Are Walnuts Good for Diabetics?

Walnuts may offer cardiovascular benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. A randomized, controlled, single-blind study published in Diabetes Care (February 2010;33:227–232) examined the effects of walnut consumption on vascular health in 24 adults with type 2 diabetes (mean age 58).

Endothelial function was assessed using flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a noninvasive measure of how well the blood vessel lining responds to changes in blood flow. Impaired endothelial function is considered an early marker of atherosclerosis.

Participants followed either an ad libitum diet or the same diet supplemented with 56 grams of walnuts per day. After eight weeks, the group consuming walnuts showed significant improvement in endothelial function, as measured by FMD, compared with the control group.

These findings suggest that incorporating walnuts into the diet may help support vascular health in people with type 2 diabetes, potentially reducing early cardiovascular risk.