Prevent Diabetes: Pistachio Nuts May Help

One third of Americans will become diabetic, regardless of their country of origin. Most doctors feel that a person's diet has a lot to do with whether he or she becomes diabetic, and the most likely cause is foods that cause a high rise in blood a sugar after you eat them. A study from the University of Toronto shows that pistachio nuts (and probably most other nuts) help to keep blood sugar levels from rising too high after eating meals that normally cause a high rise in blood sugar (reported at the Experimental Biology meeting, Washington DC, May 2007).

The Glycemic Index is a listing how much specific foods raise blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index are supposed to be off limits to diabetics, and perhaps they should be restricted by people who are likely to become diabetic. Not all doctors accept this theory because the glycemic index of foods can vary from person to person and even vary in the same person at different times. For example, the only places that you can store extra sugar in your body are in your muscles, liver and bloodstream. When you exercise, your muscle are empty of their stored sugar supply. Sugar passes from your intestines into your bloodstream and then directly into your muscles, so your blood sugar levels do not rise too high. However, when you are not exercising, your muscles are full of sugar and the sugar in your bloodstream has no place to go, so blood sugar levels rise and stay elevated.

If you want to prevent diabetes, reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates such as sugared water, sugared foods and flour. When you do eat refined carbohydrates, eat them with something that contains fat, such as nuts, to cause the sugar to remain in your stomach longer. Exercise every day to empty your muscles of sugar, so blood sugar will have a place to go and not rise to the high levels that can cause cell damage. More on preventing and treating diabetes; free weekly newsletter