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Because the GL Diet helps control blood glucose levels, it is beneficial to people with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body has lost the ability to tightly control the level of glucose in the blood. You’ll remember that in Chapter 2 we talked about how it’s the job of insulin to control blood glucose levels. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin and/or it stops working effectively.

Choosing a low-GL diet for people with type 2 diabetes makes sense – glucose is released more slowly into the bloodstream and less insulin is needed in order to keep blood glucose levels steady. For people who aren’t producing enough insulin, this means it’s easier to keep blood glucose levels balanced.

The scientists certainly seem to agree with us. A team from Colorado State University in the US looked at the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in urban areas of industrialized countries. The scientists found that over the past 200 years, the consumption of refined cereals and sugars has increased at almost the same rate as type 2 diabetes. The team concluded that the increased sugar in people’s diets was clearly linked to higher insulin levels and the subsequent increase in type 2 diabetes.

Another study of over 40,000 health professionals reported that a high-GL diet increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Similar findings were also reported by the American Medical Association who found that the women who ate more high-GL foods had a greater incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Both the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and Diabetes UK, the leading UK charity for people with diabetes, recommend a low-glycaemic, high-fibre diet as a means of maintaining good control of blood glucose levels and for helping to maintain a healthy weight.

A low-GL diet, along with regular activity, can help to control your diabetes and reduce your risk of serious long-term diabetes-related complications.

Even small changes to your diet can make a difference. Two large scientific reviews showed that a low-glycaemic diet has a positive effect on blood glucose control in people who already have diabetes, and that swapping just one high-glycaemic food for a low-glycaemic alternative can have a beneficial effect.

You can get more helpful information about diabetes from the UK charity www.diabetes.org.uk.

‘The increasing prevalence of diabetes has huge social and financial implications for developed countries. With increasing incidence of conditions such as the metabolic syndrome, predisposing people to diabetes, the trend is even more worrying. I am convinced that making diet and lifestyle changes to reduce the risk or improve the treatment of diabetes is one of the most critical steps an individual can take. The GL Diet combines the fundamental principles of a healthy balanced diet with practical advice to help improve glycaemic control and long-term health.’

Sir Michael Hirst

Trustee and former Chairman of Diabetes UK

‘I’ve had type 2 diabetes for 12 years. When I stick to a low-GL diet my blood sugars (and therefore mood, energy levels and so on) are easy to control. It’s made life very simple, and even though I’m on the road a lot, I find that with only a bit of thinking ahead I have no problem sticking to it. I’ve also lost quite a bit of weight, which has pleased my diabetes nurse very much!’

Gary from Bedfordshire