Changing
to a vegetarian diet probably won't cure your diabetes. But
it may offer some benefits over a nonvegetarian diet. This,
of course, depends on the type of vegetarian diet you choose
and the particular food choices you make when following the
diet.
The vegan meals were made from unrefined vegetables,
grains, beans, and fruits, with no refined ingredients, such
as vegetable oil, white flour, or white pasta. These meals
averaged just 10 percent fat (as a percentage of calories)
and 80 percent complex carbohydrate.
They also offered 60-70 grams of fiber per
day and had no cholesterol at all. Diabetes can cause serious
damage to the kidneys, resulting in protein loss in the urine.
A strict vegan diet is cholesterol-free and
generally low in saturated fat. Vegetarian diets that include
generous amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes
are high in fiber and phytochemicals. Vegetarian diets often
are lower in calories than are nonvegetarian diets.
All of these factors benefit people with diabetes.
Although a vegetarian diet may not cure diabetes, it could
reduce your risk of diabetes-associated complications such
as cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.
Significant weight loss resulting from a
vegetarian diet can improve type 2 diabetes in people who
are obese. Some research indicates that a vegetarian diet
makes your body more responsive to insulin — which is
a very good thing if you have diabetes.
There's no single vegetarian eating plan.
A vegan diet is the strictest form of vegetarian diets. Vegans
eat no animal meat and no foods that come from animals, such
as dairy products and eggs. Other types of vegetarian diets
may allow dairy products and eggs.
A dietitian can help you create an eating
plan that provides all the needed nutrients and the right
number of calories to maintain a healthy weight.
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