Plant-based eating helps manage and may prevent diabetes

About 38 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 97.6 million have prediabetes. The good news is that lifestyle — including healthy eating — can play an important role in managing diabetes and preventing type 2 diabetes.

One way to eat healthier is to follow a plant-based diet. This type of diet focuses on whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables and limits meat and dairy. Studies have found that plant-based eating reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and is effective in keeping diabetes under control.

Here are several ways plant-based eating may help:

• Weight management — Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index or BMI. While cutting out meat doesn’t guarantee weight loss, plant foods are high in fiber and volume, making it easier to feel full on fewer calories. Weight loss reduces insulin resistance, meaning your body can use its own insulin more effectively to control blood sugar levels.
• Heart health — Whole food, plant-based diets can help reduce inflammation. This type of diet also contributes to lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Managing these risk factors is essential because people with diabetes and prediabetes have a significantly higher risk of heart disease. Swapping out mostly animal-based saturated fats with plant-based unsaturated fats may help the cells in the body respond properly to insulin.
• Protective nutrients — Nuts, seeds, deep-green veggies, and whole grains are especially high in magnesium, a nutrient linked with a lower risk of diabetes. Plant foods in general are packed with chemicals that protect the body’s cells and help with insulin sensitivity. Also, the organisms that live in our gut play a role in diabetes risk. Many plant foods, including oats, asparagus, onions, and garlic, are good sources of prebiotics that help keep the gut healthy.

Choosing the best plant foods

Plant-based foods include kale chips and sugar snap peas, but also include processed and unhealthy foods such as potato chips and sugary fruit drinks. The benefits of plant-based eating come from eating minimally processed plant foods.

Unbeneficial plant-based foods include fruit juices, sweetened beverages, and refined grains. It’s wise to limit these foods, whether you have diabetes or not.

Plant-based meal ideas

Talk with your dietitian or doctor if you have diabetes and are interested in trying a plant-based diet. Even if you aren’t ready to go completely meatless, you can incorporate more tasty, meat-free meals with recipes from our doctors, nurses, and dietitians.

Learn more about diabetes and prediabetes. Get information on other benefits of a plant-based diet.