What is the best ketogenic meal plan for diabetics? How can a ketogenic diet benefit those with diabetes? Discover a detailed ketogenic meal plan with recipes and a grocery list.

Understanding the Ketogenic Meal Plan for Diabetics

The ketogenic meal plan presented in this article is designed specifically for individuals with diabetes. This plan is simple, quick to prepare, and optimized with the right macronutrient ratios to support a ketogenic lifestyle. Each of the 4 meals in this plan takes 25 minutes or less to prepare, requiring minimal (if any) cooking, and delivering exceptional flavor.

The Rationale Behind the Ketogenic Meal Plan

The meal plan features 4 daily meals, rather than the typical 6 meals found in other diabetes-focused plans. This is due to the common appetite suppression associated with a ketogenic lifestyle. When the body switches its primary fuel source from glucose to fat, the hunger hormone Ghrelin is reduced, leading to a decrease in appetite (1). As a result, an intermittent fasting approach or reduced eating behavior outside of desired hours becomes more manageable.

Macronutrient Breakdown and Calorie Needs

The ketogenic meal plan is designed with a macronutrient breakdown of 5% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 75% healthy fats. This ratio ensures a smooth transition from your current eating habits to a ketogenic lifestyle. Each meal contains 5 net grams of carbs or less (for the 1,600 calorie plan), providing an indulgent experience without compromising the ketogenic adaptation.

To determine your daily calorie needs, it is essential to calculate your “calorie equilibrium” – the number of calories required to maintain your current weight. This can be achieved through a simple 5-step process, as outlined in the article “How to Find Your Daily Calorie Need”. Once your calorie equilibrium is known, you can adjust your daily intake up or down to meet your weight loss or muscle-building goals, following the recommended adjustments of 300-500 calories.

Ketogenic Recipes and Meal Plan

The ketogenic meal plan presented in this article includes 4 delicious and filling recipes, each with detailed instructions and macronutrient information. The recipes are as follows:

Meal 1 – Keto Egg Muffins

These egg muffins are a quick and easy breakfast option, packed with nutrient-dense ingredients like cherry tomatoes, mixed greens, bacon, and cheddar cheese. The recipe yields 6 muffins, with each serving (2 muffins) providing approximately 400 calories, 32g of fat, 26g of protein, and 5g of net carbs.

Meal 2 – Keto Cobb Salad

The Keto Cobb Salad is a satisfying and flavorful lunch option. This salad features a blend of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, shredded chicken, feta cheese, and bacon. The entire salad provides approximately 500 calories, 38g of fat, 36g of protein, and 8g of net carbs.

Meal 3 – Keto Stuffed Avocado

The Keto Stuffed Avocado makes for a delightful and nutritious snack or light meal. Each serving (half an avocado) is filled with a creamy mixture of cream cheese, shredded chicken, and a variety of spices. This recipe provides approximately 325 calories, 28g of fat, 15g of protein, and 5g of net carbs.

Meal 4 – Keto Chocolate Chia Pudding

Ending the day with a sweet treat, the Keto Chocolate Chia Pudding is a decadent and satisfying dessert. Made with chia seeds, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a touch of sweetener, this pudding packs 300 calories, 25g of fat, 10g of protein, and 8g of net carbs per serving.

Grocery List for the Ketogenic Meal Plan

To make preparing these delicious ketogenic meals even easier, a comprehensive grocery list is provided. This list includes all the necessary ingredients to make the 4 recipes, ensuring you have everything on hand to enjoy this ketogenic meal plan.

Conclusion

The ketogenic meal plan presented in this article is a game-changer for individuals with diabetes looking to embrace a ketogenic lifestyle. With its simple, quick-to-prepare recipes, optimized macronutrient ratios, and satisfying flavors, this plan makes it easy to transition to a ketogenic diet while managing your diabetes. Dive in and experience the benefits of a well-designed ketogenic meal plan tailored for your unique needs.

Ketogenic Meal Plan (With Recipes & Grocery List)

This Ketogenic Meal Plan is simple, quick to prepare, and optimized with the right macro ratios already calculated for you so that all you need to do is make your meals. Each of the 4 meals in this meal plan take a total of 25 minutes or less, require minimal (if any) cooking, and taste amazing!

If you don’t want to read about how the meal plan works, CLICK HERE to jump straight to the ketogenic recipes.

If you have diabetes and don’t know if a Ketogenic Meal Plan is right for you, start by reading this comprehensive guide to The Ketogenic Diet and Diabetes.

How the Ketogenic Meal Plan works

The meal plan has 4 daily meals with recipes that are exceptionally filling, and each meal is distributed equally in calories for maximum satisfaction. The reasoning for 4 meals rather than the usual 6 meals you find in other Diabetes Strong meal plans is due to the common appetite suppression brought on by a ketogenic lifestyle (1).

