Diet gun

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels.

The body produces less or no insulin (the hormone that promotes glucose into cells) or uses insulin in an ineffective way, resulting in an increase in the concentration of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

The higher the levels of sugar/glucose that we consume with our food, the more insulin our body produces.

Glucose and insulin are increased by the consumption of foods containing carbohydrates, mainly simple carbohydrates, such as sugar. It can also be increased by the consumption of foods rich in saturated fats, such as all processed foods and fried foods.

Glucose and insulin are only slightly increased by the consumption of foods containing fiber (because they slow down the absorption of glucose), and they are almost not increased at all by foods containing only proteins (e.g. meat, chicken, fish, low-fat cheese) unless these protein foods are high in fat or we add a lot of fat to them (e.g. they are cooked with a lot of oil, fried).

Glucose and insulin are also increased by the large amount of carbohydrates in the meal but also by the large amount of proteins that contain fat in a meal.

Snacks, especially for those with non-insulin-dependent diabetes, are important for maintaining stable blood sugar levels and avoiding excessive hunger. It is important to choose foods that are nutritious and do not cause sudden increases in blood sugar.

In insulin-dependent diabetes, snacks are equally important, but we must also take into account the insulin units we take, which is why consuming only nuts between meals may not be enough.

Here are 5 nuts that have protein, fiber that helps in the slow and steady release of sugar into the bloodstream, healthy fats and few carbohydrates, making them ideal snacks for between meals.

1. Almonds

30 gr. of almonds roasted or unroasted (about 28 – 30 small pieces) have 170 calories. Proteins are about 6 gr., carbohydrates about 7 gr. (from which 4 are fibers), fat 14 gr. of which 12 are in the form of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.

2. Pistachios

30 gr. of pistachios (about 30 – 37 pieces) have 180 calories. Proteins are about 6 gr., carbohydrates about 11 gr. (from which 3 are fibers), fat 13 gr. mainly from oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid) and linoleic acid (a polyunsaturated fatty acid).

3. Pecans

30 gr. of pecans (about 15 pieces) have 230 calories. Proteins are about 3 gr., carbohydrates about 8 gr. (from which 3 are fibers), fat 20 gr. mainly from oleic acid and omega-6 fatty acids.

4. Peanuts

30 gr. of peanuts (about 30 pieces) have 183 calories. Proteins are about 7 gr., carbohydrates about 8,5 gr. (from which 2,5 are fibers), fat 14 gr. mainly from oleic acid and linoleic acid like pistachios.

5. Walnuts

30 gr. of walnuts (about 6 pieces) have 206 calories. Proteins are about 5 gr., carbohydrates about 6 gr. (from which 2 are fibers), fat 18 gr. mainly unsaturated fats including both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.