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Macronutrient Diet for a Diabetes Type Two Patient

Living with diabetes is certainly not easy, but it can be made easier through complying with a dedicated dietary strategy. Through effective management of food on a daily basis, you can reduce or even wholly eliminate dependence on prescription medication. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of a low-carb diet for treating those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, so eating a macronutrient profile will help minimize the effect diabetes has on your day-to-day life.

  1. Type 2 Diabetes and Low-Carb Research

    • In a study published in Nutrition and Metabolism, researchers in a Duke University Lifestyle Medicine Program concluded that a low-carb, ketogenic diet is best for treating the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. When compared against a control group that consumed a low-glycemic "traditional" diabetes diet, the low-carb group saw three times greater improvements in their blood sugar profile, thus curbing their overall need for diabetes medication.

      A separate Swedish study, also published in Nutrition and Metabolism, found that a low-carb diet consisting of no more than 20 percent of total calories from carbohydrates was superior when compared to a control diet of 50 percent carbs for improving weight gain and blood lipid profiles across the 22-month period of the study. A large percentage of the participants in the low-carb group were also able to either lower their dosage or altogether discontinue taking diabetes medication.

    Establishing a Macronutrient Diet

    • Based on these findings, your ideal macronutrient diet for combating type 2 diabetes should be roughly 20 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 50 percent fat. In crunching these numbers, remember that one gram of fat contains roughly twice as many calories as a gram of protein or carbohydrates, so keep that in mind to avoid making inadvertent mistakes when calculating your daily intake.

      Aside from limiting carbohydrates to a specific percentage, limiting carb types is also key to controlling blood sugar and insulin levels, thus controlling diabetes. For example, eating 20 percent of your calories from donuts and other sugary treats will clearly have a much worse effect on your blood sugar profile than eating the same 20 percent from fruits and vegetables. Thus, you should limit your carb consumption to fruits, vegetables and the occasional whole grain item to optimize your results. As fat will be your primary source of energy, you will want to consume quality fats and not overindulge on cholesterol-raising fats like saturates.

      Keep your fat intake limited to no more than one-third saturates (animal fats). The remainder of your fat intake should come from natural sources like olives, walnuts, almonds, seafood and oils. As far as protein sources are concerned, choose lean protein whenever possible to avoid accidentally going overboard on saturates. Chicken, fish and turkey are good heart-healthy choices for a type 2 diabetes diet.

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