This Article is From Aug 09, 2018

Ketogenic Diet May Up Diabetes Risk: 4 Tips To Manage Diabetes

If the findings of a latest study are to be believed, ketogenic diet may lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet.

Ketogenic Diet May Up Diabetes Risk: 4 Tips To Manage Diabetes

If you are a fitness enthusiast or are even remotely aware about the world of nutrition and fitness you may have chanced upon the term ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diet has emerged to be one of the most sought after diets in the recent times. Ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Several celebrities across the world have adopted the ketogenic diet and are reportedly loving its impact on their overall fitness. If the findings of a latest study are to be believed, ketogenic diet may lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.


The study appears in the Journal of Physiology. The study was conducted by ETH Zurich in conjunction with University Children's Hospital Zurich, involved feeding mice two different types of diet (a ketogenic diet and a high fat diet, which causes the liver to become resistant to insulin) and then performing standard metabolic tests on them.
For the study, researchers used special procedures that helped them determine the effects of internal sugar production from the animal (mostly the liver), and sugar uptake into tissues (mostly the muscle), during insulin action.

Christian Wolfrum, one of the corresponding authors on the paper said, "Diabetes is one of the biggest health issues we face. Although ketogenic diets are known to be healthy, our findings indicate that there may be an increased risk of insulin resistance with this type of diet that may lead to type 2 diabetes."


Your diet and nutrition can play a significant role in managing diabetes. Here are some healthy dietary tips you should make part of your daily regime now.


1. Follow a balanced diet with complex carbs: Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and good sources of fat is very essential for diabetes management. One must avoid trans fats (also called hydrogenated fat), processed food, and sugar and up intake of complex carbs.


2. Include more Low GI Foods: Glycemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates with a low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose. This could further help in weight management. Tomato, spinach, guavas, cauliflower, and pears are some low glycemic index foods you can choose to add to your diet.

3. Sugary Drinks and Fruit Juices: Diabetics should steer clear of aerated and sugary drinks, various studies and reports have time and again reinforced that these drinks are full of liquid calories and can cause major spike in the blood sugar levels. Your can of fruit juice is not one of the healthiest substitutes either. Fruit juices especially packaged fruit juices are loaded with fructose that elevates the blood sugar levels. It is advisable to eat whole fruits instead. Fruits are full of fibres, fibres take time to metabolise and thus doesn't result in sudden surge in blood sugar levels. 

4. Keep yourself hydrated:  Drink at least 7-8 glasses of water every day. Eat lots of fruits and sip decaffeinated herbal tea to keep yourself getting dehydrated. Coconut water and chaas are also good options. Dehydration can drive up blood sugar levels.

(With Inputs ANI)

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