Sounds too good to be true, but the evidence we have so far, both from research and professional experience, is that plant-based diet can be very helpful for those who want to tackle type 2 diabetes with a balanced nutrition. What’s even more encouraging is that type 2 diabetes is one of the diseases that has been well researched in relation to plant-based diet. We have previously reviewed studies that look at the benefits of plant-based diet in diabetes, and as a dietitian nutritionist specialized in autoimmunity and clinical nutrition, educated in plant-based, but also as the former head of the Immunology and Diabetes Department at Newcastle University Hospital, I myself have been involved in more than a few cases and have managed to reverse, always with the valuable help and trust of the patient.
In general, increasing vegetable consumption (at least 4 servings per day) is associated with a 58% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, while legumes appear to have an effect on better glucose regulation and a reduction in insulin resistance. At the same time, fruit consumption, which many fear in relation to diabetes because of carbs, shows a reduction in risk, with even small to moderate increases in consumption being beneficial.
How soon should we expect results from a plant-based diet?
With all of the above data, a recent randomized crossover study published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research adds something more. As part of the study, scientists looked at the effect of a vegan diet, versus a diet that includes meat and animal products, in 30 healthy, older adults. According to the findings, participants who followed the vegan diet had significantly lower insulin levels, while they also improved insulin resistance, compared to other participants who consumed meat.
The most striking finding, however, was the time frame in which the benefits were observed. Specifically, the vegan diet appeared to result in significantly lower blood sugar, as well as a lower inflammation index, within 48 hours.
The truth is that we have had researches in the past that demonstrate the rapid improvement in insulin sensitivity with the adoption of a plant-based diet. Specifically, research published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice showed that both vegan and DASH diet, which focuses on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but also includes legumes, nuts, poultry, fish and dairy, showed a reduction in participants’ daily insulin use, with the plant-based diet showing the greatest reduction, up to 39%. On top of this, total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, urinary glucose, leptin and CRP decreased with the plant-based diet at the end of the week, before increasing again with DASH 2.
This means that a mostly plant-based diet can very quickly bring results as far as insulin is concerned. Be careful, however, not to rely on processed vegan foods, which can have the opposite effect if consumed often. The best choices you can make are natural, plant-based foods such as legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains.
Resources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38185769/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37419391/
https://www.pcrm.org/news/health-nutrition/vegan-diet-improves-insulin-resistance-just-two-days
