diabetes

Millan, a member of the NutritionFacts.org community, told me her story recently. When she was 30, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Having struggled with obesity all her life, she had tried nearly every fad diet but, not surprisingly, would quickly gain back whatever she’d lost. Millan’s parents, brothers, and aunt were all diabetic, so she figured her own diagnosis was inevitable. She thought there was nothing she could do.

Her initial diagnosis was in 1970, and she lived with diabetes for two decades. Then, in the 1990s, she switched to an entirely plant-based diet. Today, her energy levels are better than ever, she looks and feels younger, and she’s finally been able to maintain a healthy weight.

Millan didn’t find some wonder drug or trademarked diet. She simply decided to eat healthier food.

Type 2 diabetes has been referred to as the 21^st century’s Black Death in terms of its exponential spread around the world and devastating health impacts. Instead of the bubonic plague, though, its pathological agents may be high-fat and high-calorie diets.

Type 2 diabetes, however, is almost always preventable, often treatable, and sometimes even reversible through diet and lifestyle changes. Like other leading killers—especially heart disease and high blood pressure—type 2 diabetes may be an unfortunate consequence of dietary choices. There is hope, though, even if you already have diabetes. Through lifestyle changes, you may be able to achieve a complete remission of type 2 diabetes, even if you’ve been suffering with the disease for decades.

People who eat a plant-based diet have been found to have just a small fraction of the diabetes rate seen in those who regularly eat meat. As diets become increasingly plant-based, there appears to be a stepwise drop in diabetes rates. Based on a study of 89,000 Californians, flexitarians (who eat meat maybe once weekly rather than daily) appear to cut their rate of diabetes by 28 percent, and those who cut out all meat except fish appear to cut their rates in half. What about those eliminating all meat, including fish? They appear to eliminate 61 percent of their risk. And those who go a step farther and drop eggs and dairy, too? They may drop their diabetes rates 78 percent compared with people who eat meat on a daily basis.

For substantiation of any statements of fact from the peer-reviewed medical literature, please see the associated videos below.

307 videos

All Videos for Diabetes

Doctors in a lab using testing equipment

The TAME Trial: Targeting Aging with Metformin

If you have diabetes, metformin can make things better, but if you don’t, the drug may make things worse.

Different pharmaceuticals just unpacked from a box

Side Effects of Metformin as a Life-Extension Drug

As a mild mitochondrial poison, metformin carries a variety of downsides.

Does Metformin Work as a Life-Extension Drug?

Amazingly, diabetics placed on metformin may live longer lives than those who never got diabetes in the first place.

Woman using a stationary machine at the gym

Naturally Boosting AMPK with Exercise for Life Extension

AMPK is said to serve as a “mitochondrial guardian.”

Side Effects of Resveratrol Supplements

Resveratrol supplements may blunt some of the positive effects of exercise training.

Does Resveratrol Benefit Our Metabolic Health?

Which conditions have resveratrol supplements been shown to help?

The Side Effects of Human Growth Hormone as an Anti-Aging Therapy

Taking human growth hormone (somatotropin) may actually accelerate the aging process.

Holding a vitamin D supplement capsule with sun shining behind

Do Vitamin D Supplements Help Prevent Diabetes, Cancer Mortality, and Overall Mortality?

Randomized interventional trials are necessary to establish cause-and-effect.

The Supplement Shown to Slow Age-Related Hearing Loss

Some studies found that higher levels of folate in the blood seem to correlate with better hearing, so researchers decided to put it to the test.

Man touching face while suffering a stroke

Update on Vegetarian Stroke Risk

Those eating more plant-based diets have lower risk of having a stroke, including both bleeding and clotting strokes.

Close up of person’s hands preparing meal with fresh veggies

The Best Diet for COVID and Long-COVID

Healthy plant-based diets appear to help reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 and getting infected in the first place, even independent of comorbidities.

Two people helping each other with yoga poses

Yoga Put to the Test for Headaches, Diabetes, Osteoarthritis, and the Elderly

What happens when real yoga is compared to sham yoga?

Greens, Green Tea, and Nuts Put to the Test for Telomeres

Not all plant foods are linked to less cellular aging based on telomere attrition, and not all animal foods are linked to more.

