Studies indicate that eating carbohydrates along with foods containing protein can markedly increase the body’s insulin production.
If you have type 2 diabetes, the right diet can help keep your blood glucose levels in check and help to prevent obesity, high blood pressure, and elevation of blood lipids (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides), all of which increase your risk of developing diabetes complications.
People who aren’t well informed about their type 2 diabetes often think they can’t eat foods containing sugars and starches (carbohydrates). In fact, most experts now recommend that people with type 2 diabetes should eat a diet high in carbohydrates and low in saturated fat. The most recent guidelines from the American Diabetes Association state that 45–65% of dietary calories in the diet should come from carbohydrates.
This may seem counterproductive since people with type 2 diabetes need to maintain low blood sugar levels. But carbohydrates are an important source of energy, water-soluble vitamins and minerals, and fiber that your body needs, so restricting total carbohydrate intake to less than 130 grams/day is not recommended. In fact, some experts have relaxed the allowance for ordinary sugar (sucrose) intake to as high as 10% of total calorie intake. That means people with type 2 diabetes can have a limited amount of sweets, chocolates, and desserts as part of a healthy meal plan.
A study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that in people with long-term type 2 diabetes, eating carbohydrates along with foods containing protein can markedly increase the body’s insulin production and reduce post-meal plasma glucose levels. Ten men with long-term type 2 diabetes and nine healthy men had their plasma insulin response measured after they drank a carbohydrate solution. In a separate test, the same men underwent plasma insulin measurements after drinking the carbohydrate solution along with a specially formulated mixture of protein and amino acids (casein hydrolysate, leucine, and phenylalanine).
Consuming the carbohydrate and protein together increased insulin production three to four times in the men with type 2 diabetes and over two times in the non-diabetic men than when they consumed the carbohydrate drink alone. In the patients with type 2 diabetes, this increased insulin response significantly improved post-meal plasma glucose levels. The investigators conclude that dietary changes that improve insulin secretion can be a practical and effective way to help control type 2 diabetes.