When you eat a ketogenic diet, you switch your body’s fuel source to fat rather than the body’s usual source, glucose (1). From this fuel source switch, the hunger hormone, Ghrelin, is reduced which causes your appetite to decrease (1). Because of the reduction in appetite, it is easier to adopt an intermittent fasting approach or an approach that lessons unwanted eating behavior outside your desired hours (AKA curbs the late night munchies). Therefore, I recommend eating 4 bigger meals rather than 6 small meals on a Ketogenic Meal Plan.

To make up for the 2 fewer meals, the 4 meals equally split the total calories (i.e. 400 calories +/- for each meal for a 1600 calorie meal plan). Therefore each meal is more fulfilling and eating 4 meals is far less time-consuming (think about it, you prepare 2 fewer meals each day).

In this entire Ketogenic Meal Plan, only 5% of the calories are from carbohydrates, 20% comes from protein, and the rest of the calories come from healthy fats, which makes the ketogenic adaptation a smooth transition from your current eating lifestyle.

Each meal is 5 net grams of carbs or less (for the 1600 calorie plan), and there is nothing “diet” about this meal plan because every bite feels like an indulgence (you even get a chocolate dessert!)

How to find your daily calorie need

We all have different calorie needs. Your daily calorie need depends on your size, fitness level, daily activity, gender, etc. When you are creating a healthy ketogenic meal plan, your first step should therefore always be to calculate your “calorie equilibrium”, or how many calories you need each day to maintain your current weight.

You can learn exactly how to find you calorie equilibrium with 5 easy steps in this post: “How to Find Your Daily Calorie Need“.

Once you know your calorie equilibrium, you can adjust your daily calories up or down to meet your goals. If your goal is to lose weight, I recommend that you eat 300- 500 calories less than your equilibrium each day (but no less than 1,200 per day). This should lead to a steady and healthy weight loss.

If you want to gain muscle, start out by adding in 300-500 calories more than your equilibrium each day and see what happens. If you find that you are also putting on a little too much fat, decrease your calories slightly.

Ketogenic Meal Plan recipes

The recipes in this Ketogenic Meal Plan has the following calories and macronutrients.

Meal 1 – Keto Egg Muffins

Servings: 3

Serving size: 2 egg muffins

Ingredients:

• 4 cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup red onion, chopped
• 1 cup mixed greens (Spinach is great too!)
• 8 egg yolks
• ⅓ cup bacon, crumbled
• 1 ⅕ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (optional)
• ½ tsp garlic salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Separate the egg yolks from the whites into a large mixing bowl. Discard or save the egg whites for another occasion.
3. Wash and finely chop the mixed greens, tomatoes, and onion. Add to the egg yolk mixture.
4. Add bacon, cheese, unsweetened almond milk, and garlic salt to the large mixing bowl with the veggies (personal recommendation: Keep out about 3 tbsps. of cheese to sprinkle on top once muffins have baked). Mix well.
5. Grease the muffin tin with oil and pour a ¼ cup + 1 tbsp. of the egg mixture evenly into the muffin slots, which should yield 6 muffins. NOTE: You can use muffin cups to line the muffins to save time during clean up.
6. Pop the muffin tray into the oven for about 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly a toasty brown.
7. Immediately after taking the egg muffins out of the muffin tin, sprinkle tops of muffins with remaining cheese.
8. Let cool for 2 minutes before serving.

Meal 2 – Keto Cobb Salad

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

• 4 cherry tomatoes
• ½ avocado
• 1 hardboiled egg
• 2 cups mixed green salad
• 2 oz. chicken, shredded
• 1 oz. feta cheese, crumbled,
• ¼ cup bacon, crumbled

Instructions:

1. Dice the tomatoes and avocado, and slice the hardboiled egg.
2. Place 2 cups of mixed green salad into a large salad bowl or plate.
3. Measure out 2 oz. chicken, 1 oz. feta cheese, and ¼ cup bacon.
4. Place tomatoes, avocado, egg, chicken, feta, and bacon in horizontal rows on top of the mixed greens.
5. OPTIONAL: You can add 1 tbsp. of Ranch dressing for 73 calories and about 8 grams of fat (NOT included in the nutrition facts).
6. Enjoy the whole serving.

