Diabetes: Can A low-Carb Diet Help Control Blood Sugar Levels?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects a large number of people worldwide. Despite the fact that diabetes is a complex condition, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels can significantly lower the chance of complications. Adopting a low-carb diet is one strategy to improve blood sugar levels. A low-carb diet involves limiting your daily intake of carbohydrates commonly known as carbs to fewer than 130g. However, eating low-carb shouldn't mean eating any carbs. Certain foods with carbs contain vital vitamins, minerals, and fibre that are crucial components of a balanced diet.

In this article, we understand what a low-carb diet entails, how it benefits diabetics and how to follow it.

Diabetes diet: How does a low-carb diet work?

Low-carb diet can be followed in several varieties. Generally speaking, a low-carb diet refers to limiting your daily carb intake to less than 130g. Not everyone should follow a low-carb diet. According to the research, they can be secure and efficient in the short run when it comes to helping people with type-2 diabetes control their weight, blood glucose (sugar) levels and heart disease risk.

Low-carb diets shouldn't be advised for children because the research also indicates they can stunt their growth. Furthermore, there is limited evidence supporting the advantages of this diet for type-1 patients. It's crucial to understand all the possible advantages and how to minimise any potential hazards if you choose to follow a low-carb diet.

Why is a low-carb diet beneficial for diabetics?

Low-carb diets are recommended for the management of diabetes by numerous research. In fact, very low carbohydrate diets were the accepted standard of treatment for diabetics before the 1921 discovery of insulin. Furthermore, when people follow low-carb diets, they appear to be effective over the long run.

People with type-2 diabetes followed a low-carb diet for six months in one research. If they followed the diet, their diabetes was still well-managed more than 3 years later. Similar to this, patients with type-1 diabetes who adhered to a low-carb diet observed a considerable improvement in their blood sugar levels.

Also read: Low Carb Diet For Weight Loss: Here Are Simple Tips For Cutting Carbs From Your Diet

How to follow a low-carb diet as a diabetic?

Even among those who favour carb restriction, there is still debate over the appropriate carb consumption for those with diabetes. When carbohydrate intake was limited to 20 grams per day, numerous studies revealed significant changes in blood glucose levels, weight, and other indicators. However, other research indicates that a more moderate carb restriction, such as consuming only 20% of calories from carbohydrates or 70–90 grams of total carbohydrates, is also effective.

Since every person reacts differently to carbohydrates, the ideal amount of carbohydrates may also differ from person to person. Hence, it is necessary to understand the aspects of a low-carb diet and keep them in mind when formulating a diet for yourself.

Here are a few points to keep in mind:

• You must regularly talk to a health professional when following or altering your diet as a diabetic. The health professional can assist you in choosing the best low-carb strategy for you, but it can also assist in avoiding any negative, possibly harmful, or perhaps fatal side effects of cutting carbs to help control type-2 diabetes.
• Blood sugar levels can be stabilised by eating a low-carb diet, but this is not a guarantee that they will be. Periods of both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia might happen without diligent monitoring. Monitoring your blood sugar while following a low-carb diet might give you crucial information that you can use to alter meal portions and medication dosages.
• Maintaining a low-carb diet should include both what you add to your nutrition plan and what you cut out for optimum health. However, when people get narrowly focused on cutting carbs, they run the risk of substituting those carbs with high-calorie fats, meals that don't contain sugar, and artificial sweeteners that are loaded with chemicals. When eating healthy for diabetics, stay away from processed foods.

Also read: Keto Diet: Low Carb, Moderate Protein And High Fat, Plus 5 Lifestyle Tips For Effective Weight Loss

Keep these things in mind when considering following a low-carb diet to control your blood sugar.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.