Private MD News
Home |
News |
General Health
Researchers: Pistachios can deter obesity, diabetes
Updated: 2009-10-13 22:14:10 CST Category: General Health
by Brendan Missett
Following a recommendation that Americans limit their sugar intake by the American Heart Association (AHA), some researchers are parading pistachios as a way to moderate sugar consumption.
The recent AHA release featured the strictest guidelines ever for recommended intake of added sugars - 100 calories, or six teaspoons, for women and 150 calories, or 9 teaspoons, for men each day.
According to the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the average American consumed 355 calories each day, constituting a 20 percent increase since the 1970s. Scientists at the AHA have concluded that high levels of sugar intake can lead to obesity, type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension.
The AHA recommends meeting the new nutritional limits by adopting a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean protein and healthy amounts of mom-and-poly unsaturated fats.
Furthermore, research at the University of Toronto found that when an individual ate a handful of pistachios with foods with high glycemic indexes, like white bread, the nuts reduced rises in blood sugar levels and hunger-stimulating hormones.
Pistachios are one of the healthiest nuts for weight management with about 170 calories and 13 grams of fat per ounce, according to PistachioHealth.com.

Related Articles from Private MD:
Subscribe to Private MD Health News RSS Feed: 
Visit the Health News Archive: Click Here
Questions about online blood testing or how to order a lab test? Click
here to get started or call us toll-free at
1.877.283.7882. Our certified professionals are ready to assist
you.