Low Carb Diet To Lower Blood Sugar and Control Diabetes

Posted by Mandy Huckabee on 28th Mar 2022

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects many people across the globe.Currently, more than 400 million people have diabetes worldwide (1). Although diabetes is a complicated disease, maintaining good blood sugar levels can greatly reduce the risk of complications (2,3). One of the ways to achieve better blood sugar levels is to follow a low carb diet.

With diabetes, the body can’t effectively process carbohydrates. Normally, when you eat carbs, they’re broken down into small units of glucose, which end up as blood sugar. When blood sugar levels go up, the pancreas responds by producing the hormone insulin. This hormone allows blood sugar to enter cells.

In people without diabetes, blood sugar levels remain within a narrow range throughout the day. For those who have diabetes, however, this system doesn’t work in the same way. This is a big problem, because having both too high and too low blood sugar levels can cause severe harm.

There are several types of diabetes, but the two most common ones are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Both of these conditions can occur at any age.

In type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune process destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. People with diabetes take insulin several times a day to ensure that glucose gets into the cells and stays at a healthy level in the bloodstream (4).In type 2 diabetes, the beta cells at first produce enough insulin, but the body’s cells are resistant to its action, so blood sugar remains high. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, attempting to bring blood sugar down. Over time, the beta cells lose their ability to produce enough insulin (5,6).

Of the three macronutrients — protein, carbs, and fat — carbs have the greatest impact on blood sugar management. This is because the body breaks them down into glucose. Therefore, people with diabetes may need to take large doses of insulin, medication, or both when they eat a lot of carbohydrates (7).

Can Low Carb Diets help to Manage Diabetes?

Many studies support low carb diets for the treatment of diabetes (8,9,10,11,12,13). In fact, before the discovery of insulin in 1921, very low carb diets were considered standard treatment for people with diabetes (14). What’s more, low carb diets seem to work well in the long term when people stick to them.

In one study, people with type 2 diabetes ate a low carb diet for 6 months. Their diabetes remained well managed more than 3 years later if they stuck to the diet(15).

Similarly, when people with type 1 diabetes followed a carb-restricted diet, those who followed the diet saw a significant improvement in blood sugar levels over a 4-year period (16).

What’s the optimal carb intake for people with diabetes?

Many studies found dramatic improvements in blood sugar levels, body weight, and other markers when carbs were restricted to 20 grams per day. (17,18) Dr. Richard K. Bernstein, who has type 1 diabetes, has eaten 30 grams of carbs per day and documented excellent blood sugar management in his patients who follow the same regimen (19).However, other research shows that more moderate carb restriction, such as 70–90 grams of total carbs, or 20% of calories from carbs, is also effective (20, 21). The optimal amount of carbs may also vary by individual, since everyone has a unique response to carbs. The ADA also recommends that individuals work with their healthcare team to determine the carb intake that’s right for them.

To figure out your ideal amount of carbs, you may want to measure your blood glucose with a meter before a meal and again 1 to 2 hours after eating. As long as your blood sugar remains below 140 mg/dL (8 mmol/L), the point at which damage to nerves can occur, you can consume 6 grams, 10 grams, or 25 grams of carbs per meal on a low carb diet.

It all depends on your personal tolerance. Just remember that the general rule is the less carbs you eat, the less your blood sugar will rise.

And, rather than eliminating all carbs, a healthy low carb diet should actually include nutrient-dense, high fiber carb sources, like vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds.

So, carb intake between 20–90 grams per day has been shown to be effective at improving blood sugar management in people with diabetes. However, it’s best to test blood sugar before and after eating to find your personal carb limit.

FOODS TO EAT

You can eat the following low carb foods until you’re full. Also make sure to get enough protein at each meal:

  • Vegetables- Eat your vegetables! Eat a wide variety of vegetables daily to ensure a wide range of micronutrients, and make sure you include some of the most nutrient-dense options with each meal for maximum benefit. Below is a list of our vegetable Top 20—the ones we recommend that you keep in regular rotation.
    Asparagus, Beets, Bell peppers, Bok choy, Broccoli, broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Greens (beet, collard, mustard, turnip) Kale, Lettuce (Bibb, Boston, butter, red), Onions, Shallots, Leeks, Garlic, Rutabaga/Turnip, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Watercress, Zucchini/Summer Squash.
  • Meat, Poultry, and Seafood: Be sure to include heart-healthy fish at
    least twice a week. Fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may prevent heart disease.
  • Eggs & Egg Whites
  • Cheese
  • Avocados
  • Olives
  • Healthy Fats:Olive oil, Coconut oil, Ghee, Butter, cream, sour cream, and cream cheese
  • Nut Milks (Almond, Cashew, Coconut, etc)

FOODS TO EAT IN MODERATION

You can eat the following foods in smaller quantities at meals, depending on your personal carb tolerance:

