Want more tips and tricks for reaching your health goals? Join Lark!

Take our 2-minute survey to find out if you’re eligible to join Lark which includes a smart scale and the chance to earn a Fitbit®.
Start now
*Terms and conditions apply
Close icon

Does your insurance cover daily coaching and a smart scale from Lark?

Find out now with our 2-minute eligibility quiz!
Check my eligibility
Close icon
< Back to Resource Center
< Back to Member Blog

Conquer Diabetes with a Ketogenic Diet

Natalie
Stein
May 8, 2019
Conquer Diabetes with a Ketogenic Diet - Lark Health
Lark

Are you at risk of prediabetes?

Lark can help lower your risk for Type 2 Diabetes through healthy habit formation, and data tracking.
Height: 5 ft 4 in
4' 0"
7' 0"
Weight: 160 lbs
90 lbs
500 lbs
LOW RISK
Risk Level
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

What could 15% weight loss mean for you?

Feel more energetic and significantly reduce your risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

By clicking the button above, you agree to the Lark Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, and SMS Terms.

Current Weight: 250 lbs
120 lbs
500 lbs
Your weight loss could be*
- - lbs
Your new weight: -- lbs
Am I eligible?

By clicking the button above, you agree to the Lark Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, and SMS Terms.

*Results may vary. Based on the average weight loss in three, 68-week clinical trials of patients without diabetes who reached and maintained a dose of 2.4mg/week of GLP-1 treatment, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. View study here.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

A ketogenic diet is possible, even with type 2 diabetes and can help maintain a healthy blood sugar level

Diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, so it makes sense that many people look to low-carbohydrate diets to manage their diabetes. Cutting back on carbohydrates can lower blood sugar and improve insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes.

Now: is low-carb is good, is very low-carb better?

A type of diet called a very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet has been a recent focus of people with type 2 diabetes, along with medical professionals and researchers. Although the ketogenic diet was originally developed to treat epilepsy and is high in fat, it may actually help with diabetes management and weight loss.

This is what you should know about what a ketogenic diet is, how it can affect diabetes and weight, and how to follow one if you decide that a ketogenic diet may be right for you. The following steps can help you conquer diabetes with a ketogenic diet.

1 . Learn the basics.

A ketogenic diet is a way of eating that puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. To get there, you eat very few carbohydrates. You might eat only 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day, or the amount in 2 slices of bread, 1 cup of oatmeal, or ¾ cup of cooked pasta. This amount is about 10 to 20% of the amount of carbohydrates that most people have in a day.

Going into ketosis means a couple of things. First, when you are in ketosis, your body switches its main source of fuel. While most people use carbohydrates for most of their energy, people in ketosis burn more fat. Supports of ketogenic diets say that this helps with weight loss, although the real weight loss benefits of ketosis may come only if you eat fewer calories.

Another aspect of ketosis is that you are far less likely to have blood sugar spikes since you are eating very few carbohydrates. Here is what happens. When you eat foods with carbohydrates, your body breaks down the carbs into sugar and releases them into your blood. This raises your blood sugar. Cut back on carbs, as you do on a ketogenic diet, and you will be cutting back on the amount of sugar entering your bloodstream.

2. Do your research.

Theories are nice, but does a ketogenic diet work in treating diabetes? Research suggests that it just might help! Clinical trials have found that people with diabetes who were overweight and who followed a ketogenic diet for 16 to 24 weeks lost weight, even when they reported consuming more calories than participants in a higher-carb comparison group.

Also important for diabetes is that the ketogenic diet groups lowered their hemoglobin A1C levels, which shows they had lower average blood glucose levels on the keto diet. [1, 2] Some results showed lower blood pressure, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Still, it is important to remember that these are short-term studies and the long-term effects are not certain.

3. Weigh your options.

Is a ketogenic diet the right way for you to conquer diabetes? This is a personal decision that should not only consider whether the diet works for the first few months. Also consider whether you can follow it now and for the long-term, and how safe and effective ketosis is for the years to come.

