Nuts can cut risk of heart disease for women with diabetes

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 01:50

EATING nuts can help cut the risk of heart disease among women with Type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

A study of more than 6,000 women from 1980 to 2002 found those who ate lots of nuts or peanut butter slashed their risk of heart disease almost in half. The research was published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Overall, there were 452 coronary "events" such as heart attack or revascularisation, and 182 cases of stroke.

Women at the start of the study who consumed more nuts and peanut butter were leaner, more physically active, and tended to smoke less, the authors said.

After adjusting for those factors that could influence the results, the experts found that women who ate at least five servings per week of nuts or peanut butter had a 44 per cent lower risk of heart disease and events such as heart attack or stroke.

A serving was defined as 28g of nuts or 16g (one tablespoon) of peanut butter.

The authors, from the Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said: "These data suggest that frequent nut and peanut butter consumption is associated with a significantly lower CVD risk in women with Type 2 diabetes."

Ellen Mason, cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation, said: "It is beneficial to include nuts in our diets, as they are low in the saturated fats that raise our cholesterol. However, peanut products can be full of added sugar or salt."