Testing Out Vegetarianism
I always wanted to be a vegetarian. It always sounded like such a noble cause: saving the animals, the environment, and my health all in one fell swoop. But my actual experience with vegetarianism is somewhat mixed. In high school, I quit eating meat altogether for about six months, much to the chagrin of my meat-loving family. Eventually the weight of fixing my own vegetarian dinners was too burdensome, so I decided to incorporate chicken into my meals. A few months after that, pork found its way back into my diet. I managed to avoid beef entirely for 10 years, before I finally broke down and had a hamburger. A lot people are probably similar to me. Vegetarianism sounds like the right thing to do, but you're not quite sure you can actually go all the way. October is also National Vegetarian Awareness Month, so for the past three weeks, my husband and I have taken on a new challenge: eating a vegetarian diet. Neither of us are interested in becoming full-time vegetarians, but we also realized that we were perhaps relying on meat a little too much. This would be our experiment to get us used to mixing more fruits and vegetables into our meal planning. Like many people with diabetes, I was a bit concerned that eating vegetarian might be a gateway to a diet full of pasta, cereal and bread — which in moderation isn't a bad thing, but it's hard to build a healthy diet based solely on carbs. Luckily it turns out that being vegetarian doesn't necessarily mean giving up all your favorite protein options. I discovered there are actually several different kinds of vegetarianism, with varying degrees of severity in diet restrictions: Ovo vegetarianism excludes all meat and dairy, but includes eggs Lacto vegetarianism excludes all meat and eggs, but includes dairy Ovo-lacto veget Continue reading >>
Vegetarian Diets And Incidence Of Diabetes In The Adventist Health Study-2
Vegetarian diets and incidence of diabetes in the Adventist Health Study-2 S. Tonstad ,a,* K. Stewart ,a K. Oda ,b M. Batech ,b R.P. Herring ,a and G.E. Fraser c aLoma Linda University School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Education, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA aLoma Linda University School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Education, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA bLoma Linda University School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA bLoma Linda University School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA aLoma Linda University School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Education, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA aLoma Linda University School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Education, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA bLoma Linda University School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA cLoma Linda University, Department of Cardiology, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA *Corresponding author. School of Public Health, 24951N Circle Drive, Nichol Hall Room 1519, Loma Linda, California 92354, USA. Tel.: +1909 747 2607, +1 909 747 0471; fax: +1 909 558 0471 The publisher's final edited version of this article is available at Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis See other articles in PMC that cite the published article. To evaluate the relationship of diet to incident diabetes among non-Black and Black participants in the Adventist Health Study-2. Participants were 15,200 men and 26,187 women (17.3% Blacks) across the U.S. and Canada who were free of diabetes and who provided demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle and dietary data. Participants were grouped as vegan, lacto ovo vegetarian, pesc Continue reading >>
Vegetarian Diet: Can It Help Me Control My Diabetes?
Could switching to a vegetarian diet cure my diabetes? Answers from M. Regina Castro, M.D. A vegetarian diet probably won't cure your diabetes. But it may offer some benefits over a nonvegetarian diet — such as helping to better control your weight, reducing your risk of some diabetes-associated complications and possibly even making your body more responsive to insulin. There's no single vegetarian eating plan. For example, some allow dairy products while others don't allow any animal products (vegans). The benefits of a vegetarian diet depend on the type of diet you choose and the food choices you make when following the diet. For most, however, eating a vegetarian diet: Promotes a healthy weight. Vegetarian diets are often lower in calories than are nonvegetarian diets, which can help with weight management. Also, people following a vegetarian diet tend to have lower body mass indexes (BMIs) than do people who follow a nonvegetarian diet. A healthy body weight can improve blood sugar control and reduce your risk of diabetes complications. Improves blood sugar control and insulin response. Eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts — features of a vegetarian diet — can improve blood sugar control and make your body more responsive to insulin. This may mean taking less medication and lowering your risk of diabetes-related complications. But even a vegetarian diet can have adverse effects on blood sugar if it is rich in simple carbohydrates — especially starches, such as potatoes, white rice and white bread. Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease. A strict vegan diet is cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat and usually high in soluble fiber. A low-fat vegetarian diet can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease — a common complication of Continue reading >>
Is Diabetes Likely To Be A Serious Risk For Vegans?
