Diets for type 2 diabetes focus on weight loss, while the keto diet depends on eating a high percentage of fat. How can diabetics follow this diet and achieve weight loss and control blood sugar? Learn in this article about how the keto diet for diabetics affects diabetes and blood sugar levels, and the benefits of this diet and its possible side effects.
With the keto diet, the body converts fat instead of sugar into energy. The keto diet for diabetics helps improve blood glucose (sugar) levels, reduces insulin resistance, and reduces the need to take medication, but it may be associated with some risks, so a nutritionist should be consulted from In order to ensure that this system is applied in the correct way and to avoid side effects.
How does the keto diet work for diabetics?
Many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, so a high-fat diet may seem unhelpful, so it is important to know how the keto diet works for diabetics and how it affects blood sugar, insulin resistance, and losing excess weight.
The goal of the keto diet is to make the body use fats for energy instead of carbohydrates or glucose. However, the keto diet does not mean that you should eat saturated fats, as heart-healthy fats are key to maintaining overall health. Here is a list of some healthy foods that… It contains healthy fats and is usually eaten in the keto diet:
- Olives and olive oil
- eggs
- Fish such as salmon
- Avocado fruit
- cheese
- Nuts and nut butters
- Seeds
How does the keto diet for diabetics affect blood sugar?
It is recommended to reduce carbohydrate intake for people with type 2 diabetes because carbohydrates turn into sugar, and the keto diet is considered able to lower blood sugar levels by limiting the number of carbohydrates.
Keto diet for diabetics and ketosis
When we talk about keto and diabetes , there is some vocabulary that can be confusing (especially when it all starts with the word “keto”). Let’s get to know the meanings of these words:
- Glucose: It is a sugar that the body obtains from eating carbohydrates, and its increase in the blood leads to insulin resistance.
- Ketones: These are fats that the body burns when it runs out of carbohydrate energy.
- Ketosis: It is a state that the body enters when following the keto diet. This means that the amount of glucose in the body has run out due to reducing the amount of carbohydrates that are eaten, so the body burns ketones or fats to generate energy, and this helps in losing weight.
- Ketoacidosis: This is a serious condition that occurs when things get worse and too much ketones build up, making the blood acidic. This is more common for people with type 1 diabetes and occurs when blood sugar levels are too high and insulin levels are insufficient.
It can also occur in people with type 2 diabetes , and symptoms of ketoacidosis include:
- Extreme thirst.
- Frequent urination.
- Weakness and fatigue.
- Confusion.
Considering that the keto diet for diabetics affects the blood sugar level by reducing the intake of carbohydrates, attention must be paid to the blood glucose level to avoid it falling below the normal level. Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include the following:
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Weakness.
- Skin moisture.
- Sweating.
- Dizziness.
- Blurred vision.
- Confusion.
- Sleep disturbances or nightmares.
- Headache.
Keto diet research for diabetics
Scientific research has confirmed the effectiveness of the keto diet in managing type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar and promoting weight loss. However, researchers caution about the effectiveness and long-term risks of keto, and also that the keto diet can be difficult to stick to.
Is the keto diet safe for diabetics?
Diabetes is a lifelong condition, so diabetes management must be part of the lifestyle. The keto diet can be followed safely and effectively for people with diabetes by weighing the pros and cons and speaking with a doctor.
Advantages of the keto diet for diabetics
- It has been proven that following the keto diet is beneficial for diabetics has been proven to be effective in managing blood sugar.
- Following the keto diet has been proven to be beneficial for diabetics effective in losing weight, and following the keto diet is the ideal option to reach the target weight if there is insulin resistance or if the BMI is greater than 30.
- The keto diet for diabetics reduces dependence on diabetes medications and insulin after good coordination with the doctor.
Disadvantages of the keto diet for diabetics
- The keto diet for diabetics increases the risk of developing hypoglycemia, especially if the dose of medication or insulin is not balanced with the food pattern. Diabetics should consult a doctor to reduce the medication dose when following the keto diet. , and they may be able to completely dispense with the medication.
- Difficulty adhering to the keto diet for diabetics in the long term because it is a restrictive diet, so meals must be varied in order to meet the gym’s various nutritional requirements and to avoid repetition, which may lead to boredom and lack of adherence.
- Some people who follow the keto diet may develop this condition may suffer from a deficiency in some vitamins and minerals. In this case, nutritional supplements must be taken in order to compensate for the deficiency.
- The keto diet for diabetics may lead to constipation, because keto eating patterns are often low in fiber, so you should eat foods that are high in fiber and at the same time low in carbohydrates, and you can also take fiber supplements.
