Low carb for T2 diabetes?
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cherylann11
Posts: 67 Member
Newly diagnosed with diabetes T2, been looking at diets, it seems low carb is best, what macros do i set for low carb? Any help appriciated
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Replies
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Read the article from web md first about type 2.
http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/take-control-15/healthy-diet-basics
Sometimes a low carb diet can be high saturated fat which might not be recommended.
If you have high cholesterol along with diabetes, your doctor will probably recommend the TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) plan.
The goal is to lower your cholesterol level, drop extra weight, and get more active. That helps prevent heart disease, which is more common when you have diabetes.
On the TLC diet, you will:
Limit fat to 25%-35% of your total daily calories.
Get no more than 7% of your daily calories from saturated fat, 10% or less from polyunsaturated fats, and up to 20% from monounsaturated fats (like plant oils or nuts).
Keep carbs to 50%-60% of your daily calories.
Aim for 20-30 grams of fiber each day.
Allow 15% to 20% of your daily calories for protein.
Cap cholesterol at less than 200 milligrams per day.0 -
Your macros will vary depending on your definition of low-carb, and whether you are going to make up for the lost carbs by adding fat or protein.
Mine are set at 20 (carb) - 60 (fat) -20 (protein). I have a carb cap of 50 net grams of carb per day (no more than ~20 in any 3 hour period), and ~60 grams of protein/day to maintain lean body mass. The rest comes from fat. Other low carb eaters shift even more to fat.
There's a wide variation in what people call low carb. Those who eat what I would call lower carbs (up to 150 or so) would have very different macros. (And, it goes without saying that people who cap their carbs at 20 grams per day might call what I eat lower carbs.)
Figure out what you intend to eat, and play around with the percentages until the grams come out right. I figured out how many carbs I could eat by testing my response with my BG meter. I check each new meal before the first bite, at 1 hour, at 2 hours, and (if hour 2 is above hour 1), at 3 hours. (I'm now down to relatively little testing, since I've tested most things I eat regularly and know how I respond.
(Diagnosed with T2 in early October, and under control within 3 days via low carb. My numbers are in the normal range (i.e. normal non-diabetic normal) more than 97% of the time. My 30 day average is 106, and my overall average since diagnosis (around 400 tests) is 108).0 -
JanetYellen wrote: »Read the article from web md first about type 2.
http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/take-control-15/healthy-diet-basics
Sometimes a low carb diet can be high saturated fat which might not be recommended.
If you have high cholesterol along with diabetes, your doctor will probably recommend the TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) plan.
The goal is to lower your cholesterol level, drop extra weight, and get more active. That helps prevent heart disease, which is more common when you have diabetes.
On the TLC diet, you will:
Limit fat to 25%-35% of your total daily calories.
Get no more than 7% of your daily calories from saturated fat, 10% or less from polyunsaturated fats, and up to 20% from monounsaturated fats (like plant oils or nuts).
Keep carbs to 50%-60% of your daily calories.
Aim for 20-30 grams of fiber each day.
Allow 15% to 20% of your daily calories for protein.
Cap cholesterol at less than 200 milligrams per day.
Neither dietary fat nor cholesterol consumption translate directly to serum cholesterol levels.
The doctor treating my diabetes rejects the recommendations you have cited as outdated and inappropriate. Although he did not design the details of my diet, he has reviewed it and approved it. (20% of my calories come from carbs, 60% from fats - primarily from plants and milkfat, 20% protein.)
If I consumed 50-60% of my calories from carbs, I would be significantly increasing my risk of diabetic neuropathy, loss of vision, chronic kidney disease, etc., because my blood sugar would be (at least) in the prediabetes range. Prediabetes is not the innocuous precursor to diabetes that it is often treated as. A study released in December documented a significant portion of the prediabetes population already had undiagnosed chronic kidney disease.
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No problem. Different approaches.
I am high good carbs. Lentils, beans, plain oatmeal, barley, sweet potato, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa.
60% and below carb intake. Fiber really worked for me. Everyone is different.
Just easier to follow for life for me.
And, some doctors still warn against too much saturated fats in diet.0 -
Low carb may help, but sometimes lower carb is a good start. Take a look here at a list of low GI foods http://www.optimalfoods.org/ and see which ones you can cut or limit. While it's not necessary to go keto, because many diabetics manage their T2 with fairly high carb levels, lower carbs can certainly help many T2. The key is to experiment and document your blood sugar levels before and after certain foods. Some may be a problem where others are not.
For reference:
Low Carb - below 150g per day
Keto - below 50g per day
Zero - below 5g per day
Experiment and see what works. Hubby is T2 and has discovered that keto keeps him off 75% of his meds and losing a good amount of weight.
As always, I suggest that if you aren't logging food at all, that you begin doing so without making any changes. Buy a scale, learn to measure your food accurately and log properly, and see where you are after a month. Many times, you'll see problem areas that are simple fixes and require no massive changes. And if you do decide you need massive changes, you'll have a log of where those changes can be made.
