Diabetes An Introduction
Why Nutrition Is So Vital For Diabetics
Information About Diabetes Medicines
Gestational Diabetes
The Connection Between Diabetes, Heart Disease And Stroke
Physical Activity And Diabetes
Symptoms Of Diabetes
Alternative Devices For Taking Insulin
Diabetes Supplies
Guidelines For A Healthy Gestational Diabetes Diet
Complications Of Diabetes
Facts About Diabetes And Diet
Low Carb Diabetic Diets
Diabetes And Your Body
The Types Of Diabetes
Taking Care Of Your Diabetes At Special Times
4 Steps To Control Diabetes For Life
Am I At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes
Facts About Diabetes and Diet
Most diabetics already know that there is some confusion concerning the most appropriate diet for the diabetic. They also know there is no single dietary program that fits all people.
This problem only gets worse as there is conflicting dietary advice from so-called experts in this field. As well, the media often reports incomplete information from medical papers, which only adds to the confusion.
It is true that refined white sugar and products containing it are not helpful for the diabetic because of the instantaneous absorption of this substance into the blood as glucose. But there is more to a diet than just sugar considerations.
Some claims have been made of type 2 diabetes being cured through diet alone. The diabetic associations worldwide, however, are resolute that no cure for diabetes exists today. There is no diet to prevent type 2 diabetes!
Pritikin Diet
Christian Roberts of the University of California undertook research into diet and diabetes and found that in 50% of those who followed a diet based on Pritikin principles, the type 2 diabetes symptoms were reversed. Managing type 2 diabetes with a low carb diet could work very well.
The regime for this study had participants exercising for one hour every day. They were also given a diet that was based on vegetables and whole grains with a only little animal protein eaten.
Another small study in the USA concluded that high fibre diets assisted in keeping blood glucose levels low.
Low Fat, Carbohydrate-based Diet
There is controversy over the dietary recommendations being offered by the diabetic associations both in the UK and the US. Their current advice is for diabetics to follow a low fat, carbohydrate-based diet despite what appears to be fairly compelling evidence to the contrary.
The problem in deciding what represents a safe diet, whether for diabetics or not, is in knowing which research to trust. Most research has an agenda. It may be that the research is being sponsored by a drug company to prove the benefits of a particular drug treatment. It may be that the research is undertaken by someone who is simply setting out to prove a theory. There is too little research that is truly independent and undertaken without prejudice to the outcome.