Best Diet For Diabetics

The diet has been promoted as a healthy eating plan, helping individuals lose weight and lower cardiovascular risk factors. The researchers found that only 44 percent of those with type 2 diabetes following following a low-fat diet eventually needed diabetes medications,. By comparison, 70 percent of people with type 2 diabetes typically needed such drugs.

The Mediterranean-type diet consists of eating plant foods, such as fruits, nuts, legumes and cereals, and fish, with olive oils as the primary source of monounsaturated fat and low to moderate intake of wine, as well as low intake of red meat and poultry.

Beyond its ability to help control blood sugar, the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a number of healthful outcomes, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and mortality. Results of the study are published in the September issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Type 2 diabetes is fast becoming a worldwide pandemic with as many as 380 million cases estimated by 2025. The researchers noted that lifestyle changes can help prevent the disease and possibly reverse its course when instigated soon after diagnosis. Regular exercise and changes in diet are among the most important lifestyle changes that can help manage type 2 diabetes.

The study's authors noted that although dietary modification is recommended, little research has compared low-fat diets to low-carbohydrate diets in the management of type 2 diabetes. To assess which type of diet might help people with type 2 diabetes better manage their condition, researchers compared 107 people on a low-fat diet to 108 who were eating a Mediterranean diet.