Are Brazil Nuts Good for Diabetics?
28th Dec 2021
For those with diabetes, finding the right foods at the right time, based not only on their current insulin levels but also on previous and planned food intake, to manage fast and slow-acting foods with medications, is a herculean task that can easily become consuming.
Choosing healthy foods becomes a challenge when you just want a quick snack.
Enter, nuts.
It’s long been known that nuts are a great source of protein and nutrients, but tree nut consumption, in particular, is a great choice for those with diabetes. Tree nuts include:
Nuts are the perfect healthy snack. They fill us up in small portions while packing a punch as a superfood that’s low in carbs and high in protein, fiber, and healthy fat. But each of the nut selections has more to offer, Brazil Nuts in particular.
Health Benefits of Brazil Nuts
Brazil Nuts and Selenium
Selenium is a nutrient mineral that is critical to multiple systems within the body, helping to regulate and manage thyroid function and DNA production, serving as protection against free radicals as an antioxidant, and protecting us from infection. Selenium also helps the body protect against other diseases and disorders, such as:
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Decline in Cognitive functions and memory loss
- Thyroid disease
And Brazil Nuts are one of the main sources of Selenium. But there’s more.
Heart Health
Those with diabetes are prone to a higher risk of heart disease. The healthy fats in Brazil Nuts can lower your bad cholesterol (LDL Cholesterol) levels while raising the good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Studies have also found that eating Brazil Nuts may help reduce and manage hypertension, high blood pressure, also a common condition of those with diabetes.
Managing Glucose Levels
Brazil Nuts, like other tree nuts, can also help to slow down the blood sugar response. They are effective when eaten with other higher carbohydrate foods, so they serve as a regulator, of sorts, by managing blood sugar levels.
Lowering Glucose levels
A study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that eating even small amounts of Brazil Nuts not only lowered the total cholesterol of the participants but also lowered the fasting glucose levels. Another study found that eating foods rich in Selenium levels (as Brazil Nuts are) improved insulin sensitivity levels and increased antioxidant levels.
Reduces Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Brazil Nuts are loaded with antioxidants. Diabetes has a known effect on damaging cells due to oxidative stress and therefore oxidative damage, which is compounded with inflammation. According to a recently published study, the health benefits of Brazil Nuts include a reduction in this, due to the antioxidants in the nuts. This serves to reduce or slow the progressive nature of some of the effects of diabetes.
Brazil Nuts are Filling
Managing food intake, even of healthy and “safe” foods is always a challenge, especially when they’re delicious and we’re hungry. This presents a deeper challenge for those with Diabetes because any food intake could cause interactions with other foods and medications. This is yet another point that drives home Brazil Nuts as the right choice for snacking. Brazil Nuts are filling, in small portions. Just a few nuts fill those hunger pains and cravings quickly, all the while delivering health benefits.
Summary
Diabetes is a condition that affects nearly every system in the body, and managing it can be overwhelming. Luckily, Brazil Nuts offer the same multi-system effects, but as a healthy counter-response. Brazil Nuts are a healthy and convenient snack choice for those with diabetes because they are loaded with nutrients and low in fat. However, as with most food choices, it is important to pay attention to portion sizes so you don’t overdo it. With benefits that range from managing thyroid and cardiovascular health to being just delicious and filling, Brazil Nuts are a good go-to snack.