A low-carb diet can help people with Type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar, according to a study in Nutrition & Metabolism. The study followed 31 subjects, of whom 13 were on a strict low-carb diet and 18 of whom followed a moderate-carb diet.
Researchers found that study participants on the low-carb regimen achieved better glycemic control. But according to Jennifer Regester, CDE at the Friedman Diabetes Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center, this doesn't mean that you should cut out carbs completely. "You need carbs for energy," she says. "And carbs are very beneficial for your body. When we don't have any carbs, the body goes into a process called ketosis, which can be very dangerous."
Without carbs, the body actually starts to break down fat for fuel, Regester explains, and a byproduct of this process is ketones. Having ketones in the bloodstream is not a desirable situation, she stresses.
Instead, Regester advises, choose your carbs wisely. You want about 90 percent of them to be "good" carbs, meaning fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These are called complex carbohydrates, and they tend to be more evenly absorbed by the body so you will feel full longer. They also have the added bonus of phytochemicals and fiber. The other 10 percent of your carb intake offers you some "wiggle room," Regester says. "We all can't eat perfectly every day and we all need a little wiggle room."
Consistency is crucial when it comes to carb intake, says Susan Kasik-Miller, MS, RD. "You don't want too many carbs, but you also don't want too little," she says. "Ideally, you should have between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrate at each meal. If you are very active, you might go up a little but people who are not physically active may need less carbs."
Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs
Want to "spend" your carbohydrate allowance wisely? Focus on fruits and vegetables, says Dr. Svetlana Kogan, MD, founder of Doctors at Trump Place in New York City. And keep portions reasonable, even with produce. That means eating a handful of berries, not two cupfuls. Also, keep in mind that all vegetables can't be eaten in unlimited quantities. Eat all the broccoli, asparagus and mushrooms you want, but monitor the starchier vegetables like corn, sweet potatoes and winter squash.
Source:
Hajime Haimoto, Tae Sasakabe, Hiroyuki Umegaki and Kenji Wakal
"Acute metabolic responses to a high carbohydrate meal I outpatients with type 2 diabetes treated with a low-carbohydrate diet: a crossover meal tolerance study"
Nutrition & Metabolism, published December 29, 2009; 6:52.
