Vegan Diet: Reversing Diabetes, Saving Lives

Adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet can help people with Type 2 diabetes achieve remission or significantly decrease their reliance on medication. A 2023 study found that 37% of patients who followed a whole-food, plant-based diet achieved total remission, while the number of patients who needed to use glucose-lowering medications dropped from 40 to 29.

A plant-based diet is a powerful tool for preventing, managing, and even reversing type 2 diabetes. In a 2006 randomised clinical trial, 43% of the vegan group were able to reduce their diabetes medication compared with 26% of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) group. A 2023 study showed that a whole food, plant-based diet can improve insulin resistance in as little as seven days.

A low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet can reverse type 2 diabetes

A low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet can reverse type 2 diabetes. This type of diet has been shown to be effective in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes and putting it into remission.

A low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet can reverse type 2 diabetes by:

• Promoting weight loss: Weight loss is a key factor in improving glycemic control.
• Reducing intracellular fat: Fat accumulation within muscle and liver cells causes insulin resistance.
• Lowering saturated fat intake: Animal products are a major source of saturated fat, which has been linked to reduced insulin sensitivity.
• Increasing fiber intake: Found exclusively in plants, fiber improves blood sugar control by slowing the absorption of glucose.

A low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet that can reverse type 2 diabetes emphasizes:

• Legumes
• Whole grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts and seeds

While discouraging:

• Animal products
• Refined grains
• Added sugars
• Oils

A vegan diet can help achieve remission or significantly decrease reliance on medication

The two key characteristics of WFPB diets that support Type 2 diabetes remission are lower total energy and lower total fat, which lead to reduced energy intake. The concept of eating low-energy-density foods is a popular and proven method for long-term weight loss. This approach allows a person to eat a relatively large volume of food without gaining weight because the ingredients are not highly caloric and are often filled with hunger-busting properties such as fibre. Eating a WFPB diet naturally includes many low-energy-density foods, making it a prime lifestyle choice for people battling diabetes.

A WFPB diet is also associated with reduced blood pressure, lower cholesterol, improved heart health, and improved diabetes outcomes. Foods high in fibre make you feel fuller for longer, which decreases the likelihood of experiencing cravings and overeating. High-fibre foods can help slow down spikes in blood sugar. Plant-predominant diets may also contribute to the reversal of insulin resistance. By avoiding meat, plant-based diets are often hypocaloric and, therefore, associated with improved insulin sensitivity. Plant-based diets are also lower in saturated fats, which are thought to harm pancreatic B-cell function.

A 2023 study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that a WFPB diet decreased the likelihood of premature death in Type 2 diabetes patients. The CDC reports that more than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and Type 2 diabetes makes up 90-95% of those cases. While medications are a major component of Type 2 diabetes care, growing research supports the evidence that lifestyle interventions – including a WFPB diet, exercise, decreased substance use, and proper sleep – can have similarly significant health outcomes as pharmaceutical interventions.

Whole-food, plant-based diets can reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol, improve heart health, and positively impact diabetes outcomes

A whole-food, plant-based diet can be highly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. This is because such a diet can improve insulin resistance through a variety of mechanisms, including:

• Promoting a healthy body weight
• Increasing fibre and phytonutrients
• Improving food-microbiome interactions
• Decreasing saturated fat, advanced glycation end products, nitrosamines, and heme iron

Observational and interventional studies have shown that a plant-based diet can be effective in treating type 2 diabetes and reducing the risk of developing it. In a randomised clinical trial, a low-fat vegan diet was found to be more effective than a conventional diet based on American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines in reducing the need for diabetes medication. The vegan group also saw greater reductions in body weight, LDL cholesterol, and urinary albumin.

A whole-food, plant-based diet can also improve heart health and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. This is because such a diet typically includes:

• Legumes
• Whole grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts and seeds

These foods are high in fibre and protective against diabetes. They can also lower cholesterol and blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases.

A plant-based diet is a powerful tool for preventing, managing, and reversing type 2 diabetes

Diet and lifestyle, particularly plant-based diets, are effective tools for type 2 diabetes prevention and management. Plant-based diets emphasise legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds and discourage most or all animal products. Cohort studies strongly support the role of plant-based diets and their components in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Evidence from observational and interventional studies demonstrates the benefits of plant-based diets in treating type 2 diabetes and reducing key diabetes-related macrovascular and microvascular complications.

A whole-foods, plant-based eating pattern generally includes legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts and is high in fibre. All of these elements have been found to be protective against diabetes. Whole grains, including whole-grain bread, whole-grain cereals, and brown rice, have been associated with reduced risk of developing diabetes. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 cohort studies found a summary relative risk of 0.68 for three daily servings of whole grains. Specific fruits and vegetables, including root vegetables, green leafy vegetables, blueberries, grapes, and apples, have also been linked to lower diabetes rates.

A plant-based diet can reverse type 2 diabetes by improving insulin resistance. This is achieved through the promotion of a healthy body weight, increases in fibre and phytonutrients, food-microbiome interactions, and decreases in saturated fat, advanced glycation end products, nitrosamines, and heme iron.

While previous studies have shown that whole-food, plant-predominant eating patterns can improve diabetes outcomes, the research mainly involved significant calorie restriction, often including fasting or liquid meal replacements. However, liquid meal replacements are not a long-term solution and are not typically recommended unless used for certain situations, such as preparation for bariatric surgery. Instead, healthy lifestyle dietary choices are most important. A balanced diet of high-fibre foods, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, as well as complex carbohydrates, while avoiding refined sugars, can help improve blood glucose levels.

Along with adopting healthier eating habits, weight loss, exercise, stress reduction, and avoiding alcohol can help treat diabetes. Weight loss is a critical factor, and both strength or resistance training and cardio have been found to be helpful in patients with type 2 diabetes. Aim for a goal of 150 minutes of exercise per week. Additionally, stress reduction and healthy sleep habits are important, as is avoiding alcohol.

A plant-based diet can remove excess fat from cells and improve blood glucose control

A plant-based diet can be a powerful tool for preventing and managing type 2 diabetes, and even putting type 2 diabetes into remission. Type 2 diabetes is caused by fat accumulation inside the cells, which is often due to consuming too many calories and too many calories from saturated fat. A low-fat, plant-based diet can remove this excess fat from the cells and improve blood glucose control.

A plant-based diet is associated with improved blood sugar control because it is lower in fat and higher in fibre. Fibre, which is found only in plants, slows down the rate of glucose absorption from the gut. This, in turn, improves blood sugar control. Plant-based diets are also lower in saturated fats, which are known to reduce insulin sensitivity.

In a 2020 randomised controlled trial, researchers found that reducing the fat inside liver and muscle cells improved insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function. Beta cells are the cells in the pancreas that secrete insulin. In another randomised controlled trial, researchers found that a plant-based diet improved blood glucose control and resulted in lower insulin doses, improved insulin sensitivity, and improved blood sugars, all within just seven days.

In addition to improving blood glucose control, a plant-based diet can also lead to weight loss, which is a key factor for improving glycemic control. A meta-analysis published in 2017 estimated that each kilogram of weight lost is associated with a 0.1 percentage point reduction in HbA1c.

Frequently asked questions