Diabetes has become more prevalent because people, in general, don’t eat as well as they did a few decades ago. Many people have leaned away from cooking meals at home using fresh ingredients and toward fast and frozen convenience foods that better fit their busy lifestyles.
Simply cultivating more awareness around food choices can help people take steps toward a healthier lifestyle. For example, a person might make the conscious choice to eat something less-than-healthy today, such as a sugary dessert, with the intention to balance out that indulgence by avoiding desserts for the next few days.
Can you get diabetes from eating too much sugar?
Eating too much of any unhealthy foods in general can lead to diabetes. Eating too much sugar is one factor, but ultimately, your diet as a whole, influences the development of diabetes.
Foods that generally increase the risk of developing diabetes, especially when over-consumed, include:
- Sugar
- Fried foods
- Fatty foods
- Simple carbohydrates
- Processed foods
Food that do not increase the risk of developing diabetes include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Lean meats
- Fiber-rich foods
Eating fiber-rich foods is also a smart strategy because fiber fills up the stomach and keeps it full. We believe fiber actually feeds the bacteria, the microbiome, in the intestines. When the microbiome is satisfied with the nutrition it has, it doesn’t keep sending signals to eat, which could otherwise contribute to weight gain.
While diet is important for managing and reversing diabetes, focusing on diet alone can result in intermittent progress followed by setbacks. Exercise complements diet to achieve sustainable, long-term lifestyle changes.
Tips for basic changes in diet
- Decrease intake of added sugars and processed foods, including refined grains like white flour and white rice. This especially includes sugary drinks, not only sodas but also juices. The best drinks are water, seltzer, and tea or coffee without sugar.
- Swap out refined grains for whole grains. Whole grains are actually real grains that haven’t been stripped of nutrients in processing. Foods made from 100% whole grain (like whole wheat) are okay, but intact whole grains (like farro, quinoa, corn, oatmeal, and brown rice) are even better.
- Increase fiber intake. High-fiber foods include most vegetables and fruits. Legumes are also high in fiber and healthy plant protein. Legumes include lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas, edamame, and soy. People who eat a lot of high-fiber foods tend to eat fewer calories, weigh less, and have a lower risk of diabetes.
- Increase fruit and vegetable intake. At least half of our food intake every day should be nonstarchy fruits and vegetables, the more colorful the better. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, and high-fiber fruits like berries of all kinds, are especially healthy.
- Eat less meat, and avoid processed red meat. Many studies have shown us that certain meats are incredibly risky for us. People who eat processed red meat are far more likely to develop diabetes: one serving a day (which is two slices of bacon, two slices of deli meat, or one hot dog) is associated with over a 50% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Eating even a small portion of red meat daily (red meat includes beef, lamb, and pork), like a palm-sized piece of steak, is associated with a 20% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In fact, the less meat you eat, the lower your risk of diabetes. People who don’t eat red meat at all, but do eat chicken, eggs, dairy, and fish, may significantly lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, by about 30%; those who eat only fish, 50%; those who eat only eggs and dairy, 60%; those who are vegan, 80%.
- Eat healthier fats. Fat is not necessarily bad for you. What kind of fat you’re eating really does matter. Saturated fats, particularly from meats, are associated with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. Plant oils, such as extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil, carry less risk. Omega-3 fats, like in walnuts, flax seeds, and some fish, are actually quite good for you.
What is the best diet for type 2 diabetes remission?
Type 2 remission studies show that a low-calorie diet works for most people. But it’s not the only way you can lose weight quickly and safely to go into type 2 diabetes remission. People have lost weight and put their type 2 diabetes into remission through different diets.
How do I choose the best diet for me?
Just like your diabetes, weight loss is very individual to you. What works for one person might not work for another. Your current weight or BMI, the role food plays in your culture, and the level of changes you’re able to make are just some of the things people tell us they think about when choosing a diet.
Before you start a diet to lose weight for type 2 diabetes remission
It’s important you speak with your healthcare team before making changes to your eating habits. Not all diets are safe or right for everyone.
- Low-calorie diets for type 2 diabetes remission
What is a low-calorie diet?
A low-calorie diet is where you eat around 800-1200 calories a day. A diet that is based on less than 800 calories a day is a very low-calorie diet.
Low-calorie diets work by limiting the amount of calories you eat so your body doesn’t take in more calories than it needs to and can use up. If you eat more calories than your body needs, you will put on weight.
As a general guide, the government recommends that men need around 2,500 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight. And women need around 2,000 calories a day.
But most people need different amounts of calories based on how their bodies work, how much they move, and what their weight management goals are.
A calorie-controlled healthy balanced diet made up of foods high in nutrients like fruit and veg, lean meat, fish, beans, pulses, nuts, wholegrains like oats, brown rice and quinoa, and wholemeal bread and pasta. Healthier foods like these tend to have less calories than processed foods or foods high in saturated fat. So, by swapping processed food and food high in saturated fat for healthier alternatives, you’re likely to eat less calories and lose weight.
