blood sugar levels steady.

Eating nuts or peanut butter several times per week isn't enough to ward off type 2 diabetes by itself, but it may help. Nuts and peanut butter are high in magnesium and poly- and monounsaturated fats -- nutrients that help maintain optimal glucose and insulin levels. When adding calorie-dense nuts to your diet, cut back on other foods that are high in fat and calories to help balance things out. For example, if you have a handful of nuts as a snack, skip your usual chips or crackers and cheese. If you add peanut butter to your bagel, have half a bagel instead of a whole one. To kick your antidiabetes lifestyle into high gear, exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week and keep your weight down.

SOURCES: Nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Jiang, R., Manson, J. E., Stampfer, M. J., Liu, S., Willett, W. C., Hu, F. B., The Journal of the American Medical Association 2002 Nov 27;288(20):2554-2560.

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