In a new study published in the Journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, researchers have found remarkable benefits that affect type-2 diabetes, all stemming from one simple diet change.
90% of study participants drastically improved their type 2 diabetes, while many eliminated the need for medications.
The researchers identified 11 sufficiently rigorous scientific studies that were published between 1992 and 2017.
All the studies used subjects that had type-2 diabetes, or those who were well on their way to developing it.
Nine out of 11 studies found that those on the plant-based (vegan) diet managed to significantly decrease or completely drop their diabetes medications.
This was found to be a lot better than the other diets studied.
Other benefits of being plant eaters were:
1. Psychological health benefits
2. Physical wellbeing
3. Lowered levels of depression
4. Lowered levels of perceived nerve pain
5. Objectively measured nerve damage
6. Increased self-esteem
7. Perceived control over nutrition
8. Perceived control over life in general
9. Increased rate of weight loss
10. Decrease in fasting blood glucose.
11. Decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood fats.
In general, the subjects who adhered to their new diets best reaped the most benefits.
The diets with which they compared the plant-based diet ranged from low-carbohydrate diets to alkaline diets, to diets recommended by various official diabetes associations.
A plant-based diet consists primarily of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains, and generally avoids heavily processed foods, like refined grains. Some of the studies allowed their participants to enjoy an item that would be the equivalent of one plain yogurt per day.