Adding walnuts to one’s daily diet can significantly decrease the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, a new study says. Just a handful of walnuts each day is all it takes to markedly improve bodily health, say researchers.
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New research published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Caredocumented an obesity study where 31 men and 81 women between the ages of 25 and 75 were asked to participate. Each participant was at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes Starpulse reports, Nov. 27.
Some participants of the study were asked to follow a plan that put limits on their caloric intake while others were not. Participants from both groups were randomly chosen to receive dietary counseling. In both groups, participants were also either assigned a daily 2 ounce walnut allowance or were asked to follow their respective plans over the course of six months.
Researchers were worried that participants might gain weight over the course of the study, as walnuts, despite being nutritious (they contain essential fatty oils, folic acid and vitamin E), are high in calories. “So the question was, if we tell people to eat nuts every day, will they over time start to gain weight? And will weight gain over time start to offset the metabolic benefits that come from the high-quality nutrition of nuts?" said Dr. David Katz, lead author of the study.
The answer was no. Participants did not gain weight, and when they were eating walnuts, bodily health improved. However, participants who ate the walnuts and who did not receive dietary counseling did see an increase in body fat.
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