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Is A LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) Diet Good For Diabetics?

A DiabetesTeam Member asked a question 💭
Inverary, ON

Ah, a topic mined from another discussion 😁

Eat Lower Fat is the current Health Mantra but they fail to tell us "why"

The why is because we eat too much of everything as a society and since Fat packs over double the number of calories found in proteins and carbs (on a gram for gram basis), if we are going to "over eat" they are trying to convince us to overeat "less calories"

Of course not all Dietary Fats are equal - Trans Fats will kill you as will Saturated Fats from Red Meat if you… read more

February 4, 2023
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A DiabetesTeam Member

Weight loss
According to studies, the LCHF diet is superior to other diets in terms of weight reduction and fat loss

The combination of resetting insulin sensitivity, increasing fat mobilization, decreasing inflammation, and lowering triglycerides are advantageous for weight loss.

Some studies suggest that the LCHF diet may successfully reduce visceral fat by up to 22.2%.

Reduces cravings
Compared to other diets, the LCHF diet can promote a greater sense of fullness and reduce overall appetite. Since high-fat diets result in feeling fuller for longer, this may prevent overeating.

Decreases insulin sensitivity
Eliminating or decreasing sugar intake can lower insulin sensitivity. Numerous studies have reported that LCHF diets can enhance insulin sensitivity, glycemic management, and fat metabolism. In studies, the LCHF diet decreased hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol, and triglycerides, and some people were able to stop using insulin.

Lowers cholesterol
Because the LCHF diet promotes fat mobilization, it can lower bad (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body while increasing good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Therefore, the LCHF diet can lower the risk factors for heart disease

Reduces the risk of chronic disease
Research has shown that the LCHF diet can help lower your chances of developing type II diabetes and fatty liver disease, as well as digestive issues such as bloating and stomach pain. The LCHF diet may also lower the risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and several types of cancer. However, more long-term studies are needed to confirm the existing potential benefits of the diet in preventing disease.

This is what the "science" says BUT if you choose to follow this diet you have to be careful. It is easy to eat the "wrong fats" because they are oh, so good - Bacon/Sausage/Cured Meats should be a treat not a staple of your diet

Red Meats should be as lean as possible - center cuts contain way less saturated fat

Better Meats are Chicken/Turkey/Duck, Fish (and fatty fish are actually full of unsaturated fats), Wild Meats are great choices - they are super lean

Eat up all the Unsaturated Fats you can stuff in your mouth (within your calorie restriction) - seeds and nuts are great sources - just remember that Sesame Street advice about a Peanut Butter Sandwich - if you put it on Quinoa bread it really is a healthy choice

LCHF is not for everyone, but it is "scientifically proven" to be a healthy diet that also helps manage blood sugar

February 4, 2023
A DiabetesTeam Member

Cooking in milk/cream would add a number of carbs - if you like almond milk that would be an option

1/4 cup (pre-cooked) is about 22 to 24 net carbs - the milk could add close to another 6 or 7 carbs which may still be viable

For the Canucks in the bunch Loblaw's carries a ready to eat (microwave in the pouch) single serving of Steel Cut Oats - I take them away with me when I'm doing off grid trips because I can toss the pouch in boiling water - just really need to heat and serve

The company is US based so are most certainly available in the the US

The "classic" flavour comes in at 24 net carbs, the maple/brown sugar is 31 net carbs and the Apple Cinnamon is 37 net carbs. I personally stick with the classic and add my own Brown Sugar Swerve or Lakanto

More expensive then the "cook yourself" but if you are on the run or away from home, a decent option that is no fuss

February 5, 2023
A DiabetesTeam Member

It's very important to read the labels as well, for myself it's similar to Judith's diet small portion of carbs lots of veg and and watch the fats. 🤗

February 4, 2023
A DiabetesTeam Member

@A DiabetesTeam Member currently there is no studies showing that the Saturated Fats in Dairy, Coconut or Palm Oil are "bad"

Now, all that means at least at the moment is, when they studied SatFat as a cause of Cardiovascular Diseases while the Red Meat SatFat definitely could be linked, the three above "could not"

So we have to be careful with the message. They didn't say they are "healthy" either although particularly with the Dairy, one of the fatty acids (Butyric Acid - but only in higher fat dairy - gets sucked out making 1% and skim) is vital to digestion in the Large Intestine, plus Dairy is packed with calcium, phosphorus, B Vitamins (and added Vitamin D in Canada) etc and "fermented" Dairy (plain yogurt and cheese) has zero carbs

(and just in case there is confusion, skim milk has the same number of carbs as 18% and all the others in between if you drink a whole glass - it's the "fat" that is (skimmed out) not the carbs - the carbs remain in the form of Lactose (milk sugar) - even "lactose free" milk has the same carbs - the lactose is really still there, they have just added an enzyme to split it into it's different sugars (for people lacking the enzyme) - glucose and galactose which are normally split during digestion

I never did a deep dive search on the Coconut or Palm Oil since I used neither myself (I use olive oil exclusively for the unsaturated fats), but I will add them to my list of "take a look" when I'm looking for some light reading (ya, I read studies for fun) 😁

February 4, 2023
A DiabetesTeam Member

Absolutely I have learned the importance of eating the right fats. Fat is not the villain, over eating is. This is another wonderful post Graham thank you

February 5, 2023

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