Revolutionizing Diabetes Management: Low-Carbohydrate Vegan Diets Unveiled

Researchers studied vegan diets to see if they can help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and improve their health. The study compared a low-carbohydrate vegan diet to a moderate-carbohydrate vegetarian diet.

The vegan diet was made up of foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, plant-based proteins, nuts and seeds. The diet was low in carbs but high in healthy fats like canola oil. The vegetarian diet also had vegetables and fruits but included dairy products and eggs, while limiting meat.

Vegan Diet Benefits

After 12 weeks on the diets, researchers found major benefits to the vegan diet:

Vegan diet led to same weight loss as vegetarian diet – about 6 pounds

Lowered A1C levels (a measure of blood sugar) by 1%

Improved LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)

Lowered systolic blood pressure by over 4 points

Had much lower environmental impact based on greenhouse emissions

The vegetarian diet provided similar benefits in weight loss, A1C reduction, and LDL lowering. But the vegan diet was better for the environment.

Researchers concluded that plants-based vegan diets are just as good or better than vegetarian diets for weight loss, managing diabetes, and reducing risks for heart disease. An added benefit is the lower impact on the planet.

The vegan diet likely worked due to being lower in carbs and higher in plant-based fats and proteins. Nuts, seeds and vegetable oils provided healthy fats. And soy and wheat proteins likely helped people feel full so they eat fewer calories.

Takeaway Messages

This research shows vegan diets should play a bigger role in helping people improve their health in an eco-friendly way. The environmental benefits give vegan diets an advantage over other healthy diets like vegetarian and Mediterranean diets.

Doctors and policy makers should consider recommending more plant-based vegan meal plans for weight loss and disease prevention. The public should also be educated on their safety and sustainability.

With obesity and diabetes increasing worldwide, vegan diets can help turn the tide. Their health benefits are now backed by solid clinical research.

Jenkins DJ, Jones PJ, Abdullah MM, Lamarche B, Faulkner D, Patel D, Sahye-Pudaruth S, Paquette M, Bashyam B, Pichika SC, Kavanagh ME, Patel P, Liang F, Brown R, Zhao T, Phan M, Mathiyalagan G, Tandon S, Vuksan V, Jovanovski E, Sievenpiper JL, Kendall CW, Leiter LA, Josse RG. Low-carbohydrate vegan diets in diabetes for weight loss and sustainability: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Nov;116(5):1240-1250. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac203. Epub 2023 Feb 10. PMID: 36156115.