One daily serving of dry fruits can reduce the risk of diabetes

The intake of one serving of dry fruits a day improves cardiovascular health and reduces the metabolic risk of diabetes, as demonstrated by the Human Nutrition Unit, of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, at the University Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona. Until now there had been no studies to show whether nuts may improve insulin resistance, a stage prior to the onset of diabetes.

URV investigators came across the problem with a group of volunteers without diabetes but with metabolic syndrome, metabolic disturbances that determine an increased risk of diabetes or vascular disease. The investigation, known under the name Efinut consisted of 12 weeks to recommend a diet low in fat and healthy from the point of view of cardiovascular prevention. Half of the volunteers also received 30 grams per day of mixed nuts.

Early results found that patients who put on a nuts diet improved several parameters related to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and significantly reduced their insulin resistance. According to Scientists’ results published in the prestigious journal "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, eating nuts may reduce the risk of developing some of these diseases.