How much protein? DR J Fung

There are lots of experts on here, I am not one of them, however I am sure they will give you some better advice.
I am a newbie to diabetes and so have been doing a lot of research as my doctor is not very helpful. Also i am trying to lose weight.
What i have learned so far about reducing the problem.
Cut out sugar and most if not all the carbs. No veg that grows underground is a safe rule. No booze, rice, pasta, pizza or bread. If you are going to eat carbs, make it small and something which is less than 8g/100g. Cauliflower mash and rice are good substitutes for the real thing. The odd glass of wine or scotch is not going to do too much damage, but not as a daily tipple.
You can eat lots of meat and fish, and a bit of fat is good for you... But don't go crazy.
Olive oil and butter are good and do not cause a problem.
Eggs are a great all rounder, but limit them to 3 times per week.
Cream not a big problem as is Greek Yogurt..... Milk, not so good as higher carbs.
I find Stevia a good sugar substitute and prefer it to Candarel.
Fruit has loads of sugar, so stick to berries. Blueberries particularly good.
Get a glucose tester and test your levels in the morning and 2 hours after your last meal. I bought mine on Amazon and it is very helpful to know how you are doing and what if you are going wrong.
Those are the rules i am sticking to while i learn more. As a result, in the last 3 weeks i have lost loads of weight (8kg), eaten pretty well, and got my glucose down on average to between 4.5 and 6.

Hopefully people will comment on the above advice and improve what i am working to. This is a steep learning curve, but this site has been invaluable for me, as have many of the members who have commented and helped me. A big THANK YOU to all of them!

This is a great thread to see what others are eating.

Lisa5 said:

Hi
I'm just reading The Diabetes Code and I've read if yiu consume to much protein it turns into glucose. As a type 2 biabetic how much protein should I consume in one day? Are there limits to healthy fats? And is 50g of carbohydrates ok?
Trying to get my **** together!

Click to expand...

So far as I am aware gluconeogenesis (the process you mention turning protein into glucose) is believed to be a demand driven process so for someone with T2 should not be a problem.. we have quite enough glucose in our bodies already.

50g of carbs per day may be ok for you .. the only way to tell is by getting a blood glucose meter and measuring what happens when you eat.
Personally I aim for lower and am virtually constantly in a state of ketosis (using stored fat for fuel rather than glucose).

I tend not to add much fat (double cream in drinks aside) and simply eat what comes along with the meat which is the central pillar of what I eat.

Lisa5 said:

if yiu consume to much protein it turns into glucose

Click to expand...

I have seen on this forum that people with T1 have to take into consideration how much protein they've had when working out their insulin dosage.
But personally I have never noticed a rise in levels after eating a protein heavy meal. We are all individuals though so I suppose its different for everyone. Your meter and your own test results should show you if too much protein is a problem.
I believe the recommended amount of protein for an average adult is 0.75g per kilo of bodyweight. Don't ask me what an average adult is, I have no idea.

Lisa5 said:

And is 50g of carbohydrates ok?

Click to expand...

Personally I hate faffing about counting this and that but there is no standard amount of carbs that's OK. Its entirely up to you. Some people set a limit of 150g a day, others 50g some below 20g. It's your diet, your diabetes, your choice. We can manage perfectly well without any carbs at all so I just avoid them wherever I can.

Lisa5 said:

Are there limits to healthy fats?

Click to expand...

Again it depend what your goal is. I personally need to keep an eye on my weight so while not avoiding fat I don't go out of my way to eat lots of it either.
If you are skinny you might want to substantially increase your fats to gain a little weight. If you are overweight, you are already carrying around loads of stored fat, why eat more, just have enough to fend off hunger.
If you're happy with your weight then all you need is to replace the carbs with enough fat and protein to keep your weight stable.
The truth is you need to use your glucose meter and your scales to devise a diet that you enjoy, one that doesn't leave you feeling hungry and one that gives you the blood sugar control you need.
It takes time, a lot of testing and trial and error but eventually you will get there.

I agree in general with Stephen Bond, except for eggs. It's my personal opinion that we need not limit eggs. I am not averse to different opinions, so if others feel differently, please educate me.