  • Can you follow the plan for a few days? The diet prohibits or restricts a lot of foods. If you love fruit, cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, and beans, this diet may not be for you, since these foods, nutritious though they are, are almost eliminated in ketosis. Ketosis may also be tough if you are not crazy about meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, since these zero-carb foods may be common.
  • Can you follow the plan for a while? Giving up a few foods for a few days is one thing, but you may get bored or have cravings as the weeks and months wear on, and want to eat more carbs. You may also have trouble sticking to your diet at special occasions such as restaurant meals and parties.
  • Is a keto diet safe in the long term? It may be, but we just do not know. There could eventually be liver or kidney harm due to too much protein. There is also the chance that a keto diet could spell trouble for your heart if includes a lot of red meat and butter, and not much fiber.
  • Are you concerned about hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar? Hypoglycemia is not uncommon when starting a ketogenic diet.

You should also consider how your diet fits into your diabetes management plan. Most people with type 2 diabetes have a self-management plan that includes taking medications, monitoring blood glucose, exercising, and following a special diet. Are you ready to accept the possibility that what you eat can influence the course of diabetes?

4. Get the foods you need.

If you are ready to get started, you need to know what foods to keep in your kitchen and which to choose when ordering at restaurants. If you choose a keto diet, you will be having about:

  • 5 to 10% of calories from carbohydrates.
  • 70 to 80% of calories from fat.
  • 10 to 25% of calories from protein.

Most of the foods you eat will be zero-carb and very-low-carb foods. Non-starchy vegetables should also be present at most meals.

Also check which foods and ingredients to limit or avoid if you want to stay in ketosis. These include both nutritious and low-nutrient foods that are moderate or high in carbs.

Now that you know what to eat, you can start to make your plan to conquer diabetes with a ketogenic diet.

5. Start conquering diabetes.

Your ketogenic diet is only one part of a holistic plan to conquer diabetes. Following a well-rounded treatment plan can give you the best chance at lowering blood sugar, preventing complications, and possibly reversing insulin resistance. Along with a careful diet, your doctor may recommend the following self-management behaviors.

  • Taking any prescription medications carefully.
  • Monitoring your blood sugar one or more times daily.
  • Exercising regularly.

Before starting, you should talk to your doctor about whether ketosis is right for you and whether it may affect your medications.

As you weigh your options and commit to lowering blood sugar, Lark Diabetes Care can provide support for a healthy diet and the other choices you make to conquer diabetes. Find out more about this personal coach!

References

  1. Westman EC, Yancy WS Jr, Mavropoulos JC, Marquart M, McDuffie JR. The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2008; 5:36 https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-5-36. https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-5-36?wptouch_preview_theme=enabled
  2. Yancy WS Jr, Foy M, Chalecki AM, Vernon MC, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet to treat type 2 diabetes. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2005;2:34. Published 2005 Dec 1. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-2-34

Calorie and nutrient information in meal plans and recipes are approximations. Please verify for accuracy. Please also verify information on ingredients, special diets, and allergens.

About Lark

Lark helps you eat better, move more, stress less, and improve your overall wellness. Lark’s digital coach is available 24/7 on your smartphone to give you personalized tips, recommendations, and motivation to lose weight and prevent chronic conditions like diabetes.

Check my eligibility

Get healthier with Lark & earn a Fitbit®

Lose weight, get more active, and eat better.
take 1-minute survey

See if Ozempic® is covered by insurance

Curb cravings and reach your weight loss goals!
AM I ELIGIBLE?

Similar posts

Green beans with feta cheese and pine nutsGreen beans with feta cheese and pine nuts

Healthy Late-Night Snacks for Weight Loss

People say eating at night can lead to weight gain, but what if you’re hungry? Here are some tips to keep evening snacks healthy so you can go to bed without being hungry.

Learn more
What is Gestational Diabetes? (Pregnancy Diabetes) - Lark HealthWhat is Gestational Diabetes? (Pregnancy Diabetes) - Lark Health

What is Gestational Diabetes? (Pregnancy Diabetes)

Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy and causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health.

Learn more