How plants help to prevent, treat and even reverse type 2 diabetes

Since 2017, almost 3.7 million people have been diagnosed with Diabetes in the UK. This is a scary statistic and shows us that something needs to change to decrease these ever-growing numbers. Thankfully, there is something we can do to reduce our risk of developing diabetes (or even reverse it if you have already been diagnosed) and that is to go plant based. A high complex carbohydrate, low fat vegan diet is excellent for preventing and treating diabetes type 2. 85-90% of those who suffer with Diabetes have type 2 diabetes and this form of diabetes is largely lifestyle related.

What is type 2 Diabetes?

Simply put, type 2 diabetes is a build-up of too much sugar in your bloodstream. But how does too much sugar end up in your bloodstream? When we eat foods containing carbohydrate our body breaks it down to simple sugars which end up in our blood. Usually, insulin then transports these sugars from our blood to where it’s needed (muscle/liver) for fuel or to be stored or used later & our blood sugars then return to a normal range. In some people, insulin cannot effectively move the sugars into your muscle, liver and fat tissues because (1) there is not enough insulin released from the pancreas or (2) there is enough insulin, but it is unable to move the sugars out of the blood & into the cells (largely due to excess fat). By losing weight and opting for a low-fat plant-based diet this allows insulin to work more effectively.

One study conducted found that after just 16 days on a plant -based diet diabetes could be reversed!! Yes that’s correct, not only can it be managed, but this condition can be reversed with proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. It was also believed that carbohydrates were the primary cause of this condition. However, although refined unhealthy carbohydrate foods (like sweets, white sugar, white rice, white bread, sugary cereals etc) don’t help with blood sugar levels, it is in fact saturated fats that block the receptors and therefore reduce insulins ability to do its job!

The glycemic index (GI) just indicates a food’s effect on blood sugar. Although brown rice is healthier than white rice for example (it is unrefined and so it is higher in fibre), white and brown rice have a similar the effect on blood sugar. The same with regular pasta- Regular pasta is refined, but surprisingly is a low GI food. However, it’s always better to go with the unrefined wholemeal pasta option for increased fibre.

Tips to Prevent/Treat Type 2 Diabetes

• Eliminate all animal products (including eggs, poultry, red meat, fish and all dairy as these are packed full of saturated fats and cholesterol and no fibre) or limit as much as possible.
• Fill your plate up with high fibre foods and aim to consume around 40g of fibre every day (fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes)
• Aim to consume low GI carbohydrate foods (high GI is absorbed rapidly and leads to a BSL spike (sugar, white potatoes, white bread, cereals) whereas low GI foods raise the BSL more steadily (wholegrains, fruit with skin on, legumes, nuts and seeds)
• Limit high fat foods such as olives, avocado, nuts and seeds- although healthy they do contain fats so limiting these foods is advisable. Avoiding foods such as oils, pastries, fried foods is also a great idea especially if you are the pre-diabetes stage or already have diabetes.
• Exercise daily, even a brisk 30-minute walk daily is great for blood sugar control and general health.

Benefits of a Vegan Lifestyle for Preventing and Treating Diabetes:

• Studies have shown that a plant-based diet can lead to twice as much weight loss than a conventional diabetes diet. improved energy and increased satiety was also experienced by those on a plant-based diet compared to the non-vegetarian group.
• Plant based diets lower diabetes risk according to a meta- analysis published in 13 studies were reviewed that compared vegetarian with non-vegetarian diets. Those who followed a vegetarian diet had less diabetes risk (further reduction again with those who followed vegan diets). The reduced risk led to improved insulin sensitivity, lower BMI (Body mass index) improved HbA1c levels and increased consumption of wholegrains, fruits & vegetables.
• Diets rich in leafy green vegetables, antioxidant rich plants (berries, red cabbage) reduce inflammation and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Individuals following a plant-based diet experience reduction in BSL, body weight and cardiovascular risk compared to diets including animal products.
• A low-fat plant-based diet can reverse Diabetes, and some studies have shown this is possible.
• A 2016 study by the Canadian Diabetes Association found that a plant-based diet is best for those with type 2 Diabetes. 13 studies were reviewed, and it was found these patients their insulin sensitivity, reduced diabetes medications, and naturally lowered their intakes of cholesterol and saturated fats by cutting out animal products and increasing plant foods. Therefore, these studies show that carbohydrates do not cause diabetes, in fact, the right type of carbohydrates fight diabetes!

References

Lee Y, Park K. Adherence to a vegetarian diet and diabetes risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutrients. 2017;9:603-614.

Kahleova H, Klementova M, Herynek V, et al. The effect of a vegetarian vs conventional hypocaloric diabetic diet on thigh adipose tissue distribution in subjects with type 2 diabetes: a randomized study. J Am Coll Nutr. Published online June 10, 2017.

Freeman AM, Morris PB, Barnard N, et al. Trending cardiovascular nutrition controversies. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;69:1172-1187

Rinaldi S, Campbell EE, Fournier J, O’Connor C, Madill J. A comprehensive review of the literature supporting recommendations from the Canadian Diabetes Association for the use of a plant-based diet for management of type 2 diabetes. Can J Diabetes. Published online July 28, 2016.