Cavan David - The low-carb diabetes cookbook: 100 delicious recipes to help control type 1 & reverse type 2 diabetes

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Epub ISBN: 9781473551732

Version 1.0

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Vermilion, an imprint of Ebury Publishing,

20 Vauxhall Bridge Road,

London SW1V 2SA

Vermilion is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

Copyright David Cavan 2018, Emma Porter 2018 and Diabetes Digital Media Limited 2018
Cover photography by Kim Lightbody
Cover design by Two Associates

David Cavan and Emma Porter have asserted their right to be identified as the authors of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Photography: Kim Lightbody

Food Styling: Becci Woods

Design: Maru Studio

Project Management: Laura Nickoll

First published by Vermilion in 2018

www.eburypublishing.co.uk

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 9781785041402

The information in this book has been compiled by way of general guidance in relation to the specific subjects addressed, but is not a substitute and not to be relied on for medical, healthcare, pharmaceutical or other professional advice on specific circumstances and in specific locations. So far as the authors are aware the information given is correct and up to date as at June 2018. Practice, laws and regulations all change, and the reader should obtain up to date professional advice on any such issues. The authors and publishers disclaim, as far as the law allows, any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use, or misuse, of the information contained in this book.

With great thanks to my baby girl, Florence, my most treasured sous chef, and to my husband, Ports, for trying my failures and my successes, and always being honest and believing in me. Heartfelt thanks also to my ever-supportive, loving parents.

A special thanks to David Cavan: it has been a huge honour to work on this book with him and a privilege to have his trust, support and belief in my recipes.

Thanks to my agent, Jonathan Hayden, whose hard work and dedication made this book possible; and also to Jules Gammond, Henrique Coimbra, Amy Picanco, Lara Clarke, Melanie Houghton, Simon Cope, Amy, Will and Elowen Searle, Rob and Tess Porter; to my brilliant diabetes team at Great Western Hospital, most notably Amanda Martin; to the wonderful creative work of Laura Nickoll, Sophie Yamamoto, Kim Lightbody and Becci Woods; and to PRH for believing in our vision.

And that leaves me with my wonderful readers, who have stuck with me throughout my journey from blogger to author! Diabetes is a hard disease, it is 24/7, 365 days a year. There is so much support out there for everyone with diabetes and their families, especially from online communities and forums such as diabetes.co.uk. Be open, honest, ask questions and never forget that you control your diabetes, it shouldnt control you.

Emma Porter

I am hugely grateful to Emma, whose passion, determination and adaptability as well as her skill as a creator of great recipes, made this book possible.

David Cavan

AS A CONSULTANT specialising in diabetes, it is fair to say that for most of my career, I focused on advising medication first and foremost as the means to help people achieve good control of their diabetes. And yet in so many cases, without success. Then, less than ten years ago, I actually started to focus in detail on what my patients were eating, and realised that the officially recommended low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet was a big part of the problem, contributing to excess weight gain and poor diabetes control. I therefore started to advise a low-carbohydrate, healthy fat diet, as outlined in my book, Reverse your Diabetes: the Step by Step Plan to Take Control of Type 2 Diabetes.

Following its publication, I very soon started receiving reports from people who had adopted the recommended diet and seen great improvements in their weight and their diabetes control. Many were able to come off medication and some were successful in reversing their diabetes.

However, the benefits of such a diet are not just confined to those with type 2 diabetes. Given that highly refined carbohydrates contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, it is extremely effective for people with prediabetes, to help prevent them progressing to developing full-blown type 2 diabetes, and for those who are gaining weight and at risk of prediabetes in the future. It is also effective in enabling people with type 1 diabetes to achieve stable glucose control on less insulin, which means less risk of hypos and less risk of unwanted weight gain.

It has therefore been a great pleasure to team up with Emma Porter, a successful food writer who herself has type 1 diabetes, in writing this book. Not only has she compiled some great and healthy recipes, her experience of living with diabetes and with the impact of how food affects glucose control brings a welcome and unique credibility.

AS A TYPE 1 diabetic, I spent a lot of my younger years trying to be normal by largely ignoring my diagnosis: drinking and eating what I wanted and behaving just like my non-diabetic friends.

I was young, naive and newly diagnosed. I was bullied in my early teens causing me to comfort eat, and although I never had an unhealthy relationship with food, I used chocolate as a comforter, as a soothing, kind friend that helped ease my sadness and loneliness.

Following my diagnosis I was constantly misinformed by the medical profession about what I should and shouldnt eat. Repeatedly doctors and nutritionists told me that I should consume a low-fat, high-carb diet and drink diet drinks. I followed this lifestyle for years and experienced only a constant blood sugar rollercoaster while never really understanding WHY. When, all along, the simple answer was the food I was eating.

In my mid-twenties, I took hold of the reins of my disease. Contrary to the dietary advice I was being given, I decided on a low-carb approach. I realised that the only person who could change and make things better for me was me. I cooked every single meal, I got up earlier to eat breakfast or I prepared it the night before. I made things like frittatas () to take with me to work as snacks and the results were pretty instant. I started sharing the food I was making on social media and my blog and people started to follow me. They tried the dishes I was making and the feedback was truly astonishing.