The low-carb diet is well known by chronic dieters and has been in the forefront of the dieting community for decades. There are many variations of the low-carb diet, but the question now is "who should be on it?" Many are now looking at the low-carb lifestyle as an effective way to manage and prevent diabetes, but critics remain unconvinced.
History
The low-carbohydrate revolution began in the 1800s beginning with William Banting, author of "Letter on Corpulence Addressed to the Public," which focused on weight loss through the removal of breads, pastas and potatoes from the daily diet as a means to lose weight. This continued in the 1900s with Dr. Irwin Stillman and the "Stillman Diet," which focused on low carbohydrates, high protein and low fat. Many others followed the low-carb trend as a way to treat obesity as well as diabetes, but no low-carb diet has been quite as popular as Dr. Robert Atkins' diet."
Significance
Low-carb diets helps manage diabetes, but the American Diabetes Association was concerned that it may be too difficult for people with diabetes to follow and refused to change their dietary recommendations. Finally, in October 2009, the American Diabetes Association acknowledged the low-carb diet as a healthy and effective way to manage and prevent diabetes.
Benefits
A low-carb diet benefits both type 1 and type 2 diabetics in weight loss and blood sugar control. It helps diabetics reduce the need for insulin and hypoglycemic drugs. Low-carb diets reduce the fluctuation of blood sugar levels that send diabetics into an overproduction of insulin. Low-carb diets also assist pancreatic function in type 2 diabetics, says the British Journal of General Practice in its article, "Low carbohydrate diets for diabetes control." The study says it raises "good" HDL cholesterol while reducing triglycerides, and low-carb diets prevent type 2 diabetics from developing glucose intolerance.
Expert Insight
Dr. Richard Bernstein, author of "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetic Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars," stresses the need for diabetics to find out how to count carbohydrates. Different types of carbohydrates are not common knowledge and must be learned. Dr. Bernstein suggests planning menus ahead of time and eating on a schedule that consists of 6 g of carbohydrates at breakfast, 12 at lunch and 12 at dinner. He also teaches a diabetic to pay attention to how much meat and other protein foods it takes to fill them up, then advises them to stick with that amount every day.
Misconceptions
The most common misconception about the low-carb diet is that it does not allow enough fruits and vegetables. This is untrue. Low-carb diets focus on non-starchy fruits and vegetables as staples in this healthy diet plan and the way to keep diabetes and weight under control. Other critics claim cholesterol cannot possibly be lowered on a low-carb diet, but cholesterol usually is reduced anywhere between 5 to 50 points within the first few months.
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