The ketogenic diet has recently been quite popular as a weight loss option for many people. This high-fat and low carbohydrate diet has even caught the attention of diabetics. There is evidence to suggest that this type of diet may actually benefit those suffering from Type 2 diabetes.
A team from India studied 130 participants with type 2 diabetes and required them to follow a ketogenic diet for a period of two weeks. The participants were between the ages of 35 and 60 years old. About a third of them were female.
Before following the diet, the participants were observed to be slightly overweight on average. They followed a diet wherein carbohydrate consumption was limited to 20 grams a day. Their diet also included fats like butter and coconut oil, chicken, lamb, pork, dairy products, green and leafy vegetables, among other things. The diet avoided root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. Overall, daily calorie counts average between 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day.
During the course of the 12-week study, 10 percent or 15 participants dropped out mainly due to the carbohydrate restrictions required. Others quite due to economic reasons as the healthier fat options required in the said diet plan were considered more expensive when sourced.
Positive results were observed from those participants who completed the course of the said study. The average weight loss was between 15 to 22 pounds. It was enough to put an average number of participants in the normal weight category. The participants also undertook hemoglobin A1C blood testing to determine average blood sugar control in the past two to three months. The average results showed a hemoglobin A1C drop from 7.8 percent to 6.4 percent. People with type 2 diabetes are advised to have a hemoglobin A1C level of 7 percent or lower.
According to Dr. AngatiKanchana Lakshmi Prasana, a consultant biochemist at CARE Hospitals in Visakhpatnam, India and the study author, “A five to 10% carbohydrate diet over three months led to a remarkable reduction in hemoglobin A1c levels”. But Dr. Kanchana also added that a high-fat diet can also increase the risk of heart disease and there are concerns regarding the loss of healthy carbohydrate consumption. Further studies may be needed as to the extent of benefits the ketogenic diet may have on type 2 diabetics. The said study is scheduled to be presented at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry annual meeting in Anaheim, California.
Source: USNews
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