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 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 around the middle and eat a meal full of carbs, your blood sugar and insulin spike more than if you ate a meal with lots of butter or olive oil—but your body doesn’t make as much insulin for how much sugar is in your blood.

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.

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.

If you eat fiber or protein before carbs, your blood sugar spikes less after meals — and this helps both healthy people and those with type 2 diabetes, though the effect might be stronger in one group than the other.