Is diabetes likely to be a serious risk for vegans? First of all, vegan only says what someone DOESNT eat - meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, etc. It doesnt tell you what a person actually eats. You need to determine what kind of vegan diet you mean, because there certainly are junk food vegans, although the risk of developing diabetes is lower because vegans generally eat a lower fat diet with much more fiber, that doesnt mean that vegans cant also develop diabetes. But in general vegans have a much lower risk than everyone else, so you are more likely to be diabetic if youre NOT vegan. But that is comparing a standard american diet to any vegan diet. However, if youre talking about a healthy vegan diet, such as a whole food, plant based diet, then that will actually prevent and reverse type 2 diabetes in the majority of cases. So that means no processed food whatsoever, no sugar, no oil and of course no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs. Eating low fat has also been shown to be beneficial for preventing/reversing type 2 diabetes. If youd like to know more about this diet, I highly recommend you check out some books by Dr Neal Barnard as well as other specialists that are using a whole food vegan diet to treat a range of diseases, including heart disease, MS, lupus, fibromyalgia, and many more. I will list some videos and books for you, which have long lists of references to the clinical studies which support a WFPB diet in treating most lifestyle diseases, but you can also go to pubmed and search for articles yourself, to see that this method has more than enough scientific support. It is so well documented at this point that its a travesty that this is not the default treatment option already. Based on overwhelming evidence, there are some health insurance companies that hav Continue reading >>
How To Manage Your Diabetes As A Vegetarian
In this article, we will take a look at the benefits of following a vegetarian diet if you have diabetes. Though we cannot recommend a drastic change in one’s diet, we will enumerate the benefits of following a vegetarian diet. Prior to making any major changes in your diet if you have diabetes, it is imperative that you check with your primary care provider, and registered dietician or Certified Diabetes Educator for their input and expertise. Types of vegetarians Vegan A vegan is the strictest type of vegetarian. The vegan diet is referred to as a “total,” or “pure” vegetarian diet. People who are vegans do not eat any meat or animal products, including eggs and dairy products. This also includes fish and seafood. They are on a plant-based diet. To get the protein needed daily on a vegan diet, a person with diabetes could eat soy based products such as tofu or soy milk, all sorts of vegetables, and a variety of beans and whole grains. This is important because proteins are the “building blocks,” and have important functions related to cell structure and function, and even to make the hormone insulin. Because a vegan diet is low in vitamin B12, a multivitamin or supplement is usually recommended for a vegan diet. Ask your doctor before going on a vegan diet plan, and inquire about your vitamin B-12 needs while on a vegan diet. Lacto-vegetarian The lacto-vegetarian doesn’t eat meat or eggs. However, they don’t mind including milk products in their diet. Lacto-ovo vegetarian This group does not eat any meat, but they do enjoy animal products such as eggs and all varieties of milk products, such as eggs or cheese. Other Variations There are some variations on the theme, such as “pescetarian,” who will eat fish. There is also a version called, “raw Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes And The Vegetarian Diet
From the Clinical Nutrition & Risk Factor Modification Center (DJAJ, CWCK, AM, ALJ, and LSAA) and the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (DJAJ), St Michael's Hospital, Toronto; the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (DJAJ, CWCK, AM, and LSAA); the Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston (DSL); the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington, DC (NDB); and the VA Medical Center, Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington (JWA). Address reprint requests to DJA Jenkins, Clinical Nutrition & Risk Factor Modification Center, St Michael's Hospital, 61 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 2T2. E-mail: [email protected] . Search for other works by this author on: From the Clinical Nutrition & Risk Factor Modification Center (DJAJ, CWCK, AM, ALJ, and LSAA) and the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (DJAJ), St Michael's Hospital, Toronto; the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (DJAJ, CWCK, AM, and LSAA); the Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston (DSL); the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington, DC (NDB); and the VA Medical Center, Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington (JWA). Search for other works by this author on: From the Clinical Nutrition & Risk Factor Modification Center (DJAJ, CWCK, AM, ALJ, and LSAA) and the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (DJAJ), St Michael's Hospital, Toronto; the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (DJAJ, CWCK, AM, and LSAA); the Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston (DS Continue reading >>
Vegetarianism And Diabetes: Do The Two Mix? (part 1)
Does the word “vegetarian” conjure up images of people with long hair, wearing robes, feasting on bean sprouts and tofu? While that may have been the picture of vegetarianism back in the 1960’s and 70’s, today’s vegetarian is just like you and me, except for some of the food choices he makes. Let’s define “vegetarian.” According to the American Dietetic Association, “A vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, fish, or fowl or products containing these foods.” However, vegetarianism takes different forms. For example, a lacto-ovo-vegetarian eats grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, and nuts but also includes dairy foods and eggs in his eating plan. A lacto-vegetarian eats the same foods as the lacto-ovo-vegetarian but doesn’t eat eggs. A vegan, or total vegetarian, doesn’t eat any animal products at all. Some vegans go so far as not eating honey, for example, since it comes from bees, and may even refuse to wear clothing or shoes made of leather. To add to the complexity even further, some people call themselves “semivegetarians,” meaning that they occasionally eat fish, poultry, or meat. Then there are “fruitarians,” who eat only raw fruit, nuts, and seeds (not recommended, by the way). People choose to become vegetarians for various reasons, including concern for the environment, animal welfare, religious beliefs, economic reasons, and, of course, health reasons. According to a Harris poll done in 2003, about 3% of the U.S. population is vegetarian, when vegetarian is defined as people who don’t eat meat, poultry, or seafood. Vegetarianism has caught on thanks in part to the many celebrities who have shunned eating meat, including Pamela Anderson, Paul McCartney, Joaquin Phoenix, Cameron Diaz, and Prince. Vegetarian diets, Continue reading >>
Can A Vegetarian Diet Help Type 2 Diabetes?
