Diabetes & High Protein, Low Carbohydrate Diets

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that is very prevalent in the United States. According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 8 percent of the population suffers from some form of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes have very different causes, but treatment is similar. It will include some type of medication, a consistent exercise regime and a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet.

Function

• Blood glucose is a vital component in the body that provides it with energy and food for the brain. Carbohydrates that we eat are converted into glucose in the bloodstream. The pancreas responds by secreting a hormone called insulin. The insulin bonds with the blood glucose, allowing it to flow to different parts of the body to provide energy. Insulin also allows excess blood glucose to be stored away as fat for use when the body is starved of energy.

  In type 1 diabetics and some type 2 diabetics, the pancreas secretes an insufficient amount of insulin. The pancreas in some type 2 diabetics does secrete insulin, but it is unable to properly bond with the blood glucose. Although they have different pathologies, both types of diabetes have the same symptoms and can cause the same long- and short-term medical problems if left untreated.

  A diabetic's system cannot maintain the proper balance of blood glucose and insulin on its own. He must take daily injections of insulin to replace what the pancreas does not provide, or take oral medication that will help the insulin to bond with the blood glucose. Diabetics must also diligently control the amount of blood glucose that enters the system to match the amount of medication that has been taken.

Diet

• Ultimately, food is what provides the body with blood glucose, so diabetics must monitor and control the amount and types of carbohydrates that they eat. Carbohydrates are grouped into sugar, starch and fiber. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, which means that it is absorbed into the bloodstream quickly. Diabetics should limit the amount of sugar intake to prevent high spikes in blood glucose levels. Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates. They take longer for the body to absorb and digest, so the blood glucose spikes tend to be less severe than when ingesting sugar.

  Carbohydrates are not created equal. The Glycemic Index (GI) rates foods on a scale from 1 to 100 based on the amount of time it takes for the food to be absorbed into the system and how much blood glucose it will eventually convert into. Pure glucose is rated at 100. Foods that rate less than 55 are considered good carbohydrates. Foods 70 and above are to be avoided, while those rated 55 to 70 should be eaten only occasionally and in moderation. Multigrain bread, for example, has a low-GI rating of 48, while white bread has a high-GI rating of 71.

  Eggs, meat and poultry do not contain carbohydrates, so they are not rated on the Glycemic Index. A diabetic diet should contain protein at every meal. However, diabetes is closely linked to heart disease, so the American Diabetes Association recommends that more of the daily intake of protein should come from soy and less from animals.

  Diabetics should work with a trained diabetes nutrition specialist to determine the amount of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that are right for them and their medical situation. A specialist will also help to select a meal planning technique that will fit in with their condition and lifestyle.