Intermittent fasting (IF) is a type of diet plan that involves limiting your calorie intake and eating at appropriate times. There are different ways to do that, some restricting calorie intake, while others restrict eating at night or at certain times of the day. The article states whether it is beneficial for people with diabetes or not. Let’s find out.Also Read – Diabetes: 5 Healthy Detox Drink Recipes to Maintain Blood Sugar Levels
Nutritionist Sonia Bakshi says that “Intermittent fasting for diabetic patients ie. Cutting back on meals and/or restricting entire food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies. When you really deprive the body of nutrients, your body not only breaks down fat but also muscle.” She also mentions 5 reasons why diabetics should not opt for intermittent fasting. Also Read – Weight Loss Mistakes: 5 Reasons Why Intermittent Fasting Doesn’t Help You
5 Health Reasons Why Intermittent Fasting Is Not A Safe Choice For Diabetics:
- Skipping whole meals can lead to poor blood glucose control, not to mention problems like fatigue and low energy, and thus an increased risk of injury.
- Skipping meals can also cause diabetics to make poor dietary choices, which can adversely affect their waistline and blood sugar. If you haven’t eaten for hours, for example, you may be more inclined to reach for a plate of carb-heavy pastries or pasta.
- A plan that severely restricts a person’s calories or asks them to skip meals can be difficult to stick to even in the long term. While weight loss can be short-term, there is always a risk of regaining the weight, which in turn increases the risk of diabetes complications.
- A major risk of intermittent fasting for people with diabetes is hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. It doubles the risk of hypoglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes and is therefore life-threatening.
- Blood sugar management can be a real concern with intermittent fasting for people with type 2 diabetes. That’s why it’s important to discuss intermittent fasting with your physician, monitor your blood sugar closely, and know that your medications may also need to be adjusted. Your dietitian and endocrinologist can help guide and support you through this.
Instead, it’s safer to reduce your portion sizes, increase your physical activity between meals, and make healthy food swaps if you have diabetes. Also Read – Is jaggery good or bad for diabetics? Here’s what we know
