Diabetes
Eating peanuts and nuts could help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes due to their low Glycemic Index (GI).
The GI is an indicator of the speed with which glucose (sugar) becomes available from food. Products with a low GI ensure a slow increase of the blood glucose level followed by a slow reduction. Products with a high GI however, ensure a swift rise in glucose levels followed by quite a rapid drop.
Large fluctuations in blood glucose levels could lead to people eating more than necessary and thus gaining weight. Overweight is one of the factors that can lead to the occurrence of diabetes type 2. Peanuts and nuts fit well in a low GI diet. A diet with a low GI consists of a high intake of vegetables, fruit, pulses, whole grain products and products with little added sugar.
Rising occurrence of diabetes
More and more people worldwide are suffering from diabetes. Currently, the most frequently occurring type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. This is mainly caused by overweight resulting from people’s living and eating habits. People with diabetes have a higher risk of some other diseases, such as heart disease and problems with the eyes and kidneys.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels, resulting from defects in insulin secretion. Normally, blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level.
When the blood glucose level rises (for example after eating food), insulin is released from the pancreas to normalize the glucose level. In diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the body cannot respond normally to the insulin that is made (type 2 diabetes).
No real cure has been found yet, which means that diabetes patients have to treat their symptoms on a daily basis. Lowering their weight has a positive effective though, at least for type 2 diabetes. If they do not check the status of their illness, serious complications could occur in the heart and blood vessels, eyes and kidneys.
Lowering weight has a positive effect on diabetes type 2