Do Almonds Help People With Diabetes Manage Their Blood Sugar?

September 9th, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments

written by Michael O’Leary

Blue Diamond May be A Diabetic’s Best Friend

Another nut study shows that people with type 2 diabetes might benefit from adding almonds to their daily menu.

The new study showed a dramatic 30 percent decrease in post-meal blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes who ate one ounce of almonds as part of a test meal, while people without diabetes had only a non-significant 7 percent decrease.

The Arizona State University study published in the journal Metabolism this month also showed that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed almonds daily for 12 weeks achieved a 4 percent decrease in HbA1c and a 4 percent reduction in body mass index (BMI). (Link  to published site)

The results add to recent studies showing benefits for people consuming nuts. One appeared in the journal Diabetes Care in July, which was previously reported on by Corengi. That study showed that eating nuts were better than carbohydrates for controlling blood sugar and lowering cholesterol.

While the Almond Board of California did not fund the study, they did provide the almonds, and were pleased with the findings.

“Both of these studies further deepen our understanding of the benefits of almond consumption for those with type 2 diabetes,” Karen Lapsley, chief science officer for the Almond Board of California said in a press release. “Those with diabetes are faced with many challenges with their disease management, which is why we are always energized when new research is published that supports our understanding of almonds’ role in helping alleviate some of the difficulties.”

In the small study, led by Ashley Cohen and Carol Johnston, of the Nutrition Program in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 20 participants ate a standardized evening meal and fasted overnight before eating the test meal consisting of a bagel, juice, and butter with or without one ounce of almonds. Seven of the participants had type 2 diabetes and 12 didn’t. The results showed that those with type 2 diabetes decreased their post-meal blood sugar by an average of 30 percent, while the non-diabetic patients didn’t have a significant reduction.

The researchers then divided a subset of the same participants into two groups of six or seven each and tested the effect of regular almond consumption. One group ate one ounce of almonds five days per week for 12 weeks. The other group ate two cheese sticks in place of almonds each day for 12 weeks. Both groups consumed the same number of daily calories. The results showed that those with type 2 diabetes in the almond-group had an average 4 percent decrease in A1c over a two to three month period, but that did not affect fasting glucose levels. The same people also had an equal 4 percent reduction in their BMI.