2. Low-carb diets for type 2 diabetes remission
What is a low-carb diet?
Following a low-carb diet means eating less than 130g of carbohydrates a day. As a rough guide, a medium-sized slice of bread has around 15 to 20g of carbs. A large jacket potato about 90g.
Does a low-carb diet work for type 2 diabetes remission?
We know that a low-carb diet can lead to remission of type 2 diabetes. This is because it can help you lose weight.
There’s evidence that a low-carb diet can help you people with type 2 diabetes to lower their blood pressure and lower their cholesterol too.
Is a low-carb diet right for me?
If you’re taking insulin or diabetes medication to treat your diabetes, it’s especially important you speak to your GP or diabetes nurse before you start a low-carb diet. This is because the amount of carbohydrates you eat has the biggest impact on your blood sugar levels.
If you’re taking insulin or sulphonylureas, reducing the amount of carbs you eat without adjusting the medications could lead to your blood sugars falling too low, also known as a hypo.
3. Low-fat diets for type 2 diabetes remission
What is a low-fat diet?
A low-fat diet is one where you restrict the amount of saturated fats you eat. Saturated fat is found in lots of food like:
- Butter, ghee, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil
- Fatty cuts of meat
- Sausages, bacon, and cured meats like salami, chorizo, and pancetta
- Cheese, coconut milk and coconut cream, cream, ice-cream
- Pastries like meat pies, samosas, quiches, sausage rolls and pakoras
There are different opinions on the exact amount of fat you should eat on a low-fat diet but our bodies need some fat to help them work and protect our organs.
It’s better to think of a low-fat diet as a healthy balanced diet that is low in saturated fat. You can do this by swapping out foods high in unhealthy fats – like the ones listed above – for foods containing healthier fats like:
- Rapeseed and olive oil
- Oily fish and salmon or mackerel
- Eggs and avocado
- Nuts and seeds
- Leafy green veg like kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, and bok choy
Choosing these healthier fats will help your body get the nutrients it needs.
Does a low-fat diet work for type 2 diabetes remission?
Eating fewer fatty foods can reduce your overall calorie intake, helping you to lose weight. And people have put their type 2 diabetes into remission this way.
Is a low-fat diet right for me?
If you choose to reduce fat, look closely at the food labels on the front of packages. The label tells you how much fat is in the product.
A product is low in fat if it has 3g or less of fat per 100g. But be aware that some low-fat products have added sugar in them, which is used to replace the fat. Choosing foods that have more green or amber traffic lights on the label can help make healthier choices.
4. Meal replacement plans for type 2 diabetes remission
What are meal replacement plans?
Meal replacement plans are short-term weight loss plans where you replace all, or some, of your meals with specially formulated food products.
These are products like soups, shakes and bars. You can buy them from supermarkets, health food shops, and online.
There are two main types of meal replacement plans.
Total diet replacement programmes (TDR)
With a total diet replacement programme you replace all food with soups, shakes and bars. Some people call them a ‘soups and shakes’ diet.
These soups, shakes and bars are designed to contain all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to work properly. Because of this, it’s not possible to make total diet replacement products yourself at home.
Most total diet replacement plans are a type of low-calorie diet.
For most people, a total diet replacement programme can be followed for periods up to 12 weeks.
Total diet replacement products
For a total diet replacement where the products are replacing all meals, the products should:
- provide between 800 calories and 1200 calories per day.
- provide at least 100% of the daily vitamins and minerals that the law says they should.
- contain at least 10g of fibre, but not more than 30g of fibre in total per day.
- contain no more than 125g of protein in total per day.
- provide enough of the essential fat which our bodies cannot make. But the daily products shouldn’t be made up of more than 30% fat.
Partial meal replacement plans
These plans are made up of a mix of ordinary food and specially formulated products like shakes, soups, porridge, bars and snacks. Most people swap their usual breakfast and lunch for these products and have a healthy balanced meal in the evening.
Partial meal replacement products
For partial meal replacements where you swap one or more meals with a product, each product you swap one meal for should:
- provide between 200 and 400 calories per meal
- provide at least 30% of the amounts of vitamins and minerals that the law says, per meal
- contain least 500mg of potassium per meal
- contain no more than 30% fat per meal
- be made up of between 25% and 50% of protein per meal.
Do total diet replacement plans work for type 2 diabetes remission?
Research shows that total diet replacements can kick start weight loss by helping people lose weight quickly. This often motivates people to make the long-term changes to their diet that are needed for a total diet replacement plan to lead to type 2 diabetes remission. Total diet replacement plans are not a long-term diet approach.
For most people, a ‘soups and shakes’ diet should not be followed for more than 12 weeks. After this time, you need to slowly reintroduce ordinary healthy foods into your diet over a number of weeks. The next step is to continue with a healthy balanced diet with regular physical activity to help you keep off the weight you’ve lost.
Do total diet replacement plans work for type 2 diabetes remission?