Can a Vegetarian Diet Help Type 2 Diabetes? If you're wondering whether you should go meatless to manage your diabetes, read one nutritionist's advice. Sign Up for Our Living with Diabetes Newsletter Thanks for signing up! You might also like these other newsletters: Sign up for more FREE Everyday Health newsletters . Managing diet is the most fundamental principle in managing diabetes. While there are many health benefits to the diet guidelines spelled out by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there are also considerable plusses associated with a vegetarian diet. The pros of following a vegetarian diet are well-known. People who follow a vegetarian diet tend to have healthier weight, body mass index (BMI), and lower cholesterol levels than those who include meat in their diet. Even more compelling, following a vegetarian diet may reduce the risk of developing obesity, chronic diseases including high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer. Generally, a vegetarian diet consists of fewer grams of saturated fat and more fiber, says Cynthia Wu, PhD, RD, staff dietitian at the Ohio State University Medical Center. That adds up to better overall health. Because vegetarian diets, which generally do not contain any fish or meat, typically contain fewer calories than meat-based diets, vegetarians are more likely to have a healthier weight, which is very important for people with type 2 diabetes . Its also a [better] diet for heart health, Wu says, noting that people with diabetes have twice the risk of cardiovascular disease than people without diabetes. The benefits may be even greater with a vegan diet, one that eliminates all animal products, including milk and eggs. A comparison of adults with diabetes who switched to either a low-fat vegan diet or the ADA guideline Continue reading >>
Should You Go Vegetarian? The Benefits Of A Plant-based Diet For People With Diabetes
What if you were told you could lose weight, lower your blood glucose and blood pressure, prevent heart disease, and slow the progression of type 2 diabetes—or prevent it if you don’t yet have it? It sounds too good to be true, but more and more research indicates that a plant-based eating plan may help people with diabetes. What the Studies Show In a 72-week study published by Neal Barnard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, people with type 2 diabetes followed either a low-fat vegan diet or a moderate-carbohydrate plan. Both groups lost weight and improved their cholesterol. When people who didn’t complete the study or had medication changes were omitted from the study analysis, there was a significantly greater decrease in A1C and LDL (bad) cholesterol in the vegans. A study of nearly 100,000 members of the Seventh-day Adventist church, which promotes a vegetarian diet, showed that the vegetarians had a lower rate of type 2 than nonvegetarians. “The closer people follow a vegan diet, the more they stay at a healthy weight and prevent type 2,” says Michael J. Orlich, M.D., assistant professor of preventive medicine at Loma Linda University in California. Orlich was involved with the study. Not eating red and processed meats may help prevent type 2 even without factoring in body weight. Two long-term, ongoing studies by the Harvard School of Public Health tracking nearly 150,000 health care providers showed that people who ate an additional half serving of red meat daily for four years had a 50 percent higher risk of developing type 2. Cutting back on red-meat intake by more than a half serving a day reduced this risk by 15 percent. “Study after study has tightly linked eating a plant-based diet with decreasing a number of Continue reading >>
Adherence To A Vegetarian Diet And Diabetes Risk: A Systematic Review And Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies
Adherence to a Vegetarian Diet and Diabetes Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies Department of Food and Nutrition, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Gyeongbuk, Korea; [email protected]_jy *Correspondence: [email protected] ; Tel.: +82-53-810-2879 Received 2017 May 11; Accepted 2017 Jun 10. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ( ). We quantitatively assessed the association between a vegetarian diet and diabetes risk using pooled estimates from observational studies. Electronic database searches for articles published from January 1980 to May 2016 were independently performed by two investigators, and 13 articles (14 studies) were identified. The pooled odds ratio (OR) for diabetes in vegetarians vs. non-vegetarians was 0.726 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.608, 0.867). In the subgroup analyses, this inverse association was stronger for the studies conducted in the Western Pacific region (OR 0.514, 95% CI: 0.304, 0.871) and Europe/North America (OR 0.756, 95% CI: 0.589, 0.971) than studies conducted in Southeast Asia (OR 0.888, 95% CI: 0.718, 1.099). No study had a substantial effect on the pooled effect size in the influence analysis, and the Eggers (p = 0.465) and Beggs tests (p = 0.584) revealed no publication bias. This meta-analysis indicates that a vegetarian diet is inversely associated with diabetes risk. Our results support the need for further investigations into the effects of the motivations for vegetarianism, the duration of the adherence to a vegetarian diet, and type of vegetarian on diabetes risk. Keywords: vegetarian, diabetes, systematic review, meta-analysis Diabetes mellitus is one of the l Continue reading >>
