Peanuts are a common nut that is rich in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals and has a variety of benefits for the human body.
But are there any benefits to eating peanuts for diabetics? Some people believe that peanuts are higher in calories and fat, which increases blood sugar and blood lipid levels, thereby accelerating the development of diabetes.
Others believe that the unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E in peanuts can protect pancreatic islet cells, reduce insulin resistance, and have a preventive and ** effect on diabetes. Is this true?
At present, there are two main theories about the origin of peanuts: one is considered to be Brazil, and the other is believed to be the mid-altitude region of the Andes Mountains in South America.
Archaeological discoveries in Peru show that peanuts were cultivated artificially as early as 4,000 years ago. By the time Columbus sailed to the Americas, peanuts were being grown on a large scale in Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina.
However, the carbonized peanuts found in the tomb of Emperor Yang of the Han Dynasty in China add another layer of mystery to the origin of peanuts.
Although there is no conclusive conclusion as to how these peanuts came to China, this discovery is enough to prove the widespread spread and far-reaching impact of peanuts around the world.
The global spread of peanuts began in the 16th century, when the Portuguese first brought peanuts from Brazil to Europe and quickly became widely cultivated in Africa.
The Spanish historian Oviedo first recorded peanuts in the Naturalist Chronicles of the West Indies, marking the introduction of peanuts into European literature.
Subsequently, peanuts entered the United States through black slaves** and became an important food in some black communities in South Carolina and Georgia.
In China, peanuts were introduced by the Portuguese at the sea** in the early 16th century. Jiading Prefecture (now Jiading District, Shanghai) was one of the earliest areas where peanuts were cultivated.
During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Wang Shimao recorded it in the "Xuepu Miscellaneous Vegetables", while the Suzhou Juren Huang Shengzeng described the characteristics of peanuts in detail in the "Taro Planting Law".
The atlas of peanut plants included in Wu Qijun's "Illustrated Examination of Plant Names" in the Qing Dynasty is the earliest depiction of peanut plants in China.
The wide spread and application of peanuts in China has also become increasingly rich due to the integration of regional cultures, such as longevity fruit and longevity fruit.
During the Qianlong period, peanuts became an important dried fruit snack and dish in the south, and their uses included raw eating, stir-frying, oil extraction, and lighting lamps.
Qing Dynasty physician Zhao Xuemin recorded "peanut oil" in the "Compendium of Materia Medica", marking the discovery and utilization of peanut oil properties.
In the 80s of the 18th century, peanuts became a common fruit in banquets in Beijing, and the habit of eating peanuts among Chinese gradually formed. Before the Sino-Japanese War, the various uses of peanuts were widely recognized.
In Chinese culture, peanuts are not only a symbol of immortality and many grandchildren, but also a symbol of auspiciousness and festivity, and have become an indispensable fruit in traditional weddings. The image of peanuts is made into various ornaments, symbolizing career success and family happiness.
Researchers at the University of Maryland in the United States have found that eating peanuts in moderation every day is particularly beneficial for gut health, which adds to the nutritional value of peanuts.
Studies have pointed out that the rich dietary fiber in peanuts can not only promote intestinal peristalsis and relieve constipation, but also facilitate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, such as lactobacillus lactones and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, thereby improving the intestinal environment and reducing the occurrence of food poisoning.
These benefits come from the nutrients in peanuts, which work together to help maintain gut health and nutrient absorption.
Traditional Chinese medicine also highly praises the health effects of peanuts, believing that peanuts have the effect of "pleasing the spleen and stomach, nourishing and regulating qi".
For people who often experience excessive stomach acid, pantothenic acid and belching, peanuts can not only help relieve these discomforts, but also play a protective role in the gastric mucosa.
In addition, peanuts are rich in protein and fat, but low in sugar, for people who are weak, eating peanuts can effectively supplement protein and enhance physical fitness.
Despite the many health benefits of peanuts, it is important for people with diabetes to control the amount of peanuts they consume. Although peanuts are low in sugar, their high fat content (about 50% fat) means high in calories.
Diabetics who consume large amounts of peanuts without reducing the amount of staple and non-staple foods will have an increase in their total caloric intake per day, which may lead to elevated blood sugar and blood lipids.
Therefore, diabetic patients should control the amount of peanuts they eat and adjust their diet appropriately to ensure that their total calorie intake is effectively controlled.
Dietary management is an important part of the diabetes complex**, and it is important for people with diabetes to understand which foods are good for them and which foods to avoid.