Meal 3 – Pepperoni Pizza Bites

Servings: 1

Serving Size: 6 pepperoni pizza bites

Ingredients:

• 6 Slices (34 g), sandwich sliced pepperoni
• 2 tbsp. pizza sauce
• 3 oz. fresh mozzarella
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Using kitchen scissors, snip three ½-inch cuts around the edges of each pepperoni slice, leaving the center uncut (like a 3-leaf clover).
2. Press each pepperoni slice down into a regular sized muffin pant. Bake slices for 5 minutes, until edges are slightly crispy, but still bright red. Remove from oven, and let the slices cool in pans to harden (this helps the bites hold their shape).
3. As pepperoni cups are cooking, finely dice fresh oregano.
4. To remove excess oil, after the bites have cooked, place them on a paper towel for about 10 seconds.
5. Wipe the grease out of the muffin pan with a paper towel, then return the cups to the pan. Place ½ tsp. of pizza sauce then ½ of an oz. of mozzarella in each cup. Sprinkle with fresh oregano.
6. Place bites back in the oven for 3 minutes, or just until the cheese melts.
7. Allow pepperoni bites to cool for about 3-5 minutes.

Meal 4 – Chocolate Keto Fat Bombs

Servings: 6

Serving Size: 2 balls

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
• 5 tbsp. natural chunky peanut butter
• 6 tbsp. shelled hemp seeds
• ½ cup, coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. 10% heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. Stevia
• 4 tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions:

1. Mix together cocoa powder, peanut butter, and hemp seeds in a large bowl.
2. Add room temp coconut oil and mix until it becomes a paste.
3. Add cream, vanilla, and stevia and mix until it becomes a paste again.
4. Roll into balls. You should be able to make about 12 balls total, which equals 6 servings (2 balls = 1 serving).
5. Roll into shredded coconut (coconut included in nutrition facts, but optional if you are not a fan).
6. Place balls on parchment paper on a baking tray.
7. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Ketogenic Meal Plan grocery list

References

(1) Ketosis and appetite-mediating nutrients and hormones after weight loss: Sumithran, L. A. Prendergast, E. Delbridge, K. Purcell, A. Shulkes, A. Kriketos, J. Proietto. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013 Jul; 67(7): 759–764. Published online 2013 May 1. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.90

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Ketogenic Diet for Diabetes: How It Works

By Amy Gorin, MS, RDNMedically Reviewed by Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

Reviewed: September 10, 2021

Medically Reviewed

Foods high in carbs, including many fruits and even whole grains, won’t fly on the restrictive keto diet.Thinkstock

You’ve probably seen dozens of headlines about the ketogenic diet by now. Called keto for short, it has made its way into popular culture largely through the celebrities and supermodels who have given the long-standing fad diet a repeated stamp of approval. Is the keto diet the plan to follow if you have diabetes?

The diet is undoubtedly risky for people with type 1 diabetes, but in terms of type 2 diabetes management, several studies suggest the answer isn’t so simple. Some science shows that the keto meal plan may be helpful, while other research, like one study published in September 2016 in Nutrients, highlights the importance of whole grains in the diets of people with diabetes — a healthy yet restricted food category in the keto diet.

While the keto diet may offer many potential benefits for diabetes management, following it requires a pretty serious commitment. So take a beat before you take the plunge — and consider these questions that can help you and your medical team determine if it’s right for you.

How the Ketogenic Diet Works

There’s a good reason why the keto diet is also referred to as a low-carb, high-fat diet. Following the keto diet means reducing intake to typically less than 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day while increasing fat and moderating protein intake, according to a review published in July 2021 in Frontiers in Nutrition.

To put that into perspective, a person on an average nonrestricted diet can easily eat more carbohydrates than that in one typical meal. For instance, a turkey, cheese, and veggie sandwich on whole-grain bread with a 1-ounce bag of classic potato chips comes in at around 52 g of carbs. The keto dietary changes drive down insulin levels, eventually leading your body into a state of ketosis, during which it is burning fat rather than carbohydrates, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Possible Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet for Type 2 Diabetes

Here’s how the keto diet may help if you’re managing type 2 diabetes: “With a higher protein and fat intake, individuals may feel less hungry and are often able to lose weight, since protein and fat take longer to digest than carbohydrates,” says the Manhattan Beach, California–based Lori Zanini, RD, CDCES, the author of Eat What You Love Diabetes Cookbook. It may also help keep your energy levels up.

The diet may offer additional benefits. A review published in January 2021 in BMJ suggests that a low-carbohydrate diet like keto may help bring a person with diabetes into remission, which is defined as having an A1C test result of less than 6.5 percent or fasting glucose of less than 7.0 mmol/L, with or without the use of diabetes medication. (A1C shows a three-month average of blood sugar levels.) That remission is not extremely likely, and whether it is permanent is unclear — long-term diet adherence is typically required for maintenance of remission.

The diet may help lower triglycerides, too, and may assist with weight loss, which is a benefit for people with diabetes, who are at a greater risk for heart disease.

Furthermore, a keto diet may be 3 times more effective for weight loss than a low-fat one — important because losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can offer health benefits such as improved cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keeping the weight off long term with diet and exercise changes can only increase the benefits you’ll see.

