Vegan diet is good for type 2 diabetes

Researchers summarised the results of 11 studies which looked at the effects of a plant-based diet on adults with type 2 diabetes.

The researchers said they found evidence of improved mental wellbeing, quality of life, diabetes control and weight loss. However, the studies included in their review were quite small, with only 433 participants in total. This casts doubt on the strength of the evidence. Only 3 of the included studies looked at mental health or quality of life.

Vegan or plant-based diets are becoming more popular. While vegans exclude all animal products from their diet, including dairy products and eggs, the researchers defined a plant-based diet as one where 10% or less of daily calories came from animal products. It’s likely that most plant-based diets are lower in calories than diets that include meat or high-fat dairy products, which could account for the reported weight loss and improved diabetes control.