Fat and diabetes.

[Nicksellick]

Hi,
I’ve just read about the impact fat can have on blood glucose. Somehow I’ve managed to miss this up until now.
While fat doesn’t directly cause a spike, it can delay gastric emptying leading to a spike later in the day.
Now I’m really conflicted. I get that in an ideal world we really shouldn’t be eating processed meat, cakes, biscuits and all those nasty UPF’s. What I am not clear on is dairy. Everything I have read In the last few years, listened to on podcasts, and generally been led to believe is that the fat in dairy is ok. Don’t go low fat because the fat is replaced with junk. Eat full fat yoghurt, full fat milk, butter, cream and good quality cheeses.
All in moderation, obvs.
Is this advice all wrong?
Any advice, thoughts, wisdom?
Thank you.

 

[Patrick66]

I think you answered your own question when you wrote 'All in moderation, obviously'.
We need to eat a balanced diet, and a balanced diet will include some fat. I do tend to think that we can overthink the argument about fat and fixate on the 'All fat is bad' argument, thus denying us balance and the occasional bit of pleasure that comes from eating a good bit of cheese or having a bit of cream.
All you can do is test regularly and see what having more, or less, fat does to your own individual spikes.

 

[KennyA]

Hi,
I’ve just read about the impact fat can have on blood glucose. Somehow I’ve managed to miss this up until now.
While fat doesn’t directly cause a spike, it can delay gastric emptying leading to a spike later in the day.
Now I’m really conflicted. I get that in an ideal world we really shouldn’t be eating processed meat, cakes, biscuits and all those nasty UPF’s. What I am not clear on is dairy. Everything I have read In the last few years, listened to on podcasts, and generally been led to believe is that the fat in dairy is ok. Don’t go low fat because the fat is replaced with junk. Eat full fat yoghurt, full fat milk, butter, cream and good quality cheeses.
All in moderation, obvs.
Is this advice all wrong?
Any advice, thoughts, wisdom?
Thank you.

What you're talking about is the well-known "pizza effect" which is relevant for some people and can affect the timing of insulin dosing. I don't experience this and insulin dosing is not in my experience.

The key thing is that dietary fat does not raise (or lower) blood glucose. It is not digested to glucose. What actually causes the rise in BG is carbohydrate, and this is true of how people report the "pizza effect" - fat in a meal doesn't "cause" a rise, but it may delay digestion of carbohydrate, therefore affecting when insulin should be taken.

I have been eating a very low carb/keto diet since 2019. I don't limit fat at all, and I don't go out of my way to add it. I use plenty of double cream, lard, butter, eggs, etc. plus lots of cheese and meat. Fresh food.

I am more than happy with normal blood glucose since January 2020 and a total weight loss of ~90lbs. I am on no medication for anything.