Is the ketogenic diet better than the Mediterranean diet in terms of nutrition?
- About 3.5 million people are undergoing treatment for diabetes in France.
- For 90% of them, it is type 2 diabetes.
- Seven participants did not complete the study, in particular because of Covid-19.
Diet is an integral part of diabetes treatment, along with medication and regular physical activity. The disease is linked to a “disruption of carbohydrate metabolism“, noted Inserm. Cells are less sensitive to insulin, yet it is involved in regulating blood glucose levels. Health professionals therefore advise people with the disease to limit the consumption of carbohydrates, which are rich in glucose. Two types of diet are recommended: the Mediterranean diet and the ketogenic diet. In The American Journal of Clinical Nutritionresearchers are comparing the effects of these two diets on a group of patients.
Limit carbohydrates
The ketogenic diet limits carbohydrates, but places a high emphasis on fats. The Mediterranean diet is also low in carbohydrates, on the other hand, it is limited in fat: it favors vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole starchy foods, olive oil and fish.
Alternate diets
For this study, 40 adults with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes were recruited. Half of the participants followed the ketogenic diet and the other half the Mediterranean diet for three months. Then each participant followed the other diet, to directly compare their effects. The two diets had common bases: the participants were encouraged to consume a lot of vegetables, and to exclude added sugars and refined cereals. “The main question, explains Christopher Gardner, nutritionist and co-author, was whether the ketogenic diet provided additional health benefits by eliminating legumes, fruits and whole grains.”
A difficult diet to follow
The researchers performed blood tests and weigh-ins to compare the effects of the two diets, then they asked the participants about their ability to follow the diet. They found that both diets had beneficial effects on blood sugar, HDL cholesterol levels and resulted in weight loss. “The ketogenic diet was more polarizingemphasizes Christopher Gardner. Some people just couldn’t follow it because it was too restrictive.”
Three months after the study, the authors noticed that the participants had managed to maintain blood sugar control, and continue weight loss, but their diet was closer to the Mediterranean diet, even for those who had been very rigorous during of the ketogenic diet during the trial. For Christopher Gardner, there are no additional health benefits to cutting out legumes, fruits and whole grains when the goal is to cut carbs. He recommends that people with diabetes or prediabetes follow the Mediterranean diet, which is less restrictive and just as effective.