But while keto diets may be effective at weight loss, they are not more effective than other diets when followed long term and matched for calorie intake, according to the Frontiers in Nutrition review.

What’s more, another review found that a keto diet may help improve cholesterol levels and fasting blood sugar levels.

In the same Frontiers in Nutrition review, authors note that low-carbohydrate diets may increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.

Health Risks of the Ketogenic Diet for Type 2 Diabetes

A study published in July 2016 in the Journal of Obesity & Eating Disorders suggests that people with type 2 diabetes who take oral medication to lower their blood sugar may be more at risk for hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, when following a keto diet.

A keto diet could cause other unpleasant effects, including bad breath, dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion, excessive thirst and hunger, fast heartbeat, fever, and chills. Also, the Frontiers in Nutrition review reveals potential elevations in LDL cholesterol when following a low-carbohydrate diet, as well as a possible increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. And pregnant women in the review were more likely to have a child with a neural tube defect when following a keto diet.

Overall, study findings on the potential benefits — and risks — of the keto diet for diabetes are mixed. More studies are needed before scientists understand the long-term implications of the eating plan for this group.

People With Diabetes Who Shouldn’t Try the Keto Diet

What’s certain is this diet isn’t for you if you have kidney disease — one reason being that you want to limit protein in that case, Zanini says.

Also be wary of the keto diet if you have type 1 diabetes. Ketones, which are produced by the body during ketosis, are a risk factor for diabetic ketoacidosis, which is more common in people with type 1 diabetes than people with type 2 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

You would need to be very diligent about monitoring other potential symptoms of DKA, notes White.

Additionally, anyone with a personal history of heart disease should be cautious about the keto diet. Cholesterol levels tend to spike during the initial stages of the diet, which could increase the risk of heart disease, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Yo-yo dieting, which can happen easily on a restrictive diet like keto, can strain the heart as well, increasing the risk for stroke and heart attack, per a large study published in October 2018 in Circulation.

Last, if you have a history of struggling with an eating disorder, work with your doctor to determine if this is the right diet for you. Despite what you may have read online, the keto diet and a personal history of binge eating disorder do not mix. In fact, “Because of the severe carb limits imposed by the ketogenic diet, the risks of bingeing, compulsive overeating, and other eating disorders is much higher,” says White.

How to Start the Keto Diet if You’re Living With Type 2 Diabetes

If you decide to start the keto diet, don’t go it alone.

Some clinics have introduced therapeutic ketogenic programs for their patient with type 2 diabetes. The Cleveland Clinic has one, and Virta Health, which offers a keto-style diet and lifestyle program through telemedicine, has sponsored research showing that using online support may help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight, lower their A1C, and get off diabetes medication more successfully than the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association. The study was published in February 2018 in Diabetes Therapy.

You’ll also find heat-and-eat keto meals that you can order online at Factor. Subscribe and you get a complimentary session with a registered dietitian.

Above all, if you’re interested in trying keto to manage diabetes, talk with your diabetes medical team — including your endocrinologist and a registered dietitian who is also a certified diabetes care and education specialist — before trying this eating plan. Start the diet slowly, cutting carbohydrates gradually, Zanini recommends. Dramatic reductions could lead to hypoglycemia, especially if you’re on oral diabetes medications or insulin.

Regularly test both your blood sugar and ketone levels to prevent serious side effects. “Doing so is very important for avoiding DKA,” says Sylvia White, RD, CDCES, who works in private practice in Memphis, Tennessee. “Warning signs of DKA include consistently high blood sugar, high ketone levels, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and frequent urination — and complications can cause a diabetic coma.”

Consume a balance of nutrients — all those important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and more — as well as the proper amount of calories and healthy keto-friendly fats. “Healthy fats include monounsaturated fats and omega-3s, which may help reduce inflammation in the body and improve cholesterol levels,” says White. Look to fatty fish like salmon for omega-3s and avocado, almonds, peanut butter, and sunflower seeds for monounsaturated fats.

If you’re not sure what to reach for, ask your dietitian. “While this sounds so simple, often people are only thinking about what not to eat,” says Zanini. “They don’t pay attention to the nutritious foods they should be including, like nonstarchy vegetables, healthy monounsaturated fats, lean proteins, and more.” Don’t have a dietitian? You can find one who is a certified diabetes educator through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics “Find an Nutrition Expert” tool.

Tips for Sticking to the Low Carb Count on the Keto Diet

“Simply put, it is not easy to eat just 20 to 60 g of carbohydrates per day, which is how many carbs are permitted on the ketogenic diet,” says Zanini. “To follow this strict guideline, people must not only change the food they’re eating but their entire lifestyle.”

