Banting's Diet

Just a quick post-script during my travels.

The title does not refer to the Banting who wrote the "Letter on Corpulence" but to the Banting who discovered insulin. Although both Bantings appear to have had some similar dietary views.

I was re-reading the fascinating story of Lois Jovanovic's grand-mother, which I refer to in SMBG - A Doctor Who Understands when something I missed earlier caught my eye.

Read again the letter an 8-year-old girl wrote to Dr Banting.



In addition to marvelling at the courage of that little girl giving herself injections with the size and type of syringe available in 1922, note this section on diet:

"I have been sugar-free for the last five days and getting about 1900 calories consisting of Pro 60 Fat 163 Ch 44."

Those numbers do work out close to 1900 calories. The percentages of calories from macronutriuents are approximately:

Protein 13%
Fat 78%
Carbohydrates 9%

That was the diet Banting, the discoverer of insulin, appears to have prescribed to his patient.

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter