For remission of diabetes, the energy consumption suggestions were:
• Carbohydrate should make up between 50 and 56 percent
• Proteins should make up 18 to 20 percent
• Fat should be 21 to 27 percent
• Dietary fibre should account for three to five percent of energy consumption.
Additionally, those who were physically active were recommended to take a four percent increased reduction in their carbohydrate consumption to those who weren’t.
As to what an ideal plate of food would look like in this scenario, Dr Mohan said: “Vegetables, not the starchy ones like potato, should make up half the plate. These could be any green leafy vegetables, beans, cabbage, cauliflower; these can be changed every day. A quarter of the plate should be protein such as fish, chicken or soya. A small quantity of rice or one or maximum two chapatis should make up the other quarter.”
Where does this study differ?
This study differs, says Dr Mohan, in asking people to reduce carbohydrates by comparatively little amount: “There are many trials that have shown that drastic reduction in calories, such as consuming 800 calories or completely doing away with carbohydrates, have shown rapid weight loss and reversal of diabetes. Those findings are correct but the method is not sustainable.”