Effects of Protein on Blood Glucose Levels.

Usually, carbohydrates are the "go to" source of blood glucose and our bodies can break carbs down into glucose pretty quickly (simple and/or high glycemic foods very quickly and complex/low glycemic foods a bit more slowly.)

In the absence of carbs, our bodies can also covert protein to blood glucose.  Our bodies need glucose to survive, and our brain's sole energy source is glucose.  So with no other source, our bodies are designed to use what it has, to make what it needs.

So yes, protein will raise our blood glucose - if it's only a small rise, it's normal (even in non-diabetic people) and necessary for our brains to stay functional.

Some things to be aware of:

• Eating fat only for a long period of time is not the answer.  High amounts of fat tend to make our bodies *more* insulin resistance, so that it takes MORE insulin to get energy into our cells.  This is exactly the opposite of what we want.(1)
• Insulin resistance means that our cells are not using insulin effectively.  In effect, we don't have "enough" insulin because it takes more of it to get energy into our cells.  With "enough" insulin, protein causes a very slow, minimal rise in blood glucose levels.
• Eating *LOW* protein is not the answer either.  Our bodies need protein to build and retain muscle mass.  If we don't eat enough protein, we lose muscle and strength.  
• Eating small amounts of protein *prior* to a meal tends to INCREASE insulin sensitivity.

My (old, in another state) endocrinologist told me that a good ratio is 60% fat (emphasis on healthy fat)/30% protein/10% carbs.

But then what?

Doesn't it seem like we're between a rock and a hard place?

Eating fat makes us insulin resistant, and eating protein converts to glucose!

The thing is...all of these studies are based on high carbohydrate diets.

If we eat a "normal" amount of carbohydrate, then yes...fat will cause problems.  But when we lower our carb counts to a "low" carb diet, the body switches from using carbs for its main energy to using fat for its main energy.

Since carbs are no longer the main energy source, there is less insulin, and so insulin resistance is not as much of a problem.  

When we use carbs as our main energy source, our cells are FULL of glucose and so when we put more carbs in, there is nowhere for them to go, except to hang out in our blood.  Since there is glucose in our blood, there will also be insulin in our blood...our cells (being already full) resists the insulin's attempt to get more glucose into our cells.

When we move to fats as our main source of energy, our cells have less glucose, so that when there is glucose in our blood, and there is insulin, it can get into our cells more easily.

So>>>

This blog is all about information, without judging or pushing.  I am convinced that a low carb (although not necessarily keto,) moderate protein and high fat eating plan is what most diabetics will do well on.

Some of will get there by other paths, some will go straight there, and others may not get there at all - we all have different lives to live and it's worth it sometimes to just eat in a way that is going to fit what we have to do.

But the information is here, should you want it.

(1)Protein: metabolism and effect on blood glucose.