Partial meal replacement plans don’t have the same level of research available as total diet replacements to say that they work for type 2 diabetes remission.
But we do know that weight loss is the key to remission, and partial meal replacement plans can help people lose weight.
Safety considerations
It’s not safe to use meal replacement plans if you are:
- under 18 years old
- have eating disorders or mental health conditions
- are having cancer treatment
- have a heart condition
- pregnant, breastfeeding or have given birth in the last three months.
There are other health conditions that make meal replacement plans unsafe to try too. Speak to your healthcare team for more information.
5. Mediterranean diet for type 2 diabetes remission
What is a Mediterranean diet?
A Mediterranean diet is often talked about as one of the healthiest diets you can follow.
This is because it involves eating fresh foods that are high in nutrients, vitamins and minerals, that are important for your health. And eating less foods that are high in unhealthy saturated fat – like pastries and fatty meats.
This is a diet largely based on plant foods and therefore includes a lot of fruits and vegetables, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds, wholegrains and olive oil. It also includes some dairy (milk and yogurts), lean protein like chicken, eggs and fish, in moderation. Red meat and processed foods are usually only consumed in much smaller amounts, and wine is included in moderation.
Does a Mediterranean diet work for going into type 2 diabetes remission?
Because a Mediterranean diet involves eating lots of fresh food, rather than processed food high in unhealthy saturated fat, it means you’re often eating less calories. And eating less calories is how you lose weight through changing your diet.
Is a Mediterranean diet right for me?
A Mediterranean diet focuses on what you can eat rather than what you can’t. And because it involves eating lots of different types of foods, many people find it easier to stick to in the longer-term.
6. Intermittent fasting diets for type 2 diabetes remission
What are intermittent fasting diets?
Intermittent fasting is also called time restricted eating. There are different types of intermittent fasting diets but all of them split your day or week into eating periods and fasting periods.
During a fasting period, you will eat very little, or nothing at all. You’ll only have non-alcoholic drinks such as water, coffee, tea and sugar-free squash but you can drink these at any time.
These diets are not the same as religious fasting.
The most common fasting diets are:
- 16:8 method: With this diet you’ll eat your meals and snacks within an 8-hour period of the day. You may choose to eat all your food between 9am-5pm, or 10am-6pm. For the other 16 hours of the day, you will fast, avoiding solid food but drinking fluids.
- The 5:2 method: With this diet you will have 2 days where you have a very low-calorie intake, usually aiming for around 500-600 calories. The other 5 days of the week you’ll eat normally, without restrictions.
Do fasting diets work for type 2 diabetes remission?
We know that weight loss is the key to type 2 diabetes remission. Research tells us that intermittent fasting can help people to lose weight because they tend to consume fewer calories during the eating hours than they do when they eat at any time of the day.
There is also some new research that shows that fasting 16 hours of the day and eating within an 8-hour window might help you lower blood sugar levels and lose weight in the short-term.
People have put their type 2 diabetes into remission following an intermittent fasting diet. But we need more research before we can say that fasting diets can help you go into remission long-term.
Is an intermittent fasting diet right for me?
intermittent fasting changes what you eat and when. You may be reducing the amount of carbohydrates you eat and this can have a big impact on your blood sugar levels.
Tips for trying intermittent fasting
- Some people tell us they find it challenging during the period where they’re not eating. They say they can feel hungry and get cravings. But we know that this can reduce over time for some people.
- If you decide to go ahead with an intermittent fasting diet, make sure you drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids during the fasting periods. This helps the body stay hydrated.
- When you’re in an eating window, you should make sure you eat a nutritious meal with plenty of vegetables and fruits to help make sure your body gets the nutrients it needs.
- Although the focus is on when you eat with intermittent fasting, rather than counting calories like on a low-calorie diet, you should still think about what you’re eating.
- Try to eat balanced and nourishing meals and snacks that are high in wholegrains, fruit and veg, beans and pulses. Otherwise, you are unlikely to see the weight reduction you are looking for and put your type 2 into remission.
Conclusion:
There are a lot of different ways to lose weight – but there’s no one-size-fits-all diet. Everyone’s different and what works for some may not work for others.
Evidence shows that the best approach is the one that you’re likely to stick to. So, finding a plan that you enjoy and fits in with the rest of your life can make all the difference.
References:
- https://medschool.ucla.edu/news-article/can-diabetes-be-reversed#:~:text=There’s%20no%20cure%20for%20diabetes,routine%20of%20diet%20and%20exercise.
- https://www.nebraskamed.com/diabetes/is-it-possible-to-reverse-diabetes
- https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/type-2-remission/type-2-reverse
- https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/ask-the-experts/reversing-diabetes
- https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/prediabetes
- https://www.joslin.org/patient-care/diabetes-education/diabetes-learning-center/can-type-2-diabetes-be-reversed
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/healthy-lifestyle-can-prevent-diabetes-and-even-reverse-it-2018090514698
