March 9, 2013 · 2:00 AM
“Vegan? Vegetarian? Mediterranean? Low-Carb? ADA? Low GI? SAD?
Remember that recent report on the best diet for diabetes from American Journal of Clinical Nutrition? I didn’t think so. Here’s Dr. Axel Sugurdsson’s summary:
Ajala and coworkers conclude that their review provides evidence that modifying the amount of macronutrients can improve glycemic control, weight and lipids in type 2 diabetes. In their analysis, low carbohydrate diets appeared to provide superior weight loss, better control of blood glucose, and better lipid profile, compared with low fat diets. The authors also conclude that vegan and vegetarian diet may improve glucose control and promote weight loss in type 2 diabetes.
Here’s the verbatim conclusion of the researchers from the article abstract:
Low-carbohydrate, low-GI, Mediterranean, and high-protein diets are effective in improving various markers of cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes and should be considered in the overall strategy of diabetes management.
No mention of vegan and vegetarian diets per se.
And now Dr. Sigurdsson’s concluding opinion:
What is the best diet for diabetes? Although, there is probably not a simple answer, the question reflects one of the main challenges of modern medicine. It is likely that our dietary recommendations will have to be tailored to the needs of the individual. A one-size-fits-all approach is unrealistic. Although not providing any definitive answers, the study by Ajala and coworkers is an important contribution to our understanding of this highly important issue.
Read the rest.
I’ve reviewed some of the literature supporting vegetarian diets for diabetes. I’ve seen some evidence that the paleo diet may be beneficial. Regular readers here know that I currently favor a carbohydrate-restricted Mediterranean-style diet for control of diabetes.
Steve Parker, M.D.