Great advice @Stephen Bond apart from the eggs part

Eggs have just about the perfect ratio of protein/ fats and no carbs, pretty much a super food for us T2's. Absolutely no need to limit them at all.

I remember years ago when my mother had some heart problems, that too many eggs could cause a problem for her. Hence I never ate more than a few per week. After reading your comment I did a quick search and turns out that recent studies have shown that it is not a problem as previously thought. This is an interesting article...

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-many-eggs-should-you-eat#cholesterol-levels

and more specifically it says:

"RCTs in people with diabetes have found that eating 6–12 eggs per week didn’t negatively affect total blood cholesterol levels or heart disease risk factors. Rather, it increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source)."

Click to expand...

I was rather hoping that a few people would correct my ideas!!!

Stephen Bond said:

I remember years ago when my mother had some heart problems, that too many eggs could cause a problem for her. Hence I never ate more than a few per week. After reading your comment I did a quick search and turns out that recent studies have shown that it is not a problem as previously thought. This is an interesting article...

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-many-eggs-should-you-eat#cholesterol-levels

and more specifically it says:



I was rather hoping that a few people would correct my ideas!!!

Click to expand...

Eggstatic!

When i was eating a lot of eggs, my father in law used to claim i would be "egg bound". to prove him wrong i did a lot of research and found the maximum safe number of eggs per day is 36! so the only time i'm aware of anyone breeching this limit is Cool Hand Luke. As a bet many years ago i ate 19 pickled eggs, i reached a point where i thought i could just about manage 1 more, thinking i'd had 18 but not 2, so stopped. Later my "friends" confessed that the 2nd plate actually had 11 eggs on it, so i could have won the bet if i hadn't been cheated.

The problem is for 10 years you've followed "correct advice" and now know that was rubbish all along.

bulkbiker said:

Personally I aim for lower and am virtually constantly in a state of ketosis (using stored fat for fuel rather than glucose).

Click to expand...

How can one work towards being in a state of ketosis? And is it safe? Thanks

Mesuggah said:

How can one work towards being in a state of ketosis? And is it safe? Thanks

Click to expand...

Your liver produces Ketones when it breaks down fats. Your body uses ketones as an alternative fuel to carbohydrates. Anyone who has lost weight will have converted some of their fat to ketones and used them for fuel.
Not eating carbohydrates will effectively put us into a state of ketosis (using fats for fuel)
It's the process that allows us to go for days without eating and still function perfectly well. If it wasn't safe I doubt we would have survived as a species.

Mesuggah said:

How can one work towards being in a state of ketosis?

Click to expand...

Cut down on carbohydrate consumption to about 20g per day max

Mesuggah said:

And is it safe? Thanks

Click to expand...

I'm still here after 7 years.... figures in signature.

@Lisa5 you need to find out yourself, what works for you.
@catinahat said the same: "... there is no standard amount of carbs that's OK. Its entirely up to you. Some people set a limit of 150g a day, others 50g some below 20g. It's your diet, your diabetes, your choice. ...
Monitoring your blood sugar level is required in my view, otherwise it is like driving blind-folded

A few comments
many of us, including myself, succeeded in reducing our HbA1c significantly with a change of diet.
What is your current HbA1c? Are you taking any medication?
in particular, if you are on blood suger lowering Gliclazide or on insulin,
you need to talk to your GP, before you go low carb.
Are you overweight or do you have any other health issues?

Losing weight is usually beneficial for T2s, and has many other benefits,
If you eat low carb you need to replace the missing calories with protein and or fat,
Many have experienced weight loss anyway, as you are less hungry if you eat satiating fat.

Regarding fat: the studies which led to giving fat a bad rap could never be corroborated.
This led to a low-fat industry, where fat is taken out, sugar is put in to give it some taste.
However sugar heavy food is not satiating, and you will be hungry again soon.
In my view this contributed to the obesity crisis and raise in diabetes.
The diabetes code basically says this too.
It might take another decade or longer, but at some time this will become agreed knowledeg.
I have banned low-fat products in my household.

The same is true for eggs, there is probably no limit and you can eat them every day.
my cholesterol went down with weight loss and reducing HbA1c,
while significantly increasing my consumption of eggs (and cheese).

take care and let us know if you have questions and how you get on