Peanut Butter In Diabetes : Is it healthy for maintaining blood sugar levels?

People with diabetes are often more curious about which food items can they eat and which they need to avoid. And this seems pretty obvious as type 2 diabetes or just diabetes brings a whole lot of dietary restrictions that they need to care about every time before eating any food item.

Today, we're gonna talk about one such food item that has been associated with bunch of health benefits and is indeed loved by people of all generations. Of course, it's no mystery which food item are we referring to, as crystal clear from the title itself, we'll be looking at health benefits of peanut butter but from a diabetes point of view.

Peanut butter and diabetes have been very closely connected as peanut butter has been linked with multiple nutritional benefits and is considered as a great source of vitamin E, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, copper and manganese. But, how good is peanut butter for diabetics. Does it serve equal health benefits to every one or there are some key points to consider before consuming it. We'll be talking about this and more in the article going forward and will to explore things that are related with peanut butter and diabetes. Let's begin!!

Can a diabetic eat peanut butter

Peanut butter serves a whole lot of health benefits and is extremely good if we consume it in specified quantity for better health. But, is peanut butter ok for diabetes? For this, we need to first know the glycemic index of peanuts and what all things are included in making peanut butter. Then we can look at each item to find out whether all those things and the final product works well for a diabetic or not?

Peanut butter glycemic index

If you have diabetes, glycemic index is a key factor you need to keep an eye at for everything you eat.  To put it very simple, the glycemic index (GI) is a 100-point scale that rates foods on their ability to raise blood sugar. Foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar are given a higher value and the one which doesn't are given lower value. For example, Water which has no effect on blood sugar, has a GI value of 0. 

Now, with that explanation in mind, please note that peanuts have a GI value of 13, which makes them a low GI food. Which in other words mean, eating peanuts in diabetes will not cause too much increase in blood sugar levels and perhaps can be considered as a safe option in everyday eating. 

Now, peanut butter as majorly made via peanuts also serves somewhat same GI and are perfectly fine to consume even if you're diabetic. 

Is peanut butter good for diabetes

Given the above explanation on the Glycemic Index of peanuts, eating peanuts or peanut butter in diabetes seems pretty safe. Eating it in morning may help you control the blood sugar throughout the day. As peanuts contain large quantity of magnesium, peanut butter may also help reducing the insulin spike of higher GI foods when paired together. 

Not just that, peanuts have been associated with better cardiovascular health. Hence, eating peanut butter in diabetes may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, which are actually a common health complication of diabetes. Adding nuts to your diet may also help lower other issues as well that come along with this diabetes.

Is peanut butter bad for diabetes

In contrast to all the benefits peanuts may provide you for managing type 2 diabetes, there are some points that goes in negative when it comes to eating peanut butter in diabetes.

It's important to note, that peanuts are extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids in comparison to other nuts. We'll this seems like a good sign for a normal individual but perhaps it may not be equally good if you're someone having diabetes.

Increased consumption of peanut or peanut butter can result in rise in omega-6 fatty acids in your body, which can lead to increased inflammation and risk for obesity. 

In addition to that, many of peanut products often contain added salt and sugar, which you need to watch if you're having diabetes. Peanut butter, in particular, can include added fat, oil, and sugar which might do more bad to your health that doing anything good. Hence, Choosing a natural and right peanut butter is a key for maintaining good health if you're a diabetic.

How much peanut butter is good for diabetics

Peanut butter for diabetes patients seems to work really well but only when taken in moderation. Peanut butter is a high-calorie food, hence eating too much of it could contribute to obesity, and worsening of your diabetes. Hence, a proper watch at the amount of intake is necessary for maximum health benefits. The dosage and consumption, lifestyle may differ from person to person, hence it's best to consult a doctor before eating anything in diabetes.

But to talk about in general, One tablespoon of peanut butter contains around 188 calories which seems fine as consuming peanut butter in diabetes. Therefore, watch out your lifestyle and daily calorie burning capacity and you can consume peanut butter accordingly.

Can diabetics eat peanut butter and jelly

When we talk about variations in peanut better for diabetes, one combination that seems to be extremely popular is eating peanut butter with jelly. We'll instead of falling for the popularity or tasty, we must stick to the facts.

It should be noted, Regular jams, jellies, and preserves are full of sugar and are loaded with high glycemic index content such as high-fructose syrups, which can spike your blood sugar levels to it's peak and the results can be fatal, especially if you're a diabetic. Hence, always go for a variation that does not include high sugar foods, so as to maintain a health diet and fit body in long run.

You can know more on maintaining healthy lifestyle as a diabetic by referring to other articles on walking and eating in diabetes. 

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