The “diabetic diet” doesn’t exist. There is too much controversy — but there shouldn’t be. It is becoming more and more evident that a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet is the way to go for controlling diabetes, while the high-carb, low-fat diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association simply does not work.

The ADA has “breads, grains, and other starches” at the base or foundation of its food pyramid. Then come fruits and vegetables on the next level. It isn’t until the third and fourth levels of their pyramid that we find dairy products, meat, fish, and so on. This makes carbohydrates the foundation of their nutrition plan.

Since diabetes is a disease of carbohydrate intolerance, this seems a bit strange, to say the least. Carbohydrates in the amounts the ADA suggests serve only to raise blood glucose levels and raise the necessity for more insulin to control those glucose levels. The ADA pyramid contributes to complications from diabetes, it doesn’t minimize or lessen them.

If, however, the ADA pyramid were turned on its head, it would be a pretty good diabetes diet plan. Make proteins the foundation: meat, fish, eggs and dairy. Add some vegetables at the next level, such as salad greens, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, gourds and squash. On the third level place slowly-digested starches such as kidney beans and lentils, and at the top of the pyramid leave room for a serving of alcohol or nuts.

Even the ADA has come around to admitting that the low-carb diet helps control diabetes, but can’t bring itself to actually recommend such a diet. They seem to think it is too difficult to maintain it for the “long term”.

Nevertheless there is a growing population of diabetics who are thriving on the low-carb, high protein diet. They have maintained it for years. It is not difficult, because cravings for carbohydrates decreases after the first few weeks. A high-carbohydrate diet on the other hand perpetuates itself by creating cravings for more carbs. But the cravings pass when hunger is satisfied with protein.

The upside-down ADA diet also lends itself to easier weight control. It isn’t always true that you are what you eat. Fat doesn’t make you fat as much as carbohydrates make you fat. A low-fat, high carbohydrate diet will make you fatter than a low-carbohydrate, high-protein (with its fats) diet.

If there were any commercial diet plan out there that we would recommend as the “diabetic diet”, it would be a low-carbohydrate, high protein diet. Lose weight, lose the carb cravings, and most important, control the carbohydrate-induced blood-sugar levels.

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