Foods that are a typical part of the American diet, like sandwiches, burgers, and milkshakes, won’t easily fit into the food plan, and foods considered staples of a balanced diet, such as sweet potatoes and whole-grain bread, may need to be limited. These changes can be tough to implement, even for people who’ve already started making their diets healthier. Tracking what you eat can help. You can do so either with a written food diary or through various apps on your smartphone.

You can’t take days off the diet, though. You must stick with the diet if you want to see the benefits — otherwise you’re really just eating a high-fat diet.

A Diabetes-Friendly Keto Diet Food List

If you and your healthcare team determine that the keto diet is safe for you, follow this handy beginner’s guide for the keto diet. When in doubt, keep in mind that you will want to avoid or limit any foods that are high in carbohydrates while loading up on foods that are high in protein and healthy fat.

Here are some common foods in a keto diet plan that can also be diabetes-friendly:

• Poultry and meat
• Fish
• Avocado
• Nuts and seeds
• Eggs
• Nonstarchy veggies
• Olive oil

Here are some foods to limit or avoid in a keto diet plan, regardless of whether you have diabetes:

• Grains, including healthy whole grains, like brown rice, and whole-wheat bread and pasta
• Alcohol
• Fruit, especially high-carb fruits such as tropical fruits
• Sugar in all forms (granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, baked goods, candy)
• Processed food, including crackers and corn or potato chips

Are Other Diet Plans Better Than Keto if You’re Managing Type 2 Diabetes?

Even if your healthcare team deems keto safe for you, the keto diet isn’t necessarily the best path for everyone with diabetes. Some studies suggest that other eating plans, like the Mediterranean diet — which is rich in lean meats, fish, nuts, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and whole grains — can be beneficial for people with the disease. A review published in April 2021 in the journal Nutrients found that some research links the Mediterranean diet to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

A review published in August 2020 in Nutrients suggests that following a Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of diabetes. The eating style may also aid people already diagnosed with diabetes. The review cites some studies that associate following a Mediterranean diet with better blood sugar control.

Additional reporting by Melinda Carstensen and Jessica Migala.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

• Crosby L, Davis B, Joshi S, et al. Ketogenic Diets and Chronic Disease: Weighing the Benefits Against the Risks. Frontiers in Nutrition. July 2021.
• Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
• Goldenberg JZ, Day A, Brinkworth GD, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Low and Very Low Carbohydrate Diets for Type 2 Diabetes Remission: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Published and Unpublished Randomized Trial Data. BMJ. January 2021.
• Losing Weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. August 17, 2020.
• Paoli A, Rubini A, Volek JS, Grimaldi KA. Beyond Weight Loss: A Review of the Therapeutic Uses of Very-Low-Carbohydrate (Ketogenic) Diets. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. August 2013.
• Hallberg SJ, McKenzie AL, Williams PT, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of a Novel Care Model for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes at 1 Year: An Open-Label, Non-Randomized, Controlled Study. Diabetes Therapy. February 2018.
• Milenkovic T, Bozhinovska N, Macut D, et al. Mediterranean Diet and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Perpetual Inspiration for the Scientific World. A Review. Nutrients. April 2021.
• Martín-Peláez M, Fito M, Castaner O. Mediterranean Diet Effects on Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Disease Progression, and Related Mechanisms. A Review. Nutrients. August 2020.
• Azar ST, Beydoun HM, Albardi MR. Benefits of Ketogenic Diet for Management of Type Two Diabetes: A Review. Journal of Obesity & Eating Disorders. September 2016.
• Ketogenic Diet: Is the Ultimate Low-Carb Diet Good for You? Harvard Health Publishing. April 14, 2020.
• Kim MK, Han K, Park Y, et al. Associations of Variability in Blood Pressure, Glucose, and Cholesterol Concentrations, and Body Mass Index With Mortality and Cardiovascular Outcomes in the General Population. Circulation. December 2018.
• DKA (Ketoacidosis) and Ketones. American Diabetes Association.
• Li X, Cai X, Ma X, et al. Short- and Long-Term Effects of Wholegrain Oat Intake on Weight Management and Glucolipid Metabolism in Overweight Type-2 Diabetics: A Randomized Control Trial.  Nutrients. September 2016.

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Keto diet for type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Ketogenic diet for diabetes – is it allowed or not? What are the implications of the keto diet for type 1 and type 2 diabetes? Let’s try to figure it out in this article.

Contents:

What is the keto diet (ketogenic diet)?

The ketogenic diet is a diet that is low in carbohydrates, high in fat and moderate in protein. The diet was originally created to treat children with epilepsy. The content of ketone bodies in the blood increased. That is, in simple terms, you need to almost completely eliminate carbohydrates, add as much fat as possible and consume an average but sufficient amount of protein. When you switch to this type of food intake, your body begins to gradually enter a special state called ketosis. What is it?