Better to Exercise Before or After Meals for Weight Loss and Blood Sugar Control?

If people burn more fat on the days they exercise before eating, rather than afterwards, why doesn’t this translate into more weight loss?

Improving VO2 Max: A Look at Vegetarian and Vegan Athletes

Plant-based diets improve the performance of athletes and nonathletes alike.

A clipboard, pen, and graphs with stethoscope

The Negative Effects and Benefits of Plant-Based Diets

What are the pros and cons of plant-based eating?

Is Six Hours of Sleep Enough?

Just because we don’t have evidence that there is a growing epidemic of sleep deprivation doesn’t necessarily mean we are getting enough sleep.

Two people out to eat with a server at the table

Strategies to Eat Less Meat

What is the most effective way to help people reduce their meat consumption?

Plant-Based Diet for Treating and Reversing Stage 3 Kidney Disease

I share a touching story of the power of plant-based eating for chronic kidney failure.

Sweetener piled up around a bowl and a spoon

Update on Erythritol Sweetener Safety: Are There Side Effects?

Why are erythritol levels in the blood associated with higher levels of chronic disease?

How Much Erythritol Sweetener Is Too Much?

What are the maximum acute and daily doses for adults and children to avoid gastrointestinal effects?

Soul Food That’s Good for the Soul

The best of soul food’s origins are tied to the plant-centric West African diet.

Oatmeal Diet Put to the Test for Diabetes Treatment

What are the extraordinary, lasting benefits we may get from a few days of an oatmeal diet?

Dried oats in a wooden bowl with a measuring spoon

How Does Oatmeal Help with Blood Sugars?

The prebiotic fiber in oats helps to explain why oatmeal can improve diabetic control.

Oatmeal in a bowl on a wood surface with banana and blueberries

Is Oatmeal Good for People with Diabetes?

Before there was insulin, there was the “oatmeal cure.”

Teacup with steam rising in front of a serene nature background

Does Coffee Inhibit Iron Absorption? What Are the Effects of Having Too Much Iron?

Coffee and common herbal teas impair iron absorption, which may help explain some of their benefits.

The Role of Endotoxins in Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Why can a single meal high in saturated fat impair cognition?

Gloved hand doing a finger prick on another person’s hand

Vinegar for Blood Sugar Control and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Treatment

Apple cider vinegar may help with ovulatory function in those with PCOS.

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The Best Diet for Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Pain Relief

Anti-inflammatory diets can be effective in alleviating chronic pain syndromes.

The Harms Associated with Eating More Southern-Style Food

Diet appears to mediate the majority of the racial health gap.

Photo of Dr. Greger and video title on a green background

Answering Your Questions About Cholesterol and Diabetes

I answer some common questions I’ve been asked about cholesterol and diabetes, such as “What is the ideal LDL?” “What’s going on when someone eats healthfully but their glucose is still out of control?”

Antibiotic-Resistant E. coli and UTIs in Vegetarians vs. Meat-Eaters

Tainted chicken may result in more than a million urinary tract infections in American women every year.

Digital illustration of human pelvic region

Lower Protein Diet Proven to Help Kidney Disease

How might we cut the risk of dialysis and death in half?

Selection of fruits, vegetables, and nuts

Dietary Approach to Naturally Treating Menopause Symptoms

Specific foods have been shown in randomized controlled trials to improve symptoms like hot flashes.

Spoon of fenugreek seeds on wooden table

The Benefits of Fenugreek for Preventing and Treating Diabetes

The spice fenugreek contains 4-hydroxyisoleucine, a peculiar amino acid that may explain its benefits for controlling blood sugar.

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How a Plant-Based Diet Can Help Reduce Racial Health Disparities

Why are Black Americans sicker and die younger than their white counterparts, and what can we do about it?

Is Allulose a Healthy Sweetener?

Are rare sugars like allulose a healthy alternative for traditional sweeteners?

Does the Sweetener Allulose Have Side Effects?

How safe are fourth-generation sweeteners, such as the rare sugar allulose?

The Best Diet for Treating Atrial Fibrillation

What foods should we eat and avoid to reduce our risk of Afib?

How to Cultivate a Healthy Gut Microbiome with Food

Our gut flora is determined by what we eat, for good or for ill.

Popular Videos for Diabetes