A Lower Carbohydrate Diet for Type 2 Diabetes
A Lower Carbohydrate Diet for Type 2 Diabetes
In this condition your metabolism can no longer deal with sugar, which becomes almost a poison – so its consumption needs cutting back dramatically.
Sugar, cut it out altogether
Although it will be in the blueberries, strawberries and raspberries you are allowed to eat. Cakes and biscuits are a mixture of sugar and starch that make it almost impossible to avoid food cravings; they just make you hungrier!!
Reduce starchy carbs a lot
Remember they digest down into surprising amounts of sugar. If possible cut out the “White stuff” like bread, pasta, rice and breakfast cereals.
All green veg/salads are fine – eat as much as you can, turn the white stuff green
So that you still eat a good big dinner try substituting veg such as broccoli, courgettes or green beans for your mash, pasta or rice – still covering them with your gravy, Bolognese or curry!
Tip: try home-made soup – it can be taken to work for lunch and microwaved. Mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions can be included in this. Aldi and Tesco now sell cauliflower rice!
Fruit is trickier…
Some tropical fruits like bananas, oranges, grapes, mangoes or pineapples have too much sugar in and can set those carb cravings off. Berries are better and can be eaten; blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples and pears too.
Eat healthy proteins…
Such as in meat, eggs (three eggs a day is not too much), fish – particularly oily fish such as salmon, mackerel or tuna - are fine and can be eaten freely. Plain full fat yoghurt makes a good breakfast with the berries. Processed meats such as bacon, ham, sausages or salami are not as healthy and should only be eaten in moderation.
Fats are fine in moderation…
Olive oil is very useful, may be tastier than margarine and could be better for you! Coconut oil is great for stir fries. Four essential vitamins A, D, E and K are only found in some fats and oils. Please avoid margarine, corn oil and vegetable oil.
Beware of “low fat” foods.
They often have sugar or sweeteners added to make them palatable. Full fat mayonnaise and pesto are definitely on!!
Cheese: only in moderation…
It is a very calorific mixture of fat and protein.
Snacks: avoid, as habit forming.
But un-salted nuts such as almonds or walnuts are OK to starve off hunger. The occasional treat of strong dark chocolate 70% or more in small quantity is allowed.
EATING LOTS OF VEG WITH PROTEIN AND HEALTHY FATS LEAVES YOU PROPERLY FULL IN A WAY THAT LASTS.
Finally, about sweeteners and what to drink –
sweeteners have been proven to tease you brain into being even hungrier, making weight loss more difficult. Avoid fruit juice. Drink tea, coffee, and water or herb teas (100ml of milk is 1 teaspoon of sugar). Alcoholic drinks are often full of carbohydrate – for example, beer is almost “liquid toast” hence the beer belly!! Perhaps the odd glass of red wine wouldn’t be too bad if it doesn’t make you get hungry afterwards – or just pain or sparkling water with a slice of lemon.
On medication? Remember to check this diet with your GP or practice nurse
P.S. some folk need more salt on a lower carb diet
Source: Unwin D, Khalid AA, Unwin J, et al
Insights from a general practice service evaluation supporting a lower carbohydrate diet in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes: a secondary analysis of routine clinic data including HbA1c, weight and prescribing over 6 years
BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2020;bmjnph-2020-000072. doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000072