[LDL Cholesterol Study] Nuts Benefit Type 2 Diabetes

Replacing 2 ounces of your daily carbohydrates intake with 2 ounces of nuts could help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes by lowering your LDL cholesterol levels and improving blood sugar control according to a new study.

The research, conducted by a team at St. Michael’s Hospital was completed over a three-month period in which 117 people with type 2 diabetes were placed into three random groups; The first group received 2 ounces of mixed nuts (consisting of unsalted almonds, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, and macadamias), while a second group were given one healthy muffin each day and a third group was placed on a half nuts and half a muffin per day diet.

According to the study’s results, patients in the full-nut dose group had a “significant mean 0.21% decrease in absolute hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) units from baseline.” The study found that LDL cholesterol decreased significantly in the full-nut group compared to the muffin group.

According to the groups researchers:

“We conclude that mixed, unsalted, raw or dry-roasted nuts have benefits for both blood glucose control and blood lipids and may be used to increase vegetable oil and protein intake in the diets of type 2 diabetic patients as part of a strategy to improve diabetes control without weight gain.”

So there you have it, an Apple a day may help keep the doctor away, but so apparently can 2 ounces of mixed nuts.