Over 29 million (9.3%) of Americans have diabetes, according to a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of those with diabetes, one in every four doesn’t even know that he or she has it. According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report, 1.7 million people 20 years or older were newly diagnosed with diabetes just in 2012.

The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 Diabetes, which causes the body not to produce insulin properly. Many diets have been proposed to help cope with the disease, but studies published by the National Institute Of Health and on Diabetesjourals.org have shown that low carb diets have proven to be more useful at reducing weight among people with Type 2 Diabetes, as well as effective at maintaining blood glucose levels.

The reason for this is pretty simple. Your body converts carbohydrates into glucose, which raises your blood sugar. Processed carbohydrates, like white bread or white flour, gets converted into your body as glucose way faster than unprocessed carbs. Try to consume whole grains and fruit more, They will slow the conversion process down and give your body.

So if you are someone who consumes a lot of carbs, particularly processed carbs, you may be feeding more glucose to your body than your it actually needs, and that glucose is converted into fat. This is especially dangerous for diabetics, not just because it can cause a spike in blood glucose level, but once the body begins converting glucose into fat, the blood sugar can then quickly drop again.

Here is a guide to help people with Type 2 Diabetes to manage weight and maintain better blood sugar while on a low carb diet.

Do The Numbers

According to the CDC study, average Americans gets about 50 ­ 60 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates. Therefore, If you consume a 2,000-calorie diet, that contains about 275 grams in carbs. Try cutting it down to 30 ­ 40 percent of your daily total calorie intake, that’s about 125 grams of carbs for a 2,000-calorie diet. Low carb diets will not only help keep the fat off but will keep the blood sugar from dropping.

Choose Carbohydrates Wisely

Carb’s aren’t bad, but some may be healthier than the other. So it is important to choose the right ones for you. Stay away from processed carbohydrates, as they will cause your body to produce more glucose quickly than it has insulin to keep up with it. That extra glucose will become fat. The best carbohydrate-containing foods are nutrient-packed foods in several of the basic food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, and milk and milk products. Also, choose whole grains, they contain important minerals like selenium, potassium, and magnesium, and avoid added sugar as much as possible. Foods with added sugar are high in calorie and low in nutrients – and that combination does not help your body.

Eat Lots Of Low Fat High Protein Foods

Proteins are essential for your body, as they contain amino acid and help you lose fat and build lean muscle mass. Most types of beans like ­navy, black, pinto, lentils, all are high in protein and low in fat. Tofu is another excellent choice, as are lean meats, like chicken and fish. Herring, Mackerel, Sardines, Salmon etc. are also a very good choice, because they also contain high levels of good omega-­3 fatty acids and very low fat. Also of these choices don’t contain any carbs. Nuts make a great high protein snack, which also contains rich omega-­3 fats. You can also try seafood, low-fat dairy products, and greek yogurt as good protein options.

Exercise

Although it is not a part of the low carb diets, exercise is extremely important for the diet to work and for you to maintain good health. Studies have shown that regular exercise reduces blood sugar, controls LDL cholesterol and helps control weight. On the other hand, inactive lifestyles can actually worsen diabetes, increase blood pressure, and increase weight, which only makes it worse.

Exercise helps you lose weight, increase your bodies sensitivity to insulin, and speed up your metabolism. All these changes will help you keep the weight and blood sugar stable. Moderate Exercise like regular walking is also a great energy booster and one of the best things you can do to maintain a healthy diet.