Of late, India has been witnessing a huge growth in plant-based eating practices. A lot of people are turning towards a vegetarian diet, or a vegan diet due to health issues and also concern for the environment.
“A survey conducted in 2019 found out that around 69 per cent of Indians are ready to give up meat for plant-based options. For those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, a plant-based (vegan) diet, or a vegetarian diet is preferred as it helps manage and prevent or even reverse type 2 diabetes, as per studies. A vegan diet is a part of vegetarianism that excludes meat, fish, eggs, poultry, dairy products and honey. A healthy vegan diet also avoids processed and refined foods like artificial foods with additives and olive oil,” said G Prakash, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute.
“The other positive aspect of a vegan diet is that the low glycaemic load also enhances healthy gut biofilms. The gut biofilms are thin protective barriers that build up around bacteria in the gut and make it difficult for glucose to penetrate. This, in turn, slows down the glycaemic effect in the diet,” he shared.
Veganism can help diabetes in different ways
The expert said that plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and pulses can help in the treatment of various chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Since foods like non-starchy vegetables, several types of fruits, seeds, nuts, and beans tend to have a low glycaemic index, there are fewer chances of a spike in blood sugar levels when consumed.