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Best Diabetes Diets

Diet is a crucial tool for managing diabetes, and weight loss can help people who are overweight prevent Type 2 diabetes. The experts who rated the 32 diets below evaluated each one on its ability to both prevent and manage diabetes. The Biggest Loser Diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), an eating plan endorsed by the government, came out on top.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet is based on a daily intake of 2,000 to 3,000 calories, depending on your gender, size, and activity level. About 40 to 50 percent of your calories will come from carbs, 30 percent from fat, and 20 to 30 percent from protein. Weil suggests striving for a mix of all three nutrients at each meal.

It’s based on the Mediterranean diet, Weil says, with a few extras like green tea and dark chocolate. The program calls for a variety of fresh foods, with a heavy emphasis on fruits and vegetables, which Weil says provide phytonutrients that fight cancer and other degenerative diseases. In addition, he recommends routine consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and avoiding fast and fried foods at all costs.

The guidelines get more specific by dietary component. For example, when it comes to carbs, you want the kind that will keep your blood sugar low and stable. Toward that end, opt for less processed foods, filling up on healthy carbs like whole grains, beans, squashes and berries.

You’ll cut down on saturated fat, which is found in butter, cream, and fatty meats, and steer clear of margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated oils. Instead, your dietary fat will come from extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts, and omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation. The plan stresses substantial intake of omega-3s from cold-water fish like wild salmon, sardines, and herring. If you’re not eating oily fish twice a week, Weil recommends a daily fish oil supplement that includes EPA and DHA. Protein sources include fish, yogurt, cheese and beans, especially soybeans.

You’ll aim for a variety of colorful produce, especially berries, tomatoes, orange and yellow fruits, cruciferous veggies, and dark leafy greens. Whenever possible, choose organic to avoid pesticides. (Weil helps promote the Environmental Working Group’s list of produce that’s most and least contaminated with pesticides—the so-called “dirty dozen” and “clean 15,” respectively.) Along those lines, Weil suggests drinking only purified water to avoid toxins like chlorine and chloramine. Opt for tea over coffee, particularly the white, green, and oolong varieties. He also permits plain dark chocolate (with a minimum cocoa content of 70 percent), which contains antioxidants, and red wine, in moderation, which has been linked to cardiovascular health.

Does it have cardiovascular benefits?

Yes. A Mediterranean-style diet has been associated with a decreased risk for heart disease, and it’s also been shown to reduce blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol.

According to the American Heart Association, inflammation is not a proven cause of cardiovascular disease, but it is common among heart-disease patients.

A small study published in a March 2007 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that fiber intake reduces CRP levels. The trial enlisted 28 women and seven men whose typical fiber consumption was about 12 grams per day. (The government recommends 28 grams of fiber in a 2,000-calorie diet.) Participants were randomly assigned to follow either a high-fiber DASH diet or take a fiber supplement. Both programs provided about 30 grams of fiber per day. On average, CRP levels dropped from 4.4 to 3.8 mg/L in the DASH group and to 3.6 mg/L in the group taking supplements. More specifically, CRP levels dropped among the 18 lean participants in both studies, but not significantly among obese participants. After three weeks, CRP levels dropped in both groups, but significantly among the lean participants.

Can it prevent or control diabetes?

Prevention:
Being overweight is one of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes. If you need to lose weight and keep it off, and the Anti-Inflammatory Diet helps you do it, you’ll almost certainly tilt the odds in your favor. Plus, research suggests that following a Mediterranean-style diet may stave off or reverse metabolic syndrome, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Control:
This diet is primarily vegetarian, which the American Diabetes Association considers a healthful option that can help prevent and manage diabetes.  Nearly all of the group’s top 10 “superfoods” for diabetes are well-represented on Weil’s diet. These include beans, dark green, leafy vegetables, citrus fruit, sweet potatoes, berries, tomatoes, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, nuts, and fat-free milk and yogurt.  And because there are no rigid meal plans or prepackaged meals, you can ensure that what you’re eating doesn’t go against your doctor’s advice.

Fat. 
Weil’s diet calls for about 30 percent of calories from fat.  That’swithin the government’s recommendation that between 20 to 35 percent of daily calories come from fat. A random daily menu, however, exceeded his limits, with 55 percent of calories coming from fat.

