Low-carb diets for type 2 diabetes remission

We're going to explore whether a low-carb diet can help you put your type 2 diabetes into remission.

What is a low-carb diet?

People have different ideas on how low carb a low-carb diet is. And there are lots of different ways people do a low-carb diet. You may have heard of the keto diet, the paleo diet or the Atkins diet.

But we say following a low-carb diet means eating less than 130g of carbohydrates a day. As a rough guide, a medium-sized slice of bread has around 15 to 20g of carbs. A large jacket potato about 90g.

Find out more about low-carb diets. 

Does a low-carb diet work for type 2 diabetes remission?

We know that a low-carb diet can lead to remission of type 2 diabetes. This is because it can help you lose weight. 

There’s evidence that a low-carb diet can help you people with type 2 diabetes to lower their blood pressure and lower their cholesterol too.

"I was basically eating a very high-carb diet, but at the time I didn't realise the impact carbs were having on my body. I was never a big rice eater anyway, so it was mostly the naan, chapati, and potatoes I cut down on and introduced more vegetables into my diet.

I recognised that I needed to make a substantial change to my diet, however this needed to be a change that I could also sustain. So when guests visit, I can join them in some curry, naan and rice without overindulging." – Read more of Mohammed's type 2 remission story.

Is a low-carb diet right for me?

Everyone is different. Your healthcare team is best placed to help you decide if a low-carb diet is right for you if you want to try going into type 2 diabetes remission. 

If you're taking insulin or diabetes medication to treat your diabetes, it's especially important you speak to your GP or diabetes nurse before you start a low-carb diet. This is because the amount of carbohydrates you eat has the biggest impact on your blood sugar levels. 

If you're taking insulin or sulphonylureas, reducing the amount of carbs you eat without adjusting the medications could lead to your blood sugars falling too low, also known as a hypo. 

Your healthcare team will be able to give you advice on any adjustments to your insulin or diabetes medication that are needed to keep you safe on a low-carb diet.

Some people find that one of the benefits of a low-carb diet is that it's quite easy to follow when you’re eating with other people. So, if having a diet that fits in with other people is important to you, it might be worth exploring.

Where can I go for more information?

• Speak to your healthcare team before cutting down on the carbs you eat. They’ll be able to give you personalised advice on how this might affect you, your diabetes, medications you might be taking, and any other health conditions you may have.
• Check you our low-carb diet and meal plan for 7 days worth of low-carb recipes.

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