Researchers (Koopmans et al. Cardiovascular Diabetology 2011, 10:64.) are continually trying to determine what causes changes in a diabetic patient that lead to the added risk they seem to have of developing additional diseases - such as heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease - to name a few.

Earlier this year, a study was conducted on pigs (they are a good comparison to humans - pun not intended) using 3 different types of diets to see if any increases in blood sugar, blood cholesterol, insulin levels, fatty deposits in the arteries, and C-Reactive Protein levels materialized.  The different diets were the high saturated fat, high unsaturated fat, and higher starch.  All the diets had the same amount of calories, it's just how much of each type of fuel they contained. 

Guess what they found?  Surprise, surprise - dietary saturated fat caused inflammation (increased C-reactive protein), fatty deposits in the arteries, and additional fat deposits.  A diet high in unsaturated fats did not have the same effect and actually had improved effects on the blood glucose levels.

Every time I read another study about cardiovascular disease or aging, it seems to me that the Mediterranean diet is the one that wins out.   I have written multiple articles on the research findings, and regardless of humans, mice or pigs, the less starchy and higher monounsaturated fat diet wins out.  I am starting to believe them.

As a dietitian, I was taught that a high carbohydrate, low fat diet was the answer.  To almost everything, including diabetes, losing weight, etc.  But now I am seeing a plethora of evidence that the saturated fat in our diets is a killer. 

Read your labels, learn what foods have the trans fat and saturated fat.  Even if you don't have diabetes (which, like 60% of Americans will have soon), you will benefit from consuming a diet that contains less than 15% of calories from saturated fat, and 0% from trans fat.  Fat is spelled out on the label, and I think that this is your call once again to pay attention to the amounts that you eat. 

I used to teach a cardiac diet class, and instead of giving them a percentage of fat to eat, I told them no more than 30 gm fat and 10 gm saturated fat.  I think that still works, although if the fat is monounsaturated (EVOO) you can get away with more.

If you are concerned about your diabetes and feel you need to get it under control, start out with a diabetes diet plan.  We offer several meal plan levels, and lots more information about how to follow one on our website at the diabetic diet hub. 

What part of the Mediterranean diet do you love?  OR Hate?