A 36-week study from Stanford University compared the benefits of two diets — a Mediterranean diet and a ketogenic diet — for treating 33 individuals with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 19, 2022). Both diets were based on eating lots of non-starchy foods that do not cause a high rise in blood sugar, and avoiding foods that cause a high rise in blood sugar such as sugar-added foods or drinks and foods made from flour (ground-up whole grains). The participants spent 12 weeks on one diet and then switched to the other diet for another 12 weeks, ending with 12 weeks of follow-up.
In this study, the main differences between the two diets were that legumes, fruits, and whole (unground) grains were avoided in the keto diet and included in the Mediterranean diet. The keto diet severely restricted all carbohydrates in beans, fruits, and whole grains, while the Mediterranean diet restricted only the sugary foods and drinks and refined carbohydrates that cause a high rise in blood sugar. The study found that both diets can help people control high blood sugar levels….