Amandelen tegen diabetes, hartproblemen en overgewicht.*

Uit een Canadese studie blijkt dat amandelen zowel meteen als op langere termijn goed zijn ter voorkoming van pieken in bloedsuikerwaarden en in de vermindering van oxidatieschade en daardoor hartproblemen  In de studie kregen mensen o.a. een koolhydraatrijke maaltijd en als deze gecombineerd werd met 60 gram amandelen was er  een duidelijk mindere stijging van de bloedsuikerwaarden en was er ook duidelijk minder oxidatieschade. Omdat hoge bloedsuikerwaarden het hongergevoel stimuleren kunnen amandelen ook een goed middel zijn tegen overgewicht.

Study: Almonds May Protect Against Heart Disease, Diabetes Risk

In the midst of holiday feasting on starchy, sugary foods, new research provides valuable insight into the long-term as well as the immediate short-term health impact of almonds.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that eating almonds may play a role in avoiding blood sugar spikes after consuming a carbohydrate-rich meal of foods that raise blood sugar levels. Additionally, eating almonds helps prevent oxidative stress.
"We found that eating almonds can have a significant impact in blunting the gylcemic and insulin responses of the body when fed with a carbohydrate meal," said co-author Dr. Cyril Kendall from the University of Toronto.
"Almonds have already been found to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and contain a variety of important nutrients," he said. "This new research shows that incorporating almonds in the diet may help in the management of blood glucose levels and the onset of such illnesses as diabetes, while promoting a healthy heart."
Refined carbohydrates such as white bread -- a popular staple of the American diet -- can significantly raise blood sugar levels in the body, which in turn releases harmful free radicals in the bloodstream. This can cause damage to cells, which is involved in the development of heart disease and diabetes.
Heart disease is the world's the number one cause of death(1), and high blood glucose causes three million deaths worldwide annually(2). With that in mind, new evidence is welcome on small, enjoyable lifestyle changes that can help make a big difference in one's health.
How the Study Worked
Researchers gave healthy men and women four different test meals, each containing 50 grams of carbohydrate. The control test meal contained white bread. The second meal contained white bread and 60 grams of almonds. The third meal contained parboiled rice, and the fourth meal contained instant mashed potatoes.
The parboiled rice and mashed potato meals were balanced with the almond meal for fat, protein, and total energy, with the addition of fat (unsalted butter), and protein (medium cheddar cheese). Participants ate the test meals on five different occasions and then had their blood drawn to check glucose, insulin and antioxidant levels.
The subjects who ate the almond meal and parboiled rice meal showed significantly lower rises in blood sugar afterwards. Further, the group who ate almonds showed the least amount of damage from free radicals in their blood samples.
The study may provide implications for weight management as well as heart health, as high blood sugar levels often lead to a feeling of hunger that prompts people to eat more than they should.
A one-ounce, 160-calorie handful of almonds is an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, a good source of protein and fiber, and offers potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
(1) Global and Regional Mortality from Ischaemic Heart Disease and Stroke Attributable to Higher-Than-Optimum Blood Glucose Concentration: Comparative Risk Assessment. Danaei G, Lawes CM, Vander Hoorn S, Murray CJ, Ezzati M. The Lancet - Vol. 368, Issue 9548, 11 November 2006, Pages 1651-1659.
(2) Blood Glucose Levels: Facing a Global Crisis. Avendano M, Mackenbach J. The Lancet - Vol. 368, Issue 9548, 11 November 2006, Pages 1631-1632.
Summary of Published Study:
Journal: The Journal of Nutrition, December 2006.
Research Organizations: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center; Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Departments of Nutritional Sciences, and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Public Health, University of Parma; Parma, Italy; and Biopolymers Group, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, King's College London, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Study Title: Almonds Decrease Postprandial Glycemia, Insulinemia, and Oxidative Damage in Healthy Individuals.
Authors: David JA Jenkins MD, PhD, Cyril WC Kendall, PhD, Andrea R Josse, MSc, Sara Salvatore, PhD, Furio Brighenti PhD, Livia SA Augustin, MSc, Peter R Ellis, PhD, Edward Vidgen, BSc, A. Venket Rao, PhD.
Objective: Assess the effect of decreasing postprandial glucose excursions on measures of oxidative damage.
Subjects: 15 healthy individuals, seven men and eight women
Study Description: Subjects ate 2 bread control meals and 3 test meals: almonds and bread; parboiled rice; and instant mashed potatoes, balanced in carbohydrate, fat, and protein, using butter and cheese. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and for 4 h postprandially.
Results: Glycemic indices (38 +/- 6) for the rice and almond meals (55 +/- 7) were less than for the potato meal (94 +/- 11) (P<0.003), as were the postprandial areas under the insulin concentrations time curve (P<0.001). No postmeal treatment differences were seen in total antioxidant capacity. However, the serum protein thiol concentration increased following the almond meal (15 +/- 14 mmol/L), indicating less oxidative protein damage, and decreased after the control bread, rice, and potato meals (-10 +/- 8 mmol/L), when data from these 3 meals were pooled (P=0.021). The change in protein thiols was also negatively related to the postprandial incremental peak glucose (r=-0.29, n=60 observations, P=0.026) and peak insulin responses (r=- 0.26, n=60 observations, P=0.046). Therefore, lowering postprandial glucose excursions may decrease the risk of oxidative damage to proteins. Almonds are likely to lower this risk by decreasing the glycemic excursion and by providing antioxidants. These actions may relate to mechanisms by which nuts are associated with a decreased risk of CHD.
Funding: Supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); the Canada Research Chair Endowment of the Federal Government of Canada; and the Almond Board of California.
The Almond Board of California administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Established in 1950, the Board's charge is to promote the best quality almonds, California's largest tree nut crop. (Dec. 2006) (Opm. Meer over amandelen.)