Good luck.1 -
Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar0 -
Thank you everyone for your help, i guess its just trial and error!0
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cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
It is very difficult to eat low fat with low carb. If you are just reducing added sugars it is possible but as a diabetic you need to keep in mind that all carbs (baked goods, fruit, veggies and sugars) will turn into glucose in your body. High blood glucose is a problem for diabetics.
Most who cut carbs will increase fats. Fats have almost no impact on blood glucose so diabetics are not made sick by fats. Fats do not generally make a person's lipid/cholesterol panel worse - often the opposite. If you cut carbs, fats are usually your friends.
I am prediabetic. I eat a very low carb high fat ketogenic diet as laid out in the book Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solutions. Dr Bernstein is a type 1 diabetic who controls BG through a low carb diet so insulin needs are as low as possible. I found the book to be an excellent guide when my doctors were of little help to me. His book has been a huge help to me.
Using a glucose meter before and after (about 1 and 2 hours) meals will help you know what is working and what isn't. Eating to the meter works well.
Perhaps join the Low Carber Daily group. There are many of us there using diet to control insulin resistance associated health problems. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group
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cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?0 -
Keep carbs below 100 grams/day for sure. Good macros would be 20/20/60.0
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cherylann11 wrote: »Newly diagnosed with diabetes T2, been looking at diets, it seems low carb is best, what macros do i set for low carb? Any help appriciated
The long term studies would suggest that low carb has the same impact of moderate carb:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26446553
CONCLUSION:
Recent studies suggest that low carbohydrate diets appear to be safe and effective over the short term, but show no statistical differences from control diets with higher carbohydrate content and cannot be recommended as the default treatment for people with type 2 diabetes"
Overall, the most important thing is finding a lifestyle that will work for you. That may include cutting carbs or making better carb choices (more veggies/fruits, less proceeds grains) and increasing your fats.
Personally, I am a fan of the Mediterranean diet and use many of the items in my own diet (albeit, I am not type II). Overall, I try to incorporate 30-50g of fiber, plenty of fish (omega-3's) and lots of unsaturated fats where possible.
Unfortunately, when it comes to this, it's a bit of trial and error.0 -
cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Hubby's doctor told him to go low carb and low sugar (and low fruit).
The doctor says that fat is fine.0 -
cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
I am waiting, too. I go on the 16th.0 -
Here's the most useful plan I received early on in my diabetic education.
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/create-your-plate/?referrer=https://www.google.ca/
I can easily visualize a plate half-full of vegetables, so the image of this plate helped me portion out my meals properly, no matter where I was.
Even more important than macro composition is the concept of regularity. Eat breakfast always; eat it at the same time every day.
Test your blood first thing in the morning and two hours after eating. It is this knowledge that will point you to what you need to do to adjust in your diet. MFP as a diary can be very helpful to understand the composition of what you are eating.
I gave up all sugar drinks including fruit juice. I never ate carbs alone but always in conjunction with protein or perhaps a little fat (cheese, nuts).
I am in remission now, by the way.
Best of success to you. The diabetic eating plan just happens to be very "healthy" with a balance of macros and lots of fruits and vegetables.1 -
JanetYellen wrote: »No problem. Different approaches.
I am high good carbs. Lentils, beans, plain oatmeal, barley, sweet potato, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa.
60% and below carb intake. Fiber really worked for me. Everyone is different.
Just easier to follow for life for me.
And, some doctors still warn against too much saturated fats in diet.
We're watching that. I'll have a full panel of blood tests in March - including the NMR test that determines the particle size/density of the fat particles. We'll adjust, if need be at that time.0 -
I agree with checking out the low carb group mentioned earlier. it was extremely helpful for me when I was diagnosed with IR and my doctor recommended reducing my carb intake to help with that.
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cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Find a dietitian or diabetic educator. The information you stated is vague and if you don't have some structural guidance, you may be starting over.0 -
My cholesterol is high too, and yes i am overweight!kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
I am waiting, too. I go on the 16th.cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
I am waiting, too. I go on the 16th.
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cherylann11 wrote: »
My cholesterol is high too, and yes i am overweight!kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
I am waiting, too. I go on the 16th.cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
I am waiting, too. I go on the 16th.
I go on 15 & 22nd, two half days!cherylann11 wrote: »
My cholesterol is high too, and yes i am overweight!kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?kshama2001 wrote: »cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
Were you told to eat low fat specifically for diabetes or because you need to lose weight and your doctor thought low fat would help with that?cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
I am waiting, too. I go on the 16th.cherylann11 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Didn't your diagnosing physician provide nutrition advice or education?
Hi, no im waiting to go on an education course, i was just told to eat low fat and low sugar
I am waiting, too. I go on the 16th.
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