Plant Based Diet and Diabetes

Carrying excess body fat is the number 1 risk factor for type 2 diabetes (2), with around 90% of those that develop the disease being overweight. The reason being due to the amount of free fatty acids (more specifically free saturated fatty acids) in the blood, the majority of which are actually ‘spill back’ from the body’s cells that have become over bloated with fat. Ultimately, both the fat that you eat and the fat you wear are the primary drivers for the development of type 2 diabetes.

The evidence consistently demonstrates that wholefood plant based diets are highly effective for sustainable weight loss. One of the great benefits being that there is no need for portion control, skipping meals, or calorie counting as most plant foods are naturally low in calories yet highly nutrient dense.

Insulin acts like a key unlocking the doors to our cells to allow glucose to enter. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the blood and overtime, damages blood vessels and nerves, hence why diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, neuropathy and amputations (2).

So what is clogging up these locks?

Fat, more specifically, the saturated fat in our muscle, liver and pancreatic cells. No matter how much insulin is produced, cells compromised by saturated fatty acids can’t effectively use it (2).

The research clearly shows that by losing the fat that you wear and reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet, insulin resistance reduces. A wholefood plant based diet is a highly effective and sustainable way to achieve these 2 goals.

Insulin resistance is caused by the accumulation of saturated fat, primarily in the muscles but also in the liver, and pancreatic cells. This ‘visceral’ fat, rather than subcutaneous fat leads to insulin resistance.

Dietary components that promote the accumulation of visceral fat are as mentioned, saturated fat, but also free fructose (i.e. fructose from refined sugar & high fructose corn syrup - the ubiquitous sweetener used in processed foods and soft drinks), and alcohol.

A wholefood plant based diet is generally very low in saturated fats, and devoid of free fructose.

A plant based diet has also been shown to significantly reduce visceral fat mass, with corresponding improvements in insulin sensitivity.

2 diets have now been proven to reverse type 2 diabetes:

1) A very low calorie diet - by eating only 600 calories / day (i.e. effectivly starving oneself), blood sugars levels can normalise within a week by pulling fat out of the muscles, liver and pancreas, allowing them to function normally (2). However, this is not a sustainable dietary pattern.

2) A wholefood plant based diet - as in 90% or more of all-you-can-eat greens, lots of other vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Generally, with a wholefood plant based dietary pattern, there is no need to count calories or restrict portion sizes, thereby significantly increasing patient adherence and diet sustainability.