One of the most important diet questions for people with diabetes is to decide how much protein you need to eat each day. Yet it’s something that few people consider.
While the debate still rages over how many grams of carbohydrates and fats that we should eat, people with diabetes tend to ignore the key role that this third macronutrient plays. Your body uses protein to build and repair bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood as well as to make key chemicals in our bodies, including enzymes and hormones.
Not until a couple of years ago did I pay much attention to how much protein my body needs. Only when I adopted a vegetarian diet in addition to the low-carb lifestyle that I have followed for years to manage my Type 2 diabetes, did I realize I would need to get more protein now that I don’t eat fish or meat.
If you are a vegetarian, like me, or a vegan, you are a part of a large group of people who need to make a special effort to get enough protein. The people who are trying to lose weight also need to give attention to how much protein they consume. But if you have kidney disease, one of the potentially most serious complications of diabetes, the amount of protein you eat can be even more important.