Peanuts are a common nut that is rich in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals and has a variety of benefits for the human body.
Some people believe that peanuts are higher in calories and fat, which can increase 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 therapeutic effect on diabetes. Is this true?
Nutrition Almighty King
At present, there are two main theories about the origin of peanuts: one is considered to be Brazil, and the other is considered 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 the slave trade and became an important food in some black communities in South Carolina and Georgia.
In China, peanuts were introduced through the maritime trade of the Portuguese 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 "School Garden 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.
Zhao Xuemin, a Qing Dynasty medical scientist, 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 gradually formed in the Chinese. 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 the peanut is made into various ornaments, symbolizing career success and family happiness.
Is diabetes an "accelerator"?
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 lactolide 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 in our digestive system.
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 caloric intake is effectively controlled.
Keep in mind 3 to eat
Dietary management is an important part of comprehensive diabetes treatment, and it is important for people with diabetes to understand which foods are beneficial to them and which foods to avoid.
(1) Foods rich in dietary fiber are the preferred choice for 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 scenery 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, providing essential nutrients for patients.
(3) The intake of high-quality protein is equally important for diabetic patients. 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.
3. Do not eat
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 "invisible 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 and converted into glucose in the human body, making blood sugar levels rise sharply.
This process may only be a short-term physiological change for healthy people, but it is a risk factor for people with diabetes who 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 and high-calorie foods such as barbecue and fried skewers are popular because they are convenient, quick 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 prone to increase 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.
What's more, if patients who rely on insulin therapy drink alcohol on an empty stomach, it is very likely to cause a dangerous situation 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.
epilogue
In short, peanuts are a nutritious food with 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 fat, and high 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.
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