Eat your tree nuts

When European missionaries headed into the jungles of West Papua in Indonesia in 1974, they discovered a tribe of cannibalistic people living in trees (different “floors” were designated depending on how well various members of the group got along). That contact is thought to be the first time the Korowai became aware that other humans existed. But for centuries many tribes have known that tree nuts (the fruit of trees, not those folks in the branches!) are a great source of nutrition. One Israeli archeological dig found evidence that 780,000 years ago our early relatives ate wild almonds and two varieties of acorns and pistachios! Almonds, cashews, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans and especially walnuts can lower your risk of heart disease and boost brain function (only walnuts have appreciable amounts of omega-3’s). Now we know that nuts also can help people with non-insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes control their glucose levels. For a recent study published in Diabetologia, researchers divided 117 adults with diabetes into three groups: One ate 1/2 cup of tree nuts and peanuts daily; another group had 1/4 cup of those nuts and part of a whole-wheat muffin daily; and the last group had a wholewheat muffin and no nuts each day. After three months, those who’d eaten the most nuts had better glucose control and lower levels of lousy LDL cholesterol. So, for better glycemic control, add nuts to your diet (skip the muffins). Track your intake and glucose levels, and after 12 weeks, you’ll see a difference!

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www. sharecare.com.