We all know that people with diabetes should avoid sweets to manage the illness. Also, their doctor advises them to lose weight to prevent the health condition from getting worse. Food, specifically sugar and carbohydrate intake, is the main factor that leads to either the improvement or worsening of diabetes. Fortunately, there is a Ketogenic Diet to help manage the disease.
Despite this, specialists do not recommend a specific diet for diabetic patients to follow. However, many health advocates have already tried, tested, and proven the effectiveness of the Ketogenic Diet in this sugar-related illness, specifically Type 2 diabetes. One reason why more and more diabetics try this eating program is that it is designed to reduce the need for insulin and prevent the fluctuations of sugar. More so, this diet plan helps an individual to lose weight in just a short time.
Important Information to Know About the Ketogenic Dietary Program
Ketogenic Diet, also known as the Keto diet, this is a high-fat, low-carb diet. It has the potential to change the manner a person’s body stores and uses energy, not to mention, eases the symptoms of symptoms. With this fat diet, the body undergoes fat conversion into energy, instead of sugar. The ketogenic diet has been a healthy practice since 1924.
Originally, Keto was developed to treat epilepsy but the impacts of this eating pattern are discovered to be effective, too, for type 2 diabetes. Many people living with this type of illness are, most of the time, overweight. Therefore, it helps to engage in a high-fat diet. The goal of Keto is for a person’s body to use fat for energy rather than glucose or carbohydrates.
On this eating plan, one gets most of his energy from fat, having a small amount of diet coming from carbs. Even though this kind of diet involves a lot of fats, it doesn’t mean a person should eat food with too many saturated fats. They should still be heart-friendly fats. Some of the healthy foods Keto dieters typically eat are:
- Avocado
- Cottage cheese
- Eggs
- Seeds
- Fish, particularly salmon
- Olives
- Olive oil
- Nuts
- Nut Butters
Ketogenic Diet for Diabetes
It is easy to identify the evidence of Keto diet and diabetes. Fewer carbs need less insulin and need to result in lesser spikes of blood sugar. If there are lesser spikes of blood sugar, it can undoubtedly lead to an improvement in the said health condition.
Additionally, some studies have it that this diet program helps enhance insulin sensitivity. It also further reduces the need for insulin. As a result, it will be easier to control the making of blood sugar.
The ketogenic diet can decrease blood sugar levels. Avoiding carbohydrate diet is frequently advise for people with type 2 diabetes as carbs convert into sugar and. Carbs are converted in large amounts and can result in blood glucose spikes. As a result, patients may also be able to lessen their need for medication.
Keto diet may be an effective remedy for diabetes, and a lot of diabetics have already proven this. However, scientists have given those following this diet along with insulin medication a warning. They warn that they might have a higher risk to develop low blood sugar. This development is also known as Hypoglycemia.
It is therefore advisable for the insulin-dependent to discuss any diet change they intend to try with their doctor while they are under medication. It might be dangerous not to have enough carbs when taking certain medicines for the said illness.
The Food Ketogenic Diet considers as ‘In’ and ‘Out’
People on Keto Diet consider food ‘in’ if it is rich in fat and low in carb. It is considered ‘out’ if it has sugar content, or rich in carbs. For beginners, it is essential not to eat anything white, basically on this diet plan. As earlier mentioned, the so-called ‘in’ foods include eggs, full-fat, soft cheese, poultry or fish, butter and avocado, to name a few.
Some of the ‘out’ foods include:
- Rice
- Bread
- Sweets
- Pies
- Potatoes
- Pasta
Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet Program Not Just for Diabetes
This diet plan has been associated with diabetes in this article. However, its benefits are for everyone doing it. Among the benefits are as follow:
- Lower (to consistently normal) blood pressure
- Improves sensitivity in insulin
- Reduce the reliance on medication
- Improves high-density lipoprotein or HDL
- Drop-in, or non-dependence to insulin
Proven Effective Keto Diet is Not Recommended for Women with Gestational Diabetes
While Keto Diet guarantees positive results in no time, nutrition experts don’t recommend it to be pregnant and nursing women. They will not get sufficient carbs, nutrients, and vitamins that are essential for them and their baby. The obstetrician is the one recommending the number of carbs to consume per meal in each phase of the pregnancy.
Therefore, even if a pregnant woman has high blood glucose levels resulting in diabetes, both type 1 and type 2 similar rules still apply. She needs to follow a specific meal plan to ensure her and the baby’s health. While Keto does not get along well with Gestational diabetes, a pregnant woman needs to have his intake of carbs in moderation.
If one is to compare the Ketogenic diet with other diet programs, this one is stricter. However, it provides a significant amount of nutrition when an individual religiously follows it. Keto is also beneficial if the person doing it is mindful about addressing his or her nutritional needs. Indeed, the main idea here is to avoid foods rich in carbs that can trigger insulin levels.
For beginners, it is essential that when you follow the Ketogenic diet, you should concentrate on the development of a meal plan consisting of 5-10 % carbs, 10-20 % [protein moderate protein], and 70-80% fat content. More importantly, they should keep away from processed foods and concentrate instead on organic foods.
This diet program may have successfully worked for diabetes, both types. To achieve a certain weight and size faster, it is still advisable to complement Keto with exercise since exercising regularly helps burn fat fast and more effective. The exercise does not have to be that strenuous. What’s important is, there is a physical activity involved.
