Diets that focus on type 2 diabetes often focus more on weight loss. The ketonic diet is a high-fat and low-carb eating plan, which changes the way the body stores and uses fuel, helping in the prevention of diabetes symptoms. With this diet, the body converts fat into energy instead of sugar. This was created in the 1920s as part of a treatment plan for epilepsy. However, the effects of this dietary plan are also studied for its effects on type 2 diabetes.
The keto diet may improve one’s blood glucose or sugar levels while also reducing the use of insulin. Nevertheless, the diet comes with several risks too.
What is high fat in a ketogenic diet?
The objective of a keto diet is to let the body use fat instead of glucose or carbs. When on the keto diet, most of the energy is taken from fat and only a small amount comes from carbohydrates. This doesn’t mean that you should consume a lot of saturated fats. It’s crucial to consume healthy fats to be able to sustain your overall health. Some of these healthy foods are the following: avocado, eggs, cottage cheese, fish like salmon, seeds, nuts and nut butter, and olives and olive oil.
Effects on the blood glucose
The keto diet may decrease blood sugar levels. It is recommended for people with type 2 diabetes to manage their carb intake because carbs are converted into sugar, resulting in blood glucose spikes. Carb counts have to be done individually with the aid of your doctor.
What are some possible dangers of the keto diet?
Changing the primary energy source of the body from carbs to fat leads to an increase in ketones in the blood. Ketosis is not the same as ketoacidosis, which can be a risky condition.
When your body has too many ketones, you will be more at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA. This condition is more prevalent among those who have type 1 diabetes when the blood glucose gets too high and maybe because of a lack of insulin. It is also possible for those with type 2 diabetes to have DKA although rarely. When on a low-carb diet, you are also at a high risk of getting DKA. So when you are on a keto diet, make sure that you test your blood sugar levels and be sure that they are within the target range. You may also have to test your ketones to ensure that you’re not at risk of DKA. Don’t forget that DKA is a medical emergency.
Diabetes Monitoring
The keto diet is straightforward. But a high-fat diet always requires close monitoring. The truth is that you may start this in a hospital. Your doctor has to keep track of your ketones and blood glucose to ensure that the diet is not adversely affecting you. When your body has adjusted to the diet, you may still have to consult the doctor for further testing and adjustments in medication.
Research on Keto Diet and Its Effects on Diabetes
A 24-week study has been conducted by researchers in 2008 to figure out the effects of the low-carb diet on people who are obese and have type 2 diabetes. The results revealed that the people who were on a keto diet had shown improvement in glycemic control and less medication compared to those who went through a low-glycemic diet. Moreover, a 2003 review disclosed that a keto diet may lead to substantial improvements in controlling blood sugar levels. weight loss, and discontinuation in insulin use.
Keto Diet and People with Diabetes and High Cholesterol
People who have diabetes are at risk of having high cholesterol and heart conditions. When on a keto diet, it is still important that you distinguish between good fat and bad ones. Whether you are on keto or any other low-carb diet, it has to be heart-healthy. It is worth noting that diabetes management by way of a diet plan must go through an individualized approach. The best diet to help you manage your type 2 diabetes is the one that manages the disease as well as your lifestyle. This must be recommended by your doctor too.
Best Tips for Monitoring Blood Glucose While on a Keto Diet
As mentioned earlier, it is crucial to monitor your blood glucose while following a low-carb or high-fat diet. Here are some tips to do this efficiently.
Test your personal carb threshold.
You must test your personal carb threshold by starting with testing your 30 g carb boundaries. Then you can gradually increase the carb intake while closely monitoring your ketones and blood glucose levels daily using the CGM. Make sure to pair up your carbs with protein and fat to ensure the best glucose control. Pick one meal per day wherein you will have more carbs and time it after a workout session. Professionals also advise having more fasting and exercise, which will give you more flexibility for carbohydrates. Remember that ketones and glucose levels must be inversely proportional.
Test the foods that trigger you.
First of all, you have to record first record your pre-prandial ketone and glucose levels. The best approach to this is to test after a fasted state or at least three hours after eating a meal. Then you have to eat your experimental choice of food. Two hours after you ate the meal, test and record your postprandial or after eating ketone and blood glucose values. Check the results after you complete the experiment. The glucose delta must be <30 while ketones must not drop to >1.0 mmol/L. This must also return to baseline in 2 hours.
Test your protein threshold.
You have to keep in mind that the threshold for protein is usually high, but anything excessive will result in energy storage. You have to test your ketones and glucose while in a fasting state. Consume a meal and take note of the amount of protein found in it. When the protein content in your meal is too high, this will cause a rise in the glucose data in the CGM. This may take place 24 hours after a meal.