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 adults with type 2 diabetes eat fewer carbs—dropping from about a third to less than a fifth of their daily calories for three months—they might see their average blood sugar drop by a full point, and the more they cut carbs, the better their blood sugar control tends to get.

If adults with type 2 diabetes lose 5% or more of their weight in 3 months using a low-carb app, they see better blood sugar control than those who lose less weight.

If you have type 2 diabetes and eat very few carbs (like less than a slice of bread per meal) while getting ongoing support from a doctor or coach, you might lower your blood sugar so much that you can stop taking diabetes meds—and for many people, that improvement lasts a year or even two.

If you're overweight and have type 2 diabetes, cutting carbs and eating more protein for 6 weeks can lower your blood fats (triglycerides) 18% more than the usual diabetes diet—even if you lose the same amount of weight—meaning your body handles fats better.

For overweight people with type 2 diabetes, eating fewer carbs and more protein for 6 weeks makes it more likely their blood sugar will dip low without them feeling it—82% had low readings compared to 70% on a normal diet—but no one passed out or had a medical emergency.