  • Fruits (Preferably low glycemic fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, plums, cherries, Kiwi, Grapefruit, and apricots.) 1 Cup or less
  • Plain, Greek Yogurt: 1 cup or less
  • Cottage cheese: 1/2 cup or less
  • Dark chocolate (at least 85% cocoa): 30 grams or less
  • Nuts and Nut Butters: 1–2 ounces, or 30–60 grams
  • Winter squash (butternut, acorn, pumpkin, spaghetti, and hubbard): 1cup or less.
  • Seeds: Sesame, sunflower, Pumpkin, flaxseeds or chia seeds:
    2 tablespoons
  • Liquor: 1.5 ounces, or 50 grams
  • Dry red or white wine: 4 ounces, or 120 grams
  • Legumes, such as peas, lentils, and beans, are healthy sources of protein, though they do have carbs as well. Be sure to include them in your daily carb count.

FOODS TO EAT IN LIMIT OR AVOID

You should limit or avoid your intake of the following:

  • High-sugar fruits: Melons, grapes, and pineapple contain more sugar than the fruits listed above, so they should be limited to a half-cup treat once a week.
  • Bread, Pasta, Cereal, Corn, and other grains
  • Starchy, high-glycemic cooked vegetables. These include, peas, potatoes, corn, and root vegetables such as beets. Starchy vegetables raise blood sugar more quickly, so they should be consumed in smaller quantities (up to one-half cup a day) and ideally in the context of other foods that reduce the overall glycemic load of the meal.
  • Milk
  • Juice, Soda, Punch, Sweetened tea, etc.
  • Beer
  • Desserts, Baked goods, Crackers, Candy, Ice Cream, etc.
  • Processed Foods- A good rule of thumb: If it’s made IN a plant avoid it. If it comes FROM a plant.

For those worried about not getting fiber and nutrients that are found in grains, there is not a single health-promoting substance present in grains that you can’t also get from vegetables and fruit.

Not a single vitamin. Not a single mineral.
Not even fiber.
Yes, the Whole Grain People will insist that you need your whole grains for fiber...but have they totally forgotten that there is lots of fiber in vegetables and fruit? And like all real food, vegetables aren’t just antioxidants, but an assortment of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and compounds that we have yet to even identify, never mind figure out how they work in our bodies.

The good news? You don’t need to understand the complexity of your vegetables to reap the benefits from eating them.

Some things you might normally spot in the produce section aren’t on our Good Food list. Corn is botanically a grain, while green peas and lima beans are the seeds of legumes, so these “vegetables” are not included in our general recommendations.

SUMMARY

Stick to low carb foods like meat, fish, eggs, seafood, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats. Avoid foods that are high in carbs.

Make your calories count with these nutritious foods. Choose healthy carbohydrates, fiber-rich foods, fish and "good" fats.

Avoid fried fish and fish with high levels of mercury, such as king mackerel.

Foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol levels. These include: Avocados, Nuts, Olive Oil

But don't overdo it, as all fats are high in calories.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: CREATING A PLAN

To make it easy, this diagram from “It Starts With Food” can make food amounts much easier to navigate!

The plate method

The American Diabetes Association offers a simple method of meal planning. In essence, it focuses on eating more vegetables. Follow these steps when preparing your plate:

  • Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, such as spinach, carrots and tomatoes.
  • Fill a quarter of your plate with a protein, such as tuna, lean pork or chicken.
  • Fill the last quarter with a starchy vegetable, such as green peas.
  • Include "good" fats such as nuts or avocados in small amounts.
  • Add a serving of low-glycemic fruit or dairy and a drink of water or unsweetened tea or coffee.

Counting carbohydrates

Because carbohydrates break down into glucose, they have the greatest impact on your blood glucose level. To help control your blood sugar, you may need to learn to calculate the amount of carbohydrates you are eating so that you can adjust the dose of insulin accordingly. It's important to keep track of the amount of carbohydrates in each meal or snack.

A dietitian can teach you how to measure food portions and become an educated reader of food labels. He or she can also teach you how to pay special attention to serving size and carbohydrate content.

If you're taking insulin, a dietitian can teach you how to count the amount of carbohydrates in each meal or snack and adjust your insulin dose accordingly.

Resources

1. www.diabetesatlas.org
2. http://www.care.diabetesjournals.org/content/37/1/9.full

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2014...

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1489...

5. www.nutricionhospitalaria.com/pdf/6717.pdf

6. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/insulin-and-...

7. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-pro...

8. https:www.diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/53/9/2375.long

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325...

10 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633...

11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20151996

12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3867...

13. www.nutritionjrnl.com/article/S0899-9007(14)00332...

14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2315...

15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2424...

16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583...

17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325...

18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633...

19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18370654

20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2424...

21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16454166