Ketosis – in simple terms, this is a physiological state in the human body, which develops as a result of carbohydrate starvation of cells. At this point, the body begins to gradually break down huge amounts of fat to get the necessary energy. With this phenomenon, an even greater number of ketone bodies are formed. This is just the same adaptive reaction of the body to the lack of carbohydrates in food.

The meaning of ketosis is to survive in the absence of plant foods containing plenty of carbohydrates, switching to fat-rich animal foods.

The Ketogenic Diet and Diabetes

The effects of the keto diet on diabetes are supported by information such as scientific data from highly qualified scientists in the United States of America. Most Americans suffer from metabolic disorders, as a result of an excess of carbohydrates in the diet. The reason for this is fast food and unhealthy eating, so the diet was perfect for them!

When consuming food in the classical way of nutrition, known to all of us, energy is split and supplied in the right quantities to the body through the metabolism of carbohydrates. It takes up to twenty-five percent of the glucose we receive to carry out brain activity alone. However, when the active supply of carbohydrates to our body stops, it begins to get used to receiving energy from an alternative source – ketone bodies formed during the breakdown of fat, as happens during a keto diet. Already under such circumstances, the brain begins to use up to fifty percent of the energy released as a result of metabolism, which causes the metabolism to produce more and more ketones to maintain active brain activity.

Pre-diabetes is a metabolic syndrome where the body is in a state of limbo between diabetes and normal sugar absorption. It is characterized by a sharp decrease in the production of the necessary insulin, in some cases the cells begin to take less insulin. That is, insulin is produced a little more than our body needs, and it does not have the correct activity so that the cells properly absorb glucose.

We conclude that such a type of nutrition as a keto diet will be optimized for your body, especially in the initial stages of the development of type 2 diabetes! The reason for this is the development and formation of the metabolic syndrome of insulin, it is released more and more. But to be honest, it is for the most part passive and there is its accumulation in the blood. Which in turn leads to obesity.

But as soon as you switch to such a type of nutrition as a keto diet, the body will start the process in diabetes, during which it will break down its own fat. We conclude that after the work done, you will lose weight! As a result, indicators of insulin resistance will improve for the better.

Type 1 diabetes and the keto diet

Type 1 diabetes is a disease of the endocrine system that attacks one’s own cells and tissues, which are then attacked by the immune system. Characteristics:

• overproduction of the hormone insulin by beta cells in the pancreas;
• the body perceives excess insulin as a foreign substance that enters the body and destroys it by the immune system;
• type 1 diabetes usually affects such groups of people as young children or adolescents in puberty, that is, young people;
• people suffering from this disease, unfortunately, must undergo hormonal therapy with insulin injections throughout their lives;
• banal and bolus insulin therapy is required to keep the body healthy and alive;
• The pills and medicines that a doctor prescribes for type 1 diabetics will not work for people with type 2 diabetes. They can cause severe and serious disturbances in the functioning of the body or the administration.

For people with type 1 diabetes, the keto diet is not recommended! Because continuous insulin therapy is required, during which a nutritious diet must be observed. Research on this topic has been done in small quantities, because in a state of hypoglycemia, during which the liver does not respond to the release of glycogen due to its absence, it is very dangerous and risky.

However, if desired, patients can slightly reduce carbohydrates in their diet (but this does not mean that their content should be below the norm). Studies have shown that even a small decrease in carbohydrates leads to an increase in glycated hemoglobin. But for this you do not need to adhere to this type of food, a low-carb diet is enough!

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and the ketogenic diet

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder in the amount of sugar in the blood due to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. With it, just the same, the activity of its own insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, decreases. For treatment, patients use pancreatic stimulants, a strict diet and physical activity.

Therefore, if you suffer from type 2 diabetes, then the keto diet is only recommended for you!

Scientists have conducted a large number of studies, as a result of which they found out that the diet reduces glycated hemoglobin in the blood and reduces body weight. In older diabetics, cholesterol tests improved, high-density lipoproteins increased, and low-density lipoproteins decreased.

To summarize the results, the researchers compared the results of people who followed a regular low-carbohydrate diet and a special type of diet. As a result, the differences were gigantic, in the first type, weight, glucose and lipids remained practically unchanged. The second group had a very big progress for the better.

Keto diet and type 1 diabetes

Risk Factors for Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

How to confirm if you have type 1 diabetes

Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test

Blood sugar test

Fasting blood sugar test

Autoantibody test

The difference between type 2 and type 1 diabetes

Long-term complications of diabetes

How to treat type 1 diabetes

Diet for Type 1 Diabetes

Evidence of the Benefits of the Keto Diet

Two Important Aspects for the Ketogenic Diet and Type 1 Diabetes

1. Vitamin D

2. Eliminate certain foods from the diet

Outcome

Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in children between the ages of 10 and 14, although many children may show symptoms before the age of two.

