Diabetes is a chronic disease that is associated with uncharacteristically high levels of glucose in the blood. Absence or inadequate production of insulin (produced by the pancreas) that lowers blood sugar level causes diabetes. Diabetes may also be caused by the body’s incapability to utilize the produced insulin.
There are two widely know kinds of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile-onset diabetes
- Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes
Diabetes can cause obesity and hypertension. It reduces the level of HDL or good cholesterol in the blood and elevates the production of triglycerides which are harmful to one’s health. Type-2 diabetes is more harmful as it brings in more health risks. However, the blood sugar level can easily be kept in control by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and following a healthy diet. The Ketogenic diet or keto diet has been proved to be helpful to control diabetes.
How to Control Diabetes with Keto Diet:
What is a Ketogenic diet?
A Ketogenic diet is a high-fat diet with moderate protein intake and very low amounts of carbohydrate that can help control the blood sugar level in diabetes patients. Since ketogenic diets restrict carbohydrates, the body is forced to break down fats for energy. The process is known as ketosis and the fuel source produced is called ketones.
Carbohydrates containing food like bread, rice, pasta, milk and fruits are staples that act as the main source of energy for our bodies. The insulin produced by the pancreas helps absorb the glucose from the blood stream into the cells. However, in diabetic cases, a sufficient amount of glucose does not move to the cell due to lack of insulin. Thus the unabsorbed glucose elevates the sugar level in blood. A high carb diet can elevate the blood sugar level in diabetes patients.
The central concept of a keto diet is to limit carbohydrate intake.
Advantages of Ketogenic diet in controlling diabetes:
- Reduces the risk of getting diabetes in healthy people
- Improves glycemic control in diabetes patients
- Helps in losing excess weight
- Helps maintain a low but healthy level of glucose
- Lower carbohydrate intake eliminates the risk of spikes in blood sugar level
- Reduces the need for externally introduced insulin
Research has shown that keto diets are also useful in controlling HbA1c levels in the body. HbA1c refers to the quantity of glucose circulating with hemoglobin in the blood over a period of three months.
Impact of keto diet on medication:
Keto diets help reduce the excess blood sugar in such a way the dosage of medication may also be reduced eventually on the doctors’ advice. However, there is a risk of developing hypoglycemia or low blood sugar if you are following a keto diet alongside insulin regimen. Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar level falls to 70 mg/dL or lower. Therefore, consult your dietitian before embarking on any diet because each person has different needs when it comes to food.
Impact of keto diet on weight:
The keto diet undoubtedly helps in burning body fat and therefore it is beneficial if someone is trying to lose weight. Moreover, it is helpful for people whose prediabetes or type-2 diabetes has been induced by obesity or excessive weight gain. It has been observed that even slight reduction in weight can significantly support glycemic control and proper energy distribution to ensure the well being of a diabetes patient. Ketogenic diet has been proved to improve blood sugar levels and body weight.
Other benefits of ketogenic diet:
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Reduces dependency on medication
- Visibly improves high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which is a good cholesterol
- Doesn’t add to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) which is bad cholesterol
- Significant improvement in insulin sensitivity
A ketogenic diet consists of:
- Low-carb vegetables: The goal is to eat greater amounts of non-starch vegetables at every meal. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn should be avoided.
- Eggs: Eggs are low in carbohydrates while also being an excellent source of protein. Therefore including eggs in your diet is a good option.
- Meats: While fatty meats go well with keto diets, they should not be consumed excessively because that could have an adverse effect on heart health. Consuming too much protein is also not ideal. High level of protein combined with low levels of carbohydrates can cause the liver to convert the protein into glucose which would raise blood sugar levels.
- Healthy fat sources: Healthy fat sources include avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Even though the diet is mostly fat-based, it is important to include primarily healthy fats and not processed fatty food or unhealthy fats like bacon, sausage, red meat, and fried cheese.
- Fish: Fish is a good source of protein and can be added to your daily diet if you are averse to meat.
- Berries: Berries can act as good sources of fiber, vitamins minerals, and antioxidants when they are consumed on the keto diet in the right quantity.
Meal planning:
Keto diets have a lot of restrictions but they can be a good source of nutrients if planned and followed properly. Carbohydrate-rich foods need to be avoided. Ideally, the carbohydrate per day should be limited to 20-25 gms. It is also necessary to stay away from processed food products and include more natural options to your diet.
Side effects:
While the keto diet is beneficial, the sudden change in dietary habits can produce short term side effects. They may include:
- keto-flu (Keto flu is a short-term group of symptoms that imitate those of flu)
- noticeable changes in bowel habits; may feel constipated
- Leg cramps
- Loss of energy
- Fogginess
- Frequent urination
- Headaches
- Loss of salts
Conclusion:
Every person is unique and needs unique diet plans to suit their needs. Even though the keto diet has been proved to be beneficial for controlling diabetes, it is advisable to consult a dietician and get a proper meal plan before following any random diet.