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The Ultimate Anti-diabetes Diet
One of America's most common killer diseases, type 2 diabetes, jeopardizes the health, quality of life, and longevity of nearly 24 million Americans, according to the American Diabetes Association, and that number continues to rise. New cases have doubled over the past 30 years, and because the disease occurs gradually and often with no obvious symptoms, many people don't even know they have it. People who are overweight are at higher risk because fat interferes with the body's ability to use insulin, the crux of the disease. But a solution to the problem is within reach: a groundbreaking eating plan not only helps prevent this chronic disease, but actually reverses it while also promoting weight loss. Focusing on plant-based meals,the revolutionary plan was developed by Vegetarian Times former Ask the Doc columnist, Neal Barnard, MD, and is backed by the results of his long-term study. Your doctor may not tell you about this diet: dietitians generally counsel overweight diabetics to cut calories, reduce serving sizes, and avoid starchy carbohydrates that raise blood sugar levels. But Barnard's team at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and scientists at George Washington University and the University of Toronto thought this might be the wrong approach, considering that carbohydrate-rich rice, legumes, and root vegetables are staples throughout Asia and Africa, where most people are thin and diabetes rates are low. Barnard and his team studied a group of diabetics, comparing the effects of a diet based on standard recommendations versus a vegan-style diet with no limits on calories, carbs, or portions, and just three rules: eliminate meat, dairy, and eggs; minimize fat and oil; and favor low-glycemic foods (such as beans, vegetables, brown rice, and oatme Continue reading >>
Want To Go Vegetarian? What To Do If You Have Diabetes
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, choosing to be a vegetarian can be a healthy option. In fact, research has shown that following a vegetarian diet can help you better manage your diabetes. It has also been shown to help prevent or reverse type 2 diabetes. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy I began following a vegan diet a few years ago when the documentary Forks Over Knives came out about the benefits of a plant-based diet. The results of the research highlighted in this documentary just made sense, and it is working well for me and my family members. RELATED: Is a Plant-Based Diet Right for You? When following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle , you reduce the saturated and trans fats in your diet, which can reduce your risk of chronic disease. These types of fats can clog and damage arteries. And compared to a typical American diet, a vegetarian diet is higher in fiber. The recommended amount of fiber for adults with or without diabetes is 20 to 35 grams per day. When you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you will likely meet or exceed this amount. Foods that are high in fiber are slower to digest so elevations in your blood sugar are less likely to occur. Fiber also provides a feeling of fullness, which usually reduces the overall number of calories eaten and may help you lose weight too. There are different types of vegetarian diets, with the three most common being: Vegan No meat (including red meat, poultry, seafood or any product made with meat), eggs or dairy products. Lacto-vegetarian No meat or eggs, but they do consume dairy products Lacto-ovo vegetarian No meat, but they doeat both dairy products and eggs. You ma Continue reading >>
Healthful Vegetarian Diet Reduces Type 2 Diabetes Risk Substantially
