August 11, 2006 – Diabetics who eliminate meat, poultry and fish from their diets have better blood glucose control and lose more weight than those who follow a diet appropriate to their condition, according to Canadian and US researchers.
Scientists from the Universities of Toronto, George Washington and North Carolina recruited 99 subjects for their study1. They asked some to adopt a vegan diet: no meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, milk, or dairy products. The others were instead following the dietary recommendations of the American Diabetes Association.
After 22 weeks, 43% of those in the vegan group were able to reduce the amount of medication (such as insulin) they were taking, or even stop taking them altogether, compared with only 26% of those who did. were following a diet designed for diabetics. Their cholesterol levels were also lower.
The vegans had lost an average of 6.5 pounds, more than double the 3.1 pounds lost by others.
Experts believe that the benefits of veganism would stem from its greatly reduced content of iron and fat of all types, two factors that could increase insulin sensitivity and cause weight loss.
The participants of the vegan group emphasized how easy it is to adopt such a diet, since the portion sizes are not restricted and it does not require any calorie counting.
Researchers hope these findings will prompt people with diabetes to change their eating habits before turning to medication.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters.
1. Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, et al. A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes, Diabetes Care, 2006 Aug; 29 (8): 1777-83.