1) Foods rich in dietary fiber are preferred by diabetics. Whole grains, cereals and other foods, due to their rich dietary fiber content, can not only promote intestinal peristalsis, relieve constipation, but also effectively delay the rise of blood sugar after meals, which plays an important role in maintaining blood sugar stability.
A study in the top international academic journal Science showed that diabetic patients who consumed an additional 40g of dietary fiber per day had a significant improvement in blood sugar control and an effective reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin levels.
2) Fresh vegetables are another beautiful sight on the table of diabetics. In particular, green vegetables such as cucumbers, lettuce, green peppers, and spinach are rich in vitamins and chlorophyll, which can not only help lower blood sugar, but also promote gut health and provide essential nutrients for patients.
3) The intake of high-quality protein is equally important for diabetics. The high-quality protein contained in foods such as soy milk, milk, and fish can effectively increase satiety and reduce patients' cravings for other high-sugar foods, thereby helping to control blood sugar levels.
However, while enjoying these beneficial foods, people with diabetes also need to avoid some foods that may cause blood sugar and blood lipids to rise.
With the diversification of food culture and the acceleration of the pace of life, fast food, desserts and a variety of processed foods have become part of many people's daily diet.
However, for diabetics, these foods are often the "killers" they need to be extra vigilant about. Proper dietary management plays a crucial role in controlling blood sugar levels and preventing the occurrence of diabetes complications.
1) Simple sugars, including white sugar, brown sugar, rock sugar, glucose, maltose, honey, etc., are quickly absorbed in the human body and converted into glucose, making blood sugar levels rise sharply.
This process, for healthy people, may only be a temporary physiological change; However, for people with diabetes, it is a risk factor that cannot be ignored.
Diabetic patients are unable to efficiently convert glucose in the blood into energy due to impaired insulin secretion or utilization, resulting in high blood sugar levels for long periods of time.
This persistent hyperglycemic state not only aggravates the condition of diabetes, but also may cause a series of complications, such as cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, etc., which seriously threatens the health and life safety of patients.
2) High-fat, high-calorie foods such as barbecue and fried skewers are popular because they are convenient, fast, and have an attractive taste. However, there are health risks hidden behind these delicacies, especially for diabetics, and the risks cannot be ignored.
The high content of saturated fat in these foods not only causes an increase in blood sugar, but may also increase blood lipid levels, placing an additional burden on the cardiovascular system.
Long-term high intake may lead to obesity, forming a vicious circle and worsening the health of diabetic patients.
In addition to food choices, drinking habits are also something that people with diabetes need to pay special attention to. Alcohol itself does not contain any nutrients, but it provides a lot of heat.
Long-term alcohol consumption is not only easy to cause an increase in serum triglyceride levels, which poses a threat to cardiovascular health, but also for patients using sulfonylurea hypoglycemic drugs, adverse reactions such as palpitation, shortness of breath, and redness of the cheeks may occur after drinking.
More seriously, if insulin-dependent patients drink alcohol on an empty stomach, it is very likely to cause a dangerous condition of hypoglycemia, which poses a direct threat to health and life safety.
3) In addition to the common high-sugar and high-fat foods, high-salt pickled products are also food categories that need special attention.
Excessive salt intake will not only lead to an increase in blood pressure and increase the burden on the heart, but also may interfere with the balance of water in the body and indirectly affect the stability of blood sugar.
This will undoubtedly exacerbate the condition of diabetic patients and make it more difficult to control blood sugar.
Therefore, when choosing food, try to avoid high-salt pickled foods and choose fresh, low-salt, low-fat foods instead, which is the basic principle of dietary management for diabetic patients.
In the daily diet, diabetic patients should adopt a low-salt, low-fat diet, pay attention to controlling calorie intake, and implement a light diet, eating small meals and eating more often.
Moderate exercise and the use of medications according to the doctor's instructions are also important means of controlling blood sugar. Diabetic patients need to observe the changes in their condition at any time, monitor their blood sugar levels in time, and seek medical attention immediately if they feel unwell to avoid further deterioration of their condition.
In short, peanuts are a nutritious food that has a variety of benefits for the human body, and diabetics can also eat it in moderation, but pay attention to controlling the amount and matching it with other foods, avoid foods high in sugar, high in fat, and high in salt, and keep blood sugar and blood lipids stable.
At the same time, diabetic patients should also increase their intake of dietary fiber, vitamins and high-quality protein, choose healthy foods and cooking methods, consult professionals regularly, and develop personalized diet plans, so as to improve the condition of diabetes and improve the quality of life.