Risk factors for type 1 diabetes

The three most well-researched risk factors for type 1 diabetes include:

• Family history. Anyone with a parent or relative with type 1 diabetes has a slightly increased risk of developing the disease.
• Genetics. Specific genes may increase the risk of type 1 diabetes.
• Age. Although type 1 diabetes can appear at any age, it is diagnosed at two known peaks. The first peak occurs in children aged 4 to 7 years, and the second in children aged 10 to 14 years.

However, these are not the only three risk factors. Recent studies have shown that type 1 diabetics tend to have a different balance of bacteria in their microbiome. Also associated with the risk of type 1 diabetes are vitamin D deficiency, intestinal problems, and dairy intolerance.

Having all of these risk factors does not mean you will have type 1 diabetes. His symptoms will give us a clearer picture.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes

Symptoms and symptoms of type 1 diabetes may appear relatively suddenly and may include:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Bedwetting in children who were previously well
• Increased hunger
• Unintentional weight loss
• Irritability and other mood changes
• Fatigue and weakness
• Blurred vision

Expert opinion

Alena Kovaleva

Former “carbohydrate addict”, happy mom and editor-in-chief of KetoDieto.

Ask the Expert

If you or your child experience any of the above symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. If not, symptoms can progress to diabetic ketoacidosis, the most common cause of death in children with type 1 diabetes.

How to confirm if you have type 1 diabetes

At your doctor’s appointment, several blood tests will be done to find out more about what’s going on.

These blood tests may include:

Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test

This blood test shows your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar bound to hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells).

The higher the blood sugar level, the more glycated hemoglobin will accumulate. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or more on two separate tests indicates diabetes.

Blood sugar test

Regardless of when you last ate, a blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher suggests diabetes. This blood sugar level is particularly suggestive of diabetes when combined with signs and symptoms such as frequent urination and extreme thirst.

Fasting blood sugar test

Normal fasting blood sugar levels are below 100 mg/dL (5. 6 mmol/L). A fasting blood sugar level of 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is the pre-diabetic level. If your blood sugar is 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you have diabetes.

Autoantibody test

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor may also test your blood for autoantibodies, which are common in type 1 diabetes. These tests help your doctor distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes when the diagnosis is uncertain.

The difference between type 2 and type 1 diabetes

The type of diabetes we are focusing on is type 1 diabetes. It accounts for about 5-10% of all cases of diabetes. Being an autoimmune disease, it turns the body’s immune system, which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses, against the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Eventually, the immune system destroys the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels get out of control and wreak havoc on the body.

On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is the result of insulin resistance, not insulin deficiency. Insulin resistance occurs when cells no longer respond to insulin signals. The pancreas responds by secreting more insulin, which increases insulin resistance in the cells. This vicious cycle creates chronically high blood sugar levels.

Expert opinion

Alena Kovaleva

Former “carbohydrate addict”, happy mom and editor-in-chief of KetoDieto.

Ask the Expert

Type 2 diabetes is usually caused by an excess of calories and carbohydrates (macronutrients that stimulate the most insulin secretion), and an inactive lifestyle, not an autoimmune problem. However, both type 1 and type 2 have a lot in common, including symptoms, long-term complications, and which diet is best for treatment.

Long-term complications of diabetes

If uncontrolled, type 1 and type 2 diabetes can affect major organs in your body, including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys. After all, the complications of diabetes can be life-threatening.

The most common long-term complications of diabetes are:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Damage to the nervous system (neuropathy)
• Kidney disease (nephropathy)
• Eye injury
• Foot Damage
• Skin and mouth condition
• Complications of pregnancy

Although type 1 and type 2 diabetes can be catastrophic, these long-term complications can be easily avoided. Existing evidence from studies suggests that diabetic complications are reduced as a result of improved glycemic control.

In other words, if you control your blood sugar, these complications will not occur.

How to treat type 1 diabetes

When you improve your blood sugar levels, you improve your health and can live a normal life with type 1 diabetes.

To improve blood sugar control, people with type 1 diabetes should:

• Take insulin and follow your doctor’s treatment plan
• Track carbohydrate, fat and protein consumption
• Check your blood sugar frequently with a glucometer
• Health food
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy weight

This is what many doctors and researchers suggest, but “eat healthy” and “track your carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake” are vague sentences. Is there a specific diet plan that people with type 1 diabetes can follow?

Type 1 Diabetes Diet

The recommended diet is typically 50 to 55% carbohydrate calories, 20% protein, and approximately 30% fat. The majority of carbohydrate calories should be complex carbohydrates, and the fat portion should emphasize low cholesterol and saturated fat.

