ADA Catches Up on Low-Carb...Sort Of
The American Diabetes Association has started to acknowledge the evidence that a low-carbohydrate diet is beneficial for people living with diabetes....sort of. In the newly-released "Nutrition Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes," the ADA says that: "For weight loss, either low-carbohydrate or low-fat calorie-restricted diets may be effective in the short term (up to 1 year)." This marks the first time that the ADA has acknowledged the clinical benefit of low-carbohydrate diets in any capacity, and we applaud them for taking this step in the right direction.
However, for daily diabetes management, the ADA stands firm on its former dietary recommendations, continuing to recommend a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates daily. The authors noted that "(a)lthough brain fuel needs can be met on lower-carbohydrate diets, long-term metabolic effects of very-low-carbohydrate diets are unclear, and such diets eliminate many foods that are important sources of energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and are important in dietary palatability."
Of course, any dietary strategy needs to provide some level of taste enjoyment if it has any chance of long-term adherence, but the assumption that low-carb can't be a palatable dietary option is a cop out. There is no hesitancy on the ADA's part in officially recommending low saturated fat intake, yet it could be argued that low-saturated-fat diets can eliminate many foods that are important sources of nutrients and “dietary palatability.” And energy, fiber, and vitamin and mineral requirements can certainly be met within a healthy low-carb eating plan.
Yes, you have to work at low-carb, but let's give people with diabetes some credit in wanting to put in that hard work for better blood glucose control. Nutrition principles that promote our best chance at diabetes health should be the goal of all professional healthcare organizations. Let's not settle for less.
Read more about the new ADA nutrition guidelines and how low-carb advocates are reacting.
Comments
- At 12:25 PM on Fri, Jan 25, 2008 Anita wrote:
why is there such a difference between different Diabetic Associations? The Canadian Diabetic Association has been touting the low carb diet for a long time.. So does the UK one..
i have read this article and i just can not function // i'm type 2 // have high everything // i have cad, kidney's are going to hell // i can't seem to get anything to work // what am i supposed to do // i feel like its becoming a lost cause // diabetes sucks!!!!!