Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : September 5, 2018 5:34 PM IST
Keto diet prevents cognitive decline. © Shutterstock
We cannot stress the importance of healthy eating and a balanced diet enough when it comes to diabetes management. Diet plays a crucial role in managing blood sugar levels that go haywire in diabetes. This is why diabetics have to be cautious about their diet and try different combinations of foods that can help keep blood sugar levels in check. The general perception is that carbohydrates are bad for diabetics. While it is true that high carb foods lead to a surge in blood sugar levels but carbs are still necessary for the body as they are the prime source of energy. Of course, the thumb rule is to have carbohydrates in moderation. Many people who want to cut down on carbohydrates for various reasons are following the ketogenic diet these days which is the latest diet trend.
A ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet where you consume around 30g of carbohydrates per day or below. It is also known to be a high fat (healthy fat) and high protein diet. Since carbohydrates are not the mainstay of this diet it encourages the body to get its energy from burning body fats. The proponents of this kind of diet claim that it is very effective at achieving two common aims of diabetes control, lowering blood glucose levels and reducing weight. However, sceptics say that there are a lot of side-effects of this diet. To be fair with your body going too low on carbohydrates doesn t seem a great idea given they are the primary source of energy. No matter how nutrient dense your diet might be. Your body needs the good carbs and inadequate amount. We spoke to Dhvani Shah, naturopath and sports nutritionist, Mumbai to know if ketogenic diet is really good for diabetics.
At the onset ketogenic diet can help people lose weight, consume fewer carb and calories and help blood sugar levels to come back to normal range. But this kind of diet is not advisable in the long run. One should not indulge in ketogenic diet for a prolonged period not only diabetics. A very low carb diet can have an effect on one s cardiovascular health and diabetics are prone to have a heart problem. Moreover, it can also affect the functioning of the nerve cells and lead to a slow brain dead. This could lead to irritability and depression in diabetics, she says.
But if eating a moderate amount of carbohydrates is good for diabetics then isn t going on a ketogenic diet a good idea? When one goes low on carbohydrates, especially diabetics it helps to bring down the sugar levels, burn more fat and lose weight. This helps both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. But in the long run, it can lead to insulin resistance where the insulin produced by the body isn t used by glucose. This can lead to complications of the liver and the body might become resistant to glucose even more. So, if you are a diabetic and have been on keto for long when you start to have carb-rich foods again your body might not be able to adjust to the glucose and develop insulin resistance, she says.
But can diabetics give a try to ketogenic diet? Only after consultation with nutritionists and doctors. If you have high blood sugar levels and your weight has plateaued for a while, then probably going on a ketogenic diet might help to bring the insulin levels down and lose a few kilos but it is necessary to stop this kind of diet after a stipulated time. Eating moderate carbs and choosing the right foods will help a diabetic to keep the blood sugar levels within the healthy range and also ensure that they depend less on medication to maintain blood sugar levels, says Dhavni.
