In adults with type 2 diabetes, eating a diet lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein leads to measurable improvements in how the pancreas releases insulin in response to meals, including more efficient insulin secretion and greater sensitivity to blood glucose levels.

In adults with type 2 diabetes, eating a diet with less carbohydrate and more protein for six weeks leads to lower blood glucose levels after meals and throughout the day, even without losing weight.

If you're overweight and have type 2 diabetes, eating fewer carbs and more protein for 6 weeks can slightly lower your blood sugar better than the usual diabetes diet—even if you lose the same amount of weight—because your blood sugar stays more stable throughout the day.

In adults with type 2 diabetes, eating a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein leads to a 235% increase in glucagon release after meals and slows stomach emptying by 15 minutes, which is associated with greater feelings of fullness and lower blood sugar spikes.

In adults with type 2 diabetes, eating a diet lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein lowers specific markers of insulin production that are linked to pancreatic stress, suggesting the pancreas is handling insulin production more efficiently.

If you swap out a small amount of fatty foods for sugary or starchy ones for six weeks, your body releases less insulin after eating—even though your blood sugar goes up the same—which might mean your pancreas isn’t working as well.