Eating more healthy plant-based foods is associated with a lower risk for diabetes

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Research finds that not all plant foods are created equal in the battle against type 2 diabetes.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes worldwide is on the rise. Currently, an estimated 6.3% of the adult population has diabetes, with over 90% of those cases being type 2 diabetes.  Perhaps noshing on more whole plants could help drive down the numbers. A recent study published in Diabetes Care investigated the association between plant-based dietary patterns and diabetes risk. Researchers evaluated the dietary patterns of over 11,000 people, and followed them for a median of 22 years, to see who developed the disease. The results showed a significant decrease in the risk of type 2 diabetes in those who consumed a plant-based diet compared to those who consumed more animal foods. Not to be overlooked, the research also examined the quality of the plant-based diet. Higher-quality plant-based diets (i.e., those higher in whole plant foods) demonstrated superior risk reduction compared to low-quality plant-based diets (i.e., diets containing fewer whole plant foods and more refined foods and sweets). A better-quality diet decreased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 15% compared to an overall or low-quality plant-based diet pattern. So it’s not just a matter of eating more plant-based foods that helps in mitigating diabetes risk, but it’s also the quality of those foods that is crucial.