Are you or someone you know living with diabetes? A recent study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has discovered that consuming a lower-carbohydrate, plant-based diet can lead to a longer life and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer for those with diabetes.

Source: PLANT BASED NEWS/Youtube

The study followed over 10,000 participants with diabetes from the Nurse’s Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Their diets were tracked for more than a decade, during which nearly half of them passed away, with approximately 1,400 succumbing to cardiovascular disease and 900 to cancer.

The findings revealed that those who consumed a lower-carb diet (30% to 40% of calories from carbohydrates), rich in fruits and vegetables and with fewer animal products or refined carbohydrates, had a lower risk of dying. This is in contrast to the typical American diet, where people often get 50% to 60% of their calories from carbohydrates, usually in the form of refined carbs like white bread, white rice, and processed foods made from refined wheat or white rice flour.

While truly low-carb diets, such as the ketogenic diet, may be viable in research trials, they can be difficult to maintain long-term in everyday life. Qi Sun, who led the study, therefore focused on a more realistic approach, examining the benefits of consuming 30% to 40% of calories frm carbohydrates.

The key, Sun suggests, is to avoid sugary drinks, refined carbs like packaged cookies, and unhealthy proteins and fats found in red meats and high-fat dairy products. Instead, he recommends “improving diet quality” by consuming more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which can be beneficial regardless of the specific healthy diet being followed. A high-quality diet may also contribute to better weight control.

So, how can you incorporate these findings into your life or the life of a loved one living with diabetes? It’s simple! Here are some tips to help you make the switch to a healthier, lower-carb, plant-based diet:

1. Incorporate more whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread, into your meals.
2. Fill your plate with a colorful array of fruits and vegetables, aiming for at least 5 servings per day.
3. Limit your consumption of red meats and high-fat dairy products, opting for lean proteins like chicken, fish, or plant-based alternatives.
4. Cut out sugary drinks and replace them with water, herbal tea, or other low-sugar beverages.
5. Avoid processed foods, such as packaged cookies and white bread, which are high in refined carbs and unhealthy fats.

Now it’s time for action! Make a positive change in your life or the life of someone you care about by adopting a healthier, plant-based, lower-carb diet. Share this information with friends and family to help spread awareness about the benefits of this dietary approach for people with diabetes. Together, we can empower each other to live longer, healthier lives and create a sustainable, health-conscious future!

Related Content:

• 10 Nutrition Tips That Help Prevent and Treat Diabetes and Other Chronic Health Conditions
• 6 Wellness and Food Habits to Follow if You Have Diabetes
• Petition: Support Americans with Diabetes
• Managing Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus with a Plant-Based Diet
• How a Plant-Based Diet Can Help Prevent and Manage Type 2 Diabetes

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!