Can low carb cure diabetes?

The question came up this morning in one of my favorite low carb groups. Can you actually cure type 2 diabetes with a low carb diet? The answer is no. You can eliminate side effects and TREAT your diabetes with a high fat, adequate protein, low carbohydrate diet. This is not the same as a cure.

It can FEEL like a cure when your blood pressure goes to normal, your weight drops, your GERD goes away, your joints no longer ache, your zits clear, and your doctor says it's time to go off the Metformin. But believe me. You still aren't "cured".


Whether due to genetics or cell damage or a combination of both, once you cross in to diabetic territory, you can't go back to eating breakfast cereal, candy bars, swigging juice, having 6 or more slices of bread a day, or living on a diet or rice and potatoes no matter what the American Diabetes Association tells you. Your body simply can not handle the damage caused by excess carbohydrate intake. Cutting those carbs does not cure the underlying issue, but it will sure help.

Look at it this way, if you have a dog and develop allergies, then get rid of the dog, your dog allergy isn't "cured". You just eliminated a trigger. Go back to spending time with a dog again and your allergies will flare up, clearly reminding you there is still an allergy.

Here are the thoughts of a few of the other forum posters on this topic...

Vickie S: "I'm not diabetic but I'm under the impression I will always have a problem with sugar and processed foods. I don't imagine this will ever change. Even after I lose weight I will forever need to stay on track. It's finally clicked (after many years of going on and off) why this WOE is a forever thing and not just something I do to lose weight. Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth. :-) "


Tami C: "I will ALWAYS be a diabetic. However, I don't have to be a diabetic with high blood sugar. My fasting bs is in the 80's. I don't get spikes as high as I used to if I eat something a bit more carby but they still happen. (say high 100's as compared to 300's) If I went back to eating high carb foods again I would be right back where I started."


Kevin B: "Grew up in Canarsie so the old saying goes "you can take the boy out of Brooklyn, but you can't take the Brooklyn out of the boy" applies to diabetes? i.e. "you can take the diabetic symptoms out of the boy, but you can't take the boy out of being a diabetic?"