Protein.
The sample menu provided 14 percent of calories from protein. That’s within the government’s recommended range of 10 to 35 percent.

Carbohydrates.
The government recommends that 45 to 65 percent of daily calories come from carbs. A sample daily menu provided 31 percent.

Salt.
The majority of Americans eat too much salt. The recommended daily maximum is 2,300 milligrams, but if you’re 51 or older, African-American, or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, the limit is 1,500 mg. A sample daily menu provided 3,317 mg.

Other key nutrients.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines call these “nutrients of concern” because many Americans get too little of one or more of them:

Fiber. 
A fiber powerhouse, Weil’s diet calls for 40 grams of fiber a day, which surpasses the recommended daily amount of 22 to 34 grams. Veggies, fruits, beans, and whole grains—all major sources of fiber—are encouraged on this diet to help you feel full and provide health benefits. The sample daily menu met the government’s guidelines, with a total of 23 grams.

Potassium.
A sufficient amount of this important nutrient, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, counters salt’s ability to raise blood pressure, decreases bone loss, and reduces the risk of developing kidney stones. It’s not that easy to get the recommended daily 4,700 mg. from food. (Bananas are high in potassium, yet you’d have to eat 11 a day.) The majority of Americans take in far too little. A sample daily menu of this diet provided 1555 mg.

Calcium.
It’s essential not only to build and maintain bones but to make blood vessels and muscles function properly. The government recommends 1,000 to 1,300 mg. of calcium per day. A sample daily menu provided 833 mg.

Vitamin B-12.
Adults should shoot for 2.4 micrograms of this nutrient, which is critical for proper cell metabolism. Fish like salmon and trout, along with eggs and yogurt, are good sources. A sample daily menu provided 9.3 mcgs.

Vitamin D.
Adults who don’t get enough sunlight need to meet the government’s 15 microgram recommendation with food or a supplement to lower the risk of bone fractures. An average day on this plan provided no vitamin D.

Weil suggests taking a multivitamin that provides 200 milligrams of vitamin C, 400 units of vitamin E, 200 micrograms of selenium, 10,000 to 15,000 units of mixed carotenoids, 400 mcg. folic acid, and 2,000 units of vitamin D.  Look for one without vitamin A and, unless you’re menstruating, iron. Weil advises that women take 500 to 700 mg. of supplemental calcium. Additionally, he recommends 60 to 100 milligrams per day of coenzyme Q10 to promote heart health and other benefits, and talking with your doctor about starting a low daily dose of aspirin.

If you’re not eating oily fish twice a week, Weil stresses taking 2 to 3 grams of a daily fish oil supplement that includes EPA and DHA, which he says protects against heart attack, stroke, cancer, and other diseases. And if you’re at risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes, take 100 to 400 mg of alpha-lipoic acid. Finally, if you don’t routinely consume ginger and turmeric, consider getting the anti-inflammatory properties of these herbs through supplements as well.

How easy is it to follow?

Very. Since there are no strict meal plans, the Anti-Inflammatory Diet provides plenty of flexibility. You’ll simply have to adjust your regimen to adhere to the key principles of the diet: plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lots of fish or fish-oil supplements.

Alcohol.
Allowed. Several cocktails are included in True Food.

Extras.
Membership in Weil’s online guide to the anti-inflammatory diet provides nearly 300 recipes, videos, nutrition advice, and additional support. After a two-week trial period, the service costs $3.99 per week, with a four-week minimum.

Fullness:
Nutrition experts emphasize the importance of satiety, the satisfied feeling that you’ve had enough. You shouldn’t feel hungry on the Anti-Inflammatory Diet, which allows for 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day. Plus, you should be getting lots of fiber, which helps stave off hunger.

Taste:
Among the offerings in True Food, there’s spaghetti with tuna puttanesca, Southwestern bison meatball soup, chocolate pudding, and even cocktails, like the Acai Mojito.

What is the role of exercise?

Weil takes a holistic approach to wellness, and exercise is part of his overall regimen. Although it’s not explicitly outlined in this diet, Weil encourages it for physical and mental health. Walking is one of the best exercises, because it boosts bone, organ, and immune health, he says, but he also plugs the benefits of yoga, belly dancing, and tai chi. For his part, Weil swims laps in his home pool.