June 7, 2023 – Attention, type 2 diabetes patients: Researchers have present in a recent study that eating a low-carb breakfast was related to a smaller rise in blood sugar after the meal than eating a low-fat breakfast. Eating a low-carb breakfast was also followed by more stable blood sugar levels for the remainder of the day.
These results come from a three-month study of 121 patients with type 2 diabetes in Canada and Australia.
Half of the study participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (the low-carbohydrate breakfast) and the opposite half to the control group.
People within the intervention group were advised to eat a low-carbohydrate breakfast containing 25 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 37 grams of fat, and about 450 calories.
They also received eight to 12 recipes for such a breakfast from a state-certified nutritionist. Most of those breakfast recipes contained two to a few eggs – for instance, an omelette with cheese or fried eggs with bacon.
Patients within the control group were advised to eat a low-fat breakfast containing about 20 grams of protein, 56 grams of carbohydrates and 15 grams of fat, but in addition about 450 calories.
They also received eight to 12 recipes, but for a low-fat breakfast that contained few or no eggs. (For context, one such breakfast consisted of a small blueberry muffin and a small piece of plain Greek yogurt.)
The study showed that top blood sugar fluctuations (hyperglycemia) might be reduced if the primary meal of the day for individuals with type 2 diabetes contained few carbohydrates and more protein and fat, said the study's lead creator, Dr. Barbara Oliveira from British Columbia.
“Not only does eating fewer carbohydrates at breakfast better match how people with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar throughout the day,” she noted, “but it also has incredible potential for people with type 2 diabetes who struggle with their blood sugar levels in the morning.”
It could also be easier to make a small adjustment to the carbohydrate content of a single meal than to alter your entire weight loss plan, she said.
It may be very essential for patients with type 2 diabetes to have well-controlled blood sugar levels to cut back the chance of complications, comparable to eye, kidney and heart problems.
For individuals with type 2 diabetes, eating a low-carb breakfast could also be a simple strategy to manage the rise in blood sugar after a meal and reduce fluctuations in blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Effects of reducing carbohydrates at breakfast
For the study, researchers recruited people using online advertisements in three Canadian provinces and 4 Australian states and conducted the study at one location in British Columbia and one in New South Wales, Australia.
The participants were on average 64 years old and 53 percent were female.
On average, they weighed about 205 kilos and had a body mass index of 32 kg/m2and an A1c of seven.0%.
They were randomly assigned to the low-carbohydrate breakfast group and the low-fat (control) breakfast group.
They were advised to decide on one among the suggested breakfast recipes/menus for his or her group every day and to follow the recipe exactly. They were also required to upload a photograph of their breakfast each morning.
The patients didn't receive any food or calorie advice for the remaining meals.
They also kept three-day food records and answered a questionnaire on exercise, hunger and satiety at the start, middle and end of the intervention.
They also reported their height, weight, and waist circumference and had A1c blood tests at a neighborhood laboratory at the start, middle, and end of the 12 weeks. Participants also wore a continuous glucose monitor in the course of the first and last 14 days of the intervention.
At the top of the 12 weeks, the change in A1c was similar in each groups. Weight, BMI, and waist circumference also decreased by the same, very small amount in each groups. There were also no significant differences between the 2 groups in hunger, satiety, or physical activity.
However, 24-hour continuous glucose monitoring data showed that average and maximum blood glucose levels, changes in blood glucose levels throughout the day, and the time when blood glucose was higher than it must be (time above range) were all significantly lower in those within the low-carbohydrate breakfast group than within the control group.
The time until the blood sugar level was throughout the goal range (time in goal range) was also significantly higher within the people within the group with a low-carbohydrate breakfast.
The researchers found that average and peak blood sugar levels two hours after breakfast were lower in those within the low-carbohydrate breakfast group.