Improving diabetes with good, healthy low-fat vegan diets

Diet changes are the cornerstone to treating type two diabetes. Restricting portion sizes, measuring and weighing foods and limiting the total amount of carbohydrates are all effective. However, studies around the world suggest that an entirely different approach may be even more effective and easier to follow.

Those with diets based mainly on plant-based foods-rice, noodles, beans and vegetables-are less likely to develop diabetes, compared with those whose diets are fattier or meatier. For example, among people following traditional Japanese diets, diabetes was rare. However, when people moved from Japan to the U.S. and adopted a Western diet, they were much more likely to develop diabetes. Research found that meaty, fatty diets cause the body to be more resistant to insulin's role in the body. Adopting a low fat, plant-based diet improves the body's insulin sensitivity to help with weight loss and to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol.

One of the benefits of a low-fat plant-based diet is that it is very low in saturated fats, which are found in meats, dairy products and tropical oils (coconut, palm or palm kernel oil). To cut fat effectively and decrease the risk for developing diabetes, a person needs to do two things:

• Avoid animal-derived foods: This eliminates all animal fats and animal protein. While people need protein, we do not need animal-derived protein, which can accelerate kidney damage in those with weakened kidney function. Also, animal proteins increase the loss of calcium from the body, potentially increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Plant sources of protein do not present these problems.

• Avoid added vegetable oils: Although oils often are thought of as being healthier than animal fats, they are just as high in calories. For the healthiest diet, keep all oils to a minimum.

The following are some meal suggestions to get started on a plant-based diet:

For breakfast: Oatmeal with nonfat soy or rice milk; All-Bran or Mueslix cereal with nonfat soy or rice milk and berries, peaches or a banana; burrito filled with beans, lettuce and tomato (no egg or cheese); scrambled tofu with sautéed vegetables.

For lunch/dinner: Colorful garden salad with beans, fat-free dressing or lemon juice; legume-based salads like three-bean, chickpea, lentil or black bean and corn salads; grain-based salads using noodles, couscous, quinoa, barley, amaranth or rice salads with lots of colorful vegetables; vegetable or legume-based soups like vegetarian chili or spinach lentil; sandwiches and wraps containing beans or hummus and plenty of veggies; main dishes can be pasta marinara, vegan soft tacos or vegetable stir-fry.

For more information on plant-based diets and/or recipes, visit www.pcrm.org or www.calciYum.com.

Gayle Baingo, R.D., is a registered dietitian at Flagstaff Medical Center. Information in this article was provided by www.pcrm.org.

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