Healthful vegetarian diet reduces type 2 diabetes risk substantially A new study, published this week in PLOS Medicine, shows that a diet low in animal-based foods and high in plant-based foods substantially lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes. They also find that the quality of the plant-based diet plays a significant role. Eating fewer animal products reduces diabetes risk. It is common knowledge that eating fruits and vegetables is essential to maintain a healthy body. It is also becoming clear, as research mounts, that a diet featuring fewer animal products is also a healthier option. For instance, a study published in 2013 that followed almost 70,000 people concluded that a vegetarian diet lowered the risk of cancer . Similarly, a study published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases in the same year followed more than 15,000 individuals and found that a vegetarian diet lessened the risk of diabetes . As a final example, a meta-analysis of more than 250 studies, published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014, demonstrated that a vegetarian diet significantly reduces blood pressure . The latest study in this vein once again looked at the effect of a vegetarian diet on diabetes. However, this study also looked at the quality of the vegetarian diet. They took into account whether the vegetarian diet was high in nutritious plant-based foods, such as whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables, and contrasted it with less healthy vegetarian diets that included items like refined grains, potatoes, and sweetened beverages. The team, headed up by Ambika Satija, also collated information about the amount of animal-based foods that the participants consumed. In all, the study used data from more than 20,000 male and female health professionals across the United St Continue reading >>
What Causes Type 2 — Genes Or Food?
There’s a major split in the Type 2 diabetes world. Some believe Type 2 is all about diet (and maybe exercise.) Others say it’s mostly a genetic illness and that diet doesn’t make much difference. Who’s right? This disagreement came to the forefront in the controversy over TV chef Paula Deen. When Deen told the world she had Type 2 diabetes, some people blamed the high-sugar and high-fat food she cooks on her shows. (One signature dish is deep-fried cheesecake.) But Deen denied her diet had much to do with it. She pointed out that many people eat like her and don’t get diabetes. She said her genes were at fault, even though no one else in her family has diabetes. Bloggers jumped in; some to attack Deen, some to defend her. On Diabetes Self-Management, Jan Chait wrote, “Psst! Food does NOT give you diabetes!” Some doctors agreed. Dr. Terry Simpson wrote, “It is more a matter of genetics than anything else. For those who are unlucky enough to have the genetic code that predisposes them to diabetes, the odds are they will become its victim… Even the most “in shape” individual, who eats “right” who has the genetics for diabetes can no more avoid that than you can avoid a car accident if someone misses a stop sign because they are texting.” I beg to differ. Blaming genes without referencing diet makes no sense at all. There has been an increase in diabetes worldwide of 100% to 400% (depending on location) in the last 20 years. Genes don’t change that fast. The environment has changed. People are more sedentary and more stressed now. But the number one change has been the mass consumption of sugars and refined carbs. Dr. Robert Lustig at University of California San Francisco blames sugars for most of the diabetes increase. Our bodies just weren Continue reading >>
How Becoming A Vegetarian Can Cure Diabetes: Plant-based Diets Improve Blood Sugar Levels, Scientists Claim
Switching to a vegetarian diet could help reverse diabetes, a new study claims. Millions of people battling the killer disease could improve their blood sugar levels by eradicating meat from their weekly shop. Scientists believe removing animal fats could help cure the condition, leaving patients free from the disease. They said changes to diet could be used as an alternative treatment for type 2 diabetes. An analysis of previous studies revealed removing animal fats from diet helps improve insulin sensitivity. Scroll down for videos Eating a vegetable-based diet reduced levels of a key blood-protein called glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). For people with diabetes, the higher the HbA1c in their blood, the greater the risk of developing diabetes-related complications such as nerve damage, eye problems, and heart disease. The study found a vegan or vegetarian diet lowered HbA1c by an average of 0.4 percentage points, and up to 0.7 points. This is comparable to the effects of drugs given to help patients with diabetes control their blood-sugar levels, researchers said. 'A diet change beats a pill,' said dietitian Susan Levin, one of the study's authors. 'A plant-based diet improves blood sugar, body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol all at the same time, something no drug can do.' Dr Neal Barnard, of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, added: 'Plant-based diets work in a different way than "conventional" diabetes diets. 'We now know that type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance. Getting the animal fat — and fats in general — out of the diet helps repair insulin's ability to function.' He told the Daily Express: 'We tell patients they can eat as much as they want – and as much whole wheat pasta, whole grains, and brown ri Continue reading >>