However, studies on how this type of diet affects patients with type 1 diabetes are lacking. Interestingly, studies show that there may be a better diet. In fact, this is the same diet that has been found to help with type 2 diabetes – the ketogenic diet.

Evidence for the benefits of the keto diet

The first line of evidence for the ideal Type 1 diet comes from a pair of case studies, one with a young girl and one with a teenage boy.

The young girl in the first study had epilepsy and type 1 diabetes, which is more common in children with epilepsy. The researchers were looking for an effective diet for this difficult case, so they put her on the classic ketogenic diet (about 5% of daily calories from carbs and 75% from fat) for 15 months.

The results were promising. Since starting the ketogenic diet, the girl has not experienced clinically obvious seizures. She was even more active and achieved significant developmental achievements that she had not achieved before the ketogenic diet.

The researchers also tracked the girl’s A1C levels and glycemic control, two of the most important indicators for type 1 diabetics. Both improved significantly without any adverse side effects. These results suggest that a ketogenic diet may help manage type 1 diabetes and epilepsy at the same time.

The results of another case study were even more incredible. In the study, a 19-year-old boy with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes used a special type of ketogenic diet for 6.5 months. During this period, he stopped taking insulin and restored its production in his pancreas.

Yes, you read that right – with a special ketogenic diet, he affected his type 1 diabetes. What was so special about the keto diet that caused such impressive results?

His diet consisted of meat, organs, fat and eggs. Red and fatty meat dominated his diet over lean meats. Vegetables were, but in small quantities. His diet had a ketogenic ratio (fat:protein + carbohydrate) of at least 2:1. Vegetable oils or artificial sweeteners were not allowed. Also in the diet was 5000 IU of vitamin D3, and all dairy products were completely excluded. The researchers called it the “paleolithic-ketogenic diet.”

However, these case studies only reflect what happened to one young girl and one teenage boy. We need evidence from larger studies. Fortunately, there are two.

One study of twenty-two patients with type 1 diabetes over 3 months found that while they were on a diet that limited them to 70-90 grams of carbohydrates per day, they stopped jumping. blood sugar levels became lower in A1C levels and they began to take much less insulin.

A similar result was found in another study of 48 patients with type 1 diabetes for 12 years or longer. They simply received instruction on how to reduce their carbohydrate intake and lower their insulin doses. Twenty-three participants were on a ketogenic diet and experienced a significant decrease in A1C after three months.

Even without a strict ketone diet, carbohydrate restriction has helped type 1 diabetics. This suggests that carbohydrate restriction is highly effective in improving type 1 diabetes management. above, we can find some clues to his outstanding success. The researchers made two important adjustments to the classic ketogenic diet that forced the patient to manage the disease to reverse type 1 diabetes.

1. Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. This means it can help prevent and reverse the autoimmune problems that type 1 diabetes typically causes.

In fact, it’s important that everyone supplement their diet with vitamin D3 or daily sunbathing due to the potential consequences of a vitamin D deficiency.

For example, infants and young children with vitamin D deficiency may be “marked” for the rest of their lives by an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and many common cancers.

Expert opinion

Alena Kovaleva

Former “carbohydrate addict”, happy mom and editor-in-chief of KetoDieto.

Ask the Expert

The easiest way to get vitamin D is through moderate exposure to sunlight. For more specific recommendations, many experts suggest adding 4,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily without sun exposure, or 2,000 IU plus 12-15 minutes of midday sun.

2. Eliminate certain foods from the diet

Wheat and cow’s milk have been reported to induce strong immune responses in patients with type 1 diabetes. Something that is less common in non-diabetics.

Also, the consumption of cow’s milk has repeatedly been shown to increase the risk of type 1 diabetes. Some scientists suggest that milk protein may contribute to the development of autoimmune processes and lead to this condition. In fact, two cases from studies have shown that the classic ketogenic diet, which contains a significant amount of dairy products, leads to the development of type 1 diabetes in a couple of children with epilepsy.

This does not indicate that dairy products can cause type 1 diabetes, but they certainly can be an accelerator of the disease. Wheat sensitivities can also hasten this condition, causing gut issues that make type 1 diabetes difficult to manage.

The Paleolithic ketogenic diet limits wheat, dairy, and carbohydrate intake, making it the most promising diet for type 1 diabetes. This is because it not only normalizes glucose levels, but can also stop autoimmune processes mediated by milk protein and wheat gluten.

Summary

Here is a summary of the diet and lifestyle:

• Work with your doctor to determine an effective treatment plan.
• Use a ketogenic diet that limits dairy and wheat.
• Check your blood sugar regularly throughout the day (at least 8-10 times).
• Supplement your diet with vitamin D3 and sunbathing.
• Do daily exercise, but make sure you monitor your blood sugar and check for symptoms of hypoglycemia.