blog image
November 01 , 2018
Pros to Going Vegan if You are a Diabetic

Diabetes is a challenging condition to be in and your eating habits will surely play a significant role in determining the quality of your life with this disease.

Whether or not you decide to become a vegan, a vegetarian diet certainly helps combat Diabetes.

It is a truth, now more or less globally acknowledged, that a plant-based diet can do wonders for both your health and the health of the planet.

new study —the first of its kind to link both individual health and the Earth’s—published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says that a vegan diet can really up the ante on both fronts. The study results reveal that 8.1 million deaths can be mitigated annually worldwide if more people adopt a vegan diet.

Veganism is now much more mainstream and its adoption by a greater number of Indians has been fuelled by celebrities such as Amir Khan and high-profile personalities like Bill Clinton, who have gone the vegan route.

What is Veganism?

Let us make it very clear to you in the beginning itself. Veganism and Vegetarianism are not the same, in fact they significantly differ on one very unique note.

Vegans not only eat only plant-based diet but also completely refrain from all the dairy products including milk! Food that goes through a process involving animals is a strict No for Vegans.

So, it clearly makes vegan diet a very restricted diet where one faces acute challenges when it comes to wholesome nutrition and availability of eating choices while dining out.

Having said that, veganism has got many unparalleled benefits as well.

Read on to learn about the wonders a vegan diet can do for a diabetic.

Helps lower cholesterol

According to a study in Diabete

s Voice in 2007, people with Type 2 Diabetes who opted for vegan diet reduced their LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol by 21 percent-significantly more than the 9 percent drop seen by another group that were on a non-vegan diet. This helps prevent heart diseases, of which people with type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk than people without diabetes.

Increases antioxidant intake

Vegan eating usually increases intake of wholesome foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes and whole grains, which is a great opportunity to get plentiful antioxidants, dietary fibre and vitamins and minerals. These foods tend to be low on the glycaemic index and so the risk you’ll spike your blood sugar when you eat them is significantly reduced.

Promotes greater self-control

Vegan eating helps “slow down the eating

process” making you more aware, (at least in the beginning phases of moving over to a vegan diet), about what you are putting in your mouth. This can serve to cut down on impulsive eating behaviours, one of the many factors affecting Diabetes.

Helps Keep obesity at bay

Since weight is closely linked to type 2 diabetes — about 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of HealthThe main proteins in a vegan diet are plant-based, which help reduce saturated fat consumption.

Quite often, women with type 2 diabetes are often first diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a disease that is linked to body weight and insulin imbalances and is the leading cause of infertility in women.

Consulting an endocrinologist when signs like weight gain and irregular menstrual cycles show up is a must.

 Reduces the risks of a number of major illnesses

By virtue of their plant-based diet, as a vegan you will be less prone to a variety of diseases that spread from infected animals’ meat. Diabetes is enough daunting to deal with, any other disease on top of it only makes it more difficult.

To sum it up, a vegan diet may be safe and beneficial if you have diabetes, but it’s crucial to focus on nutrient-dense foods, continue to monitor your blood sugar levels, and consult a certified diabetes expert to help guide you through this journey of combating Diabetes on your own terms.

Don’t delay and get in touch with Magna code. We will help you live a sweet life because you deserve it!