Diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar and risk of life-threatening complications. Diabetes affects 24 million people in the United States, over 90 percent of whom have type 2 diabetes. Another 60 million people have prediabetes and are likely to become diabetic unless they make dietary changes. A Mediterranean diet may help you prevent and manage diabetes. Consult your doctor about preventing or managing diabetes with a Mediterranean diet.
Identification
Mediterranean diets include foods that are shared by people of various countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean diet that is most studied and is considered among the healthiest diets in the world is the traditional Greek diet of the people from the island of Crete before 1960. This diet is characterized by whole foods that include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, yogurt and fish.
Research
The Mediterranean diet may reduce your risk of diabetes. Research by Jordi Salas-Salvado, M.D., published in "Diabetes Care" in 2010 compared the effects a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either olive oil or nuts and a low-fat diet on the incidence of diabetes. The study found that incidence of diabetes was 10 percent for the olive oil group, 11 percent for the nuts group and 18 percent for the low-fat diet control group. Furthermore, when the Mediterranean diet groups were pooled together, diabetes incidence reduced by 52 percent compared with the low-fat diet control group. The research concluded that Mediterranean diets without restricting calories are effective in prevention of diabetes, including subjects who have high risk for cardiovascular disease.
Managing Diabetes
The Mediterranean diet can help you control your blood sugar. Research by Catherine Champagne, Ph.D., R.D., published in "Current Diabetes Reports" in 2009 found that the Mediterranean diet may be used to treat type 2 diabetics who are overweight or obese. The research highlights that the Mediterranean diet may improve blood glucose, insulin, cholesterol and fat, especially with lifestyle changes that include physical activity.
Risks of Complications
Having diabetes increases your risk of long-term complications that may affect almost every part of your body. The Mediterranean diet may reduce your risk for sexual dysfunction, a common complication of diabetes for both men and women. Men with type 2 diabetes that adhere to the Mediterranean diet have lower prevalence in erectile dysfunction, according to research by Francesco Giugliano, M.D., published in the "Journal of Sexual Medicine" in 2010. The research demonstrated that the greater the adherence to the diet, the lower the prevalence in erectile dysfunction. In another research study published in the "Journal of Sexual Medicine" in 2010, Dr. Giugliano found that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet among women with type 2 diabetes was associated with a lower prevalence of sexual dysfunction.
References
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Diabetes
- PubMed.gov: The Mediterranean Diets: What Is So Special About the Diet of Greece? The Scientific Evidence
- Harvard School of Public Health: Close Adherence to a Traditional Mediterranean Diet Promotes Longevity
- PubMed.gov: Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2-Diabetes with the Mediterranean Diet: Results of the Predimed-Reus Nutrition Intervention Randomized Trial
- PubMed.gov: The Usefulness of a Mediterranean-Based Diet in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes
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