What’s the picture perfect diet to help fend off and treat diabetes, and reduce complications? The latest science says it’s a diet lush with plants in every color, texture, and classification, including a rainbow of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, pulses, nuts and seeds, spices and herbs. This is of vital significance, because research shows plant-based diets may offer lasting benefits for people living with all types of diabetes or prediabetes. In the United States, nearly 12% of the population has diabetes, with an additional 38% of adults experiencing prediabetes. And that doesn’t even factor in the millions of people who are at risk for diabetes.
Type 1 and 2 diabetes can result in consequences that affect health, productivity, and quality of life. According to studies, among people with diabetes:
63% suffer from hypertension
56% have dyslipidemia (abnormal blood lipids, which increase risk for heart disease)
18% are obese
More than half die of cardiovascular disease, especially heart disease and stroke
At higher risk for Alzheimer’s and certain cancers
Can have damage to organs like kidneys, eyes, nerves—a major cause of blindness and lower limb amputation
“Healthful plant-based diets, rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds, are powerful for lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, for people who already have type 2 diabetes, a healthful plant-based diet can not only improve blood sugar and potentially reduce the need for medications, but it can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammation, and the risk of serious complications such as heart disease and kidney disease,” Michelle McMacken, MD, FACP, DipABLM, Executive Director, Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine, NYC Health + Hospitals, Associate Professor of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Attending Physician, Adult Primary Care Center, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.
Chocolate Chia Pudding from The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes.
Don’t give up! Scientific evidence shows that diet and physical activity have the power to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, put type 2 into remission, manage type 1 and type 2 diabetes once it occurs, and reduce the risks for other chronic diseases and complications that come along with diabetes. The landmark Diabetes Prevention Program found that lifestyle changes alone reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes in older adults by 71%. And the healthy diet that helps prevent and manage diabetes is a plant-based style of eating—in particular ,vegan and vegetarian diet patterns. The Adventist Health Study-2 found that the more plant-based the diet the better in protection against type 2 diabetes—vegans had 77% lower risk and vegetarians 54% lower risk, compared to non-vegetarians. Plant-based diets also help manage diabetes if you already have it, reducing the need for medications. Plant-based eating, in particular vegan diets, can improve the ABCs of diabetes: A1c, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, body weight, and waist circumference, according to science. A plant-based diet can also reduce the risk of heart disease, neuropathy, and kidney disease if you already have diabetes, too.
Why are plants so good for your diabetes-fighting lifestyle? This style of eating—rich in whole plant foods like grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, spices and herbs—can help fight inflammation and oxidative stress, boost your gut microbiota, keep your weight healthy, and make your body more sensitive to the insulin it makes. Learn more about how plant-based diets help fight diabetes here.
Minestrone from The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes.
“Palmer, MSFS, RDN (California Vegan), aims to help those who currently have type 1 or 2 diabetes, are at risk for developing diabetes, or are struggling with pre-diabetes or gestational diabetes. The book begins with over 60 pages of information about diabetes, along with research and information about going vegan. This information is basic yet wide-ranging and informative for diabetics, their families, friends, or hosts looking to understand and support them with knowledge and food. Also included are helpful charts, information on what supplements might be needed on a vegan diet, the many names and forms of sugar, discussion of the many health benefits of this diet, and a list of pantry staples. Recipes include breakfast, appetizers, soups and stews, salads, bowls, sandwiches and tacos, main dishes, sides, dressings and sauces, and desserts. Most dishes will require a shopping trip unless one is already widely equipped. However, some recipes are made with pantry staples and thus ideal for the stymied host. Recipes also include tips for gluten-free alterations. VERDICT A must-buy for library cookbook collections,” Library Journal Review.
In my vegetable garden at home with my new book.
That’s where my new book The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes comes in! It took my three years to finish this book, which bring my decades of experience in nutrition and plant-based cuisine to provide a 100% plant-based cookbook that can help manage diabetes, prevent complications, and promote optimal health that includes 100 easy vegan recipes that are both inventive and delicious. In this book, I also break down the existing research on managing diabetes into a relatable and persuasive tone, using user-friendly graphs and charts, as well as a warm and friendly attitude that will inspire you.
Purple Power Salad from The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes.
The book includes step-by-step meal planning, cooking tips, and shopping lists, and original photography, with globally-inspired, and heart-healthy recipes that make it easy and convenient to change eating habits for good health while enjoying delicious food. Whether you are considering a 100% plant-based diet or merely shifting to a more plant-forward eating style, I make it easy and convenient to adopt an irresistible plant-based lifestyle in your own home. Most importantly, my book provides the motivation for getting started and strategies for sticking with it. I hope that my straightforward approach to plant-based eating for diabetes management makes this cookbook an excellent gift and tool for family members living with diabetes or for clinicians, nutritionists, nurses, or health practitioners who treat and manage patients with diabetes. Get your own copy of my book here, and I can even personally autograph it if you purchase The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes from my shop page. Please let me know your thoughts about the book, too.
Here’s a glimpse of one of my favorite recipes from The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes.
One reliably delicious, easy, and healthful plant-based entrée is tofu veggie kebabs: chunks of tofu and vegetables threaded on skewers, then marinated in a flavorful sauce and grilled or roasted. These kebabs are perfect for a cookout or a quick weeknight meal. Serve it with a side dish, such as Turmeric Brown Rice, and you’re set with a globally inspired, vibrant meal you won’t soon forget.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade:
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or 2 teaspoons dried
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1–1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Kebabs:
1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained
2 small summer squash, cut into 4 chunks each
1 small onion, quartered
1 medium bell pepper, quartered
Instructions
Make the marinade: In a shallow dish, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, pepper, and salt (if using).
Make the kebabs: Squeeze out the excess liquid from the tofu and slice it into 12 cubes. Put the tofu in the marinade and gently turn it until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, turning the cubes twice during that time to fully coat in the marinade.
Heat a grill to medium.
For each skewer, thread 1 piece of bell pepper, 1 cube of marinated tofu, 1 piece of summer squash, another cube of marinated tofu, 1 piece of onion, a third cube of marinated tofu, and 1 more piece of summer squash. Brush the skewers with the tofu marinade remaining in the dish.
Grill the kebabs until golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes, turning them as needed to cook them evenly. (Alternatively, roast them in a preheated 400ºF oven on a baking sheet until golden brown and tender, about 20 minutes.) Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe is gluten-free.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 serving
Calories:169
Sugar:4 g
Sodium:73 mg
Fat:11 g
Saturated Fat:2 g
Carbohydrates:11 g
Fiber:3 g
Protein:10 g
Learn more about my new book The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes here.
Learn more about how plant-based diets help fight diabetes here.
Watch me make a recipe from my book—Curried Lentil Dip—here.
Photography for The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes is by Ghazalle Badiozamani.
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