Plant-Based Eating for Type 2 Diabetes: Benefits, Myths & Getting Started
Plant-based eating can help manage chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes. For people with diabetes, this way of eating can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and support overall well-being.
To delve deeper into the benefits and practicalities of plant-based eating for diabetes, I spoke with Angie Christensen, a registered dietitian with over 25 years of experience. Angie has worked across various specialties, including endocrinology and renal dietetics, and has collaborated with top experts in plant-based nutrition.
With her wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience, Angie shared valuable insights into how plant-based eating can make a meaningful difference for those managing Type 2 diabetes.
What Does "Plant-Based Eating" Mean?
Plant-based eating focuses on incorporating whole, minimally processed foods that come from plants, such as vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains. Angie prefers the terms "plant-based" and "plant-forward" over "vegan" and "vegetarian." Many people immediately think about what they can't eat when they hear "vegan" and "vegetarian," and Angie prefers to focus on what to add to your diet.
Angie points out that most people already eat a plant-based diet without realizing it. "The vast majority of our calories and our nutrients come from foods that come from plant sources. But most of it is so processed, we don't recognize it as plants," she says. For example, while Oreos are technically vegan, they are far from the nutrient-dense, whole foods that plant-based eating encourages.
Instead, a plant-based approach prioritizes foods you can still recognize in their original form. "You want to be able to still recognize your food as a bean, a grain, a fruit, or a vegetable," Angie explains.
This focus on whole foods allows for a more flexible and sustainable way of eating that can fit into a variety of lifestyles without requiring someone to fully commit to being vegan or vegetarian. "You can eat a wide variety of foods, and plant-based can take on a wide variety of forms," she notes, adding that even small changes can lead to "pretty dramatic health benefits."
Benefits of Plant-Based Eating for Diabetes
Plant-based eating offers numerous benefits for individuals managing diabetes. Angie highlights how this approach can make a significant impact: "A whole food approach really helps my patients to manage their diabetes and improve their insulin sensitivity."
What should your diet look like when you have diabetes? Angie explains, "You need a higher fiber, lower saturated fat diet, full of antioxidants and low in inflammation-causing products."
Plant-based eating checks all of those boxes. Whole plant foods are fiber and antioxidant powerhouses. They also are low in saturated fat, and can replace meat, which causes a lot of inflammation in the body.
For those with co-occurring conditions like kidney disease, plant-based eating can still be beneficial. Angie shares, "I have seen just how powerful a plant-based diet can be in preventing and slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease as well." This is particularly important for individuals with both diabetes and kidney disease, as these conditions often overlap.
Will I get enough protein on a plant-based diet?
There is a common myth that plant-based diets lack sufficient protein. Angie debunks this idea, explaining, "It's actually really hard not to get enough protein. All vegetables have protein. All grains have protein." She adds, "I've been a dietitian for a long time, and I've never met anyone who is protein deficient unless they were truly starving or dealing with a severe medical condition."
Another outdated belief is that plant-based eaters need to combine foods at every meal to get a "complete protein." Angie clarifies, "That's been debunked for many, many years. Amino acids are amino acids. It doesn't matter if you eat one at breakfast and another at dinner. As long as you're consuming a wide variety of foods, you're going to get all the amino acids you need."
Angie also points out that many elite athletes thrive on plant-based diets. Venus Williams, for example, doesn't eat meat. "She's so strong. She's so powerful. She doesn't eat meat," Angie says. "What more do you need to see? She's not suffering from protein deficiency." Plant-based diets can provide all the protein needed, even for individuals with high physical demands.
Protein needs, however, are not one-size-fits-all and can vary significantly from person to person. Angie emphasizes the importance of individualization, noting that factors like age, activity level, and health conditions all play a role in determining protein requirements.
"Protein needs are not just based on your weight," she explains. "Different ages need different amounts of protein per pound or kilogram, and certain diagnoses might cause protein loss, requiring adjustments."
Many people associate protein with satiety and weight loss, believing that eating more protein will help them feel fuller and shed pounds. However, Angie points out that this isn't universally true. "That is also very individualized," she explains. "I have clients that don't do well on a high-protein diet—it doesn't help them lose weight. They actually do better on a higher carb, higher fiber diet, eating more whole plant foods." It's important to find the eating style that works best for your body and your goals, and dietitians like Angie can help you find that best fit.
What if I don't like vegetables?
Disliking vegetables is a common concern Angie hears from clients. "All the time, people say, 'I don't like vegetables. I just can't eat them,'" she shares.
Her response? "Okay, so you've tried every vegetable there is in every possible way they can be prepared?" Often, the issue isn't the vegetables themselves but how they've been prepared in the past—boiled, unseasoned, mushy, or with an unappealing texture.
Angie encourages people to explore new ways of preparing vegetables, from roasting to grilling to stir-frying, and to experiment with seasonings, sauces, or dips to enhance flavor. "If you dip it in something to make it taste better, that's totally fine," she says, noting that even small additions can make vegetables more enjoyable and increase consumption.
She also recommends starting small, focusing on vegetables you already enjoy. "There's usually at least one vegetable people will eat. Maybe for you it's baby carrots," Angie says. "Start with that. Just get some baby carrots in this week, and then we'll go from there." By taking a gradual, exploratory approach, even vegetable skeptics can find ways to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets in a way that feels manageable and enjoyable.
Where to Start
As Angie emphasizes, plant-based eating doesn't require perfection or strict adherence to veganism or vegetarianism—small, gradual changes can lead to meaningful health improvements.
Start with just one or two small changes. Angie suggests increasing non-starchy vegetables, like leafy greens. Try including an extra serving of veggies in a meal you already love, like adding a handful of kale to a soup.
"You don't have to change everything at once," Angie reminds us. "Sometimes just the tiniest change can make a big difference." By starting where you are, exploring what works for your body, and focusing on realistic, achievable steps, plant-based eating can become a powerful tool for better health and well-being.
Angie Christensen is a registered dietitian nutritionist with over 20 years of experience providing evidence-based medical nutrition therapy in both clinical and community settings. She is also a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) and a certified health coach through Wellcoaches®.