A recent medical study has found that a low-carbohydrate diet helps prevent diabetes and lowers blood sugar levels in people with diabetes and those at risk of developing the disease. According to the study conducted by researchers from Tulane University in Louisiana, published in the journal "JAMA Network Open," low-carbohydrate diets reduce hemoglobin A1C, which is an indicator of blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
The study included participants aged between 40 and 70 years, whose blood sugar levels ranged from pre-diabetic to the ideal levels for the onset of the disease, noting that none of them were taking any diabetes medication. The team provided food containing less than 40 grams of carbohydrates during the first three months and less than 60 grams for the following three months.
The researchers compared the test results of the two groups: one following a low-carbohydrate diet and the other continuing their regular diet, and found a decrease in hemoglobin A1C levels in the first group. They also discovered that individuals in the low-carbohydrate diet group lost weight, noting that fats made up nearly half of the calories consumed by individuals in the low-carbohydrate group, but these fats were mostly healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in foods like olive oil and nuts.
Nutritional guidelines recommend that between 20 to 57 grams of carbohydrates providing 80 to 240 calories daily is ideal for a low-carbohydrate diet.
