Diabetes Recipes: Low-Fat, Plant-Based, Whole-Food Nutrition (2024)

FAQs

Is whole food plant-based diet good for diabetics? ›

A whole-foods, plant-based eating pattern generally includes legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and is high in fiber. All of these elements have been found to be protective against diabetes.

A new study found that lifestyle changes that include a whole-food, plant-based diet can reverse type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the most prevalent non-communicable disease in the world. In the United States alone, a total of 37.3 million people have diabetes, which equals 11.3 percent of the US population.

Vegan diets and diabetes

Vegan diets tend to be lower in saturated fat, higher in fibre, fruit and vegetables and other protective substances like phytochemicals and antioxidants – as a result, they fit well with the current dietary guidelines for people with diabetes.

Cons of a Plant-Based Diet

Potential Nutrient Deficiencies: Vegetarian and vegan diets need to pay extra attention to ensure they're getting enough protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12 in their diets.

Research on diabetes management also supports the use of both vegan and vegetarian diets. A meta-analysis that looked at five studies on vegans and one on lacto-ovo-vegetarians found that both types of diets reduced A1c levels over an average 24-week period.

Increase fiber intake.

High-fiber foods include most vegetables and fruits. Legumes are also high in fiber and healthy plant protein. Legumes include lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas, edamame, and soy. People who eat a lot of high-fiber foods tend to eat fewer calories, weigh less, and have a lower risk of diabetes.

The Ideal Reverse Diabetes Diet Plan

Complex Carbohydrates: Give priority to slow-digesting, high-fiber carbs found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. By allowing glucose to enter the bloodstream gradually, these complex carbs help to avoid abrupt rises in blood sugar levels.

Researchers find benefits in already healthy individuals after just four weeks of going meatless. A new study of 22 pairs of identical twins found that compared with their meat-eating sibling, individuals who followed a vegan diet improved cholesterol, blood sugar, and body weight in just eight weeks.

This type of diet is extreme. It means working with a professional and being very controlled with how many calories you eat. But the chance that it could send you into remission may give you strong motivation to stick to it. Most of the people who reversed their type 2 diabetes lost 30 pounds or more.

Are impossible burgers OK for diabetics? ›

With just 9 grams of net carbs, the Impossible Burger definitely falls under a good low-carb diet. Still, people with diabetes need to make sure they are getting enough carbs to work with their insulin regimen and the proper amount of vitamins and healthy fruits and vegetables. So, eat up, and enjoy!

If that reversal lasts for more than three months without the use of blood sugar-lowering medications, the diabetes can be considered in remission. Whether your type 2 diabetes is in reversal or remission, it is not cured; you still need to be regularly monitored for the disease.

Takeaway. A person with diabetes should include a variety of fresh, whole foods in their diet, such as nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a safe and nutritious fruit for people with diabetes to eat in moderation as part of a balanced, individualized eating plan.

One final pitfall of the vegan diet that can affect people with diabetes, in particular, is that it's easy to overdo it on the carbs, which can affect your blood sugar levels. Plant foods tend to be higher in carbs than animal foods, so a vegan diet will naturally be higher in carbs than an omnivorous diet.

Instead of jam try mashed banana. Other healthy choices are low-fat cheese, cottage cheese with a couple of fresh chopped dates, or nut butter (make sure the one you buy doesn't have any additions like sugar or palm oil) and chopped banana. Try to keep croissants, pastries and muffins as an occasional treat.

Is Whole Earth Infusions – MCT appropriate for individuals with diabetes? Yes. Whole Earth Infusions – MCT is appropriate for use by individuals with diabetes. Sugar substitutes, such as Stevia Leaf & Monk Fruit, can be used to sweeten foods and drinks with fewer calories and carbohydrates when they replace sugar.

If you have diabetes, it's important that you discuss major changes to diet with your healthcare team so that you can work together to monitor your health. You may need to adjust insulin doses or other medications to keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Focus on non-starchy vegetables and plant-based protein.

Include more nonstarchy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and green beans. Include fewer added sugars and refined grains, such as white bread, rice, and pasta with less than 2 grams of fiber per serving. Focus on whole foods instead of highly processed foods as much as possible.