The Diabetes Diet: Vegan
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Another study found that a vegan diet is best when it comes to Diabetes management:
“A meat-free menu is easier to maintain and lowers blood sugar better than a traditional diabetes food plan, according to a new study”
The article continues:
“A study published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association has concluded that a vegan diet – no calorie counting or measuring foods required – is easier to stick to than you might think.” [...]
“The fact that people assigned to the vegan diet ate as much as they wanted, increased their daily carbohydrate intake and still experienced favourable blood-sugar and weight-loss results may seem surprising. Researchers believe that a low-fat, plant-based diet improves how the body uses insulin. And because vegan diets are low in fat and high in fibre, they’re typically lower in calories, which can facilitate weight loss and result in better blood-sugar control.”
“Sounds good so far, provided you can follow such a plan for the long term. According to this study, you can. While the vegan diet initially required a little more effort in meal preparation, this complaint was no longer heard at 18 months. In contrast, those following the standard diabetic diet reported more discomfort with restrictions such as watching calories and limiting portions of carbohydrate and fat.”
Read the entire article at Globe and Mail >>
(Emphasis added)
How refreshing! Of course I have known this for a while but it’s always good to see a succinct article about it.
Yeah I have to agree. I tell diabetics:
* low fat diet based on complex carbohydrates such as unrefined grains, vegetables, and legumes. Beans are excellent for balancing blood sugar (combine them with seaweeds to moisten their dry nature)
* Small, frequent meals (4 or 5 daily) help to stimulate insulin production.
* Chew well and chew a lot – especially with complex carbs so that adequate minerals and other nutrients are absorbed.
* Eat Chlorophyll rich foods such as green veggies. Supplement with Chlorella(regulated blood sugar, …) at first.
* Make sure your diet contains Wheat Bran, Chinese Yams, and Sweet Potatoes!
…Which is a vegan diet, no?. Never thought of it that way though!
My angle on this issue with diabetes & meat is essentially an issue of way too much (bad?) protein. Protein plays a big role in sugar balance: carbs and proteins regulate each other; so the more protein you eat the more your body needs sugar. This is a common cycle in many folks these days, and can itself lead to diabetes. It also taxes the adrenal complex that we refer to in Chinese Medicine as the “kidneys.”
Best thing to do is stick with complex carbs and whole foods for protein, and everything else!