Can Going Vegan Prevent Diabetes? Here’s What Research Shows

It’s estimated that more than 38 million Americans live with diabetes—a disease that can lead to blindness, serious birth complications, and deadly heart, kidney, and circulatory problems. It’s one of the nation’s leading causes of death and drains more than approximately $400 billion from the U.S. economy every year. About 95% of these cases are type 2, which is largely preventable and, in many situations, reversible through lifestyle changes (such as going vegan!).

The impact of diabetes is staggering, and the misconceptions surrounding it— like the myth that it’s simply caused by “eating too much sugar” or that diabetic individuals have rigid food “rules”—only fuel stigma. So let’s cut through the confusion and break down the facts about diabetes, how it’s caused, and how being vegan can play a powerful role in preventing and managing it.

Can Going Vegan Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?

Research shows that eating meat, cheese, and eggs is linked to increased insulin resistance and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, nutritious vegan foods like vegetables, beans, fruits, and whole grains support healthier blood sugar control and are associated with a significantly lower risk of developing the disease.

While there are many factors in type 2 diabetes prevention, mountains of evidence have shown that healthy vegan eating is leading the way. A 2021 study published in Advances in Nutrition highlights that diets excluding animal-derived products can improve blood sugar levels, support healthy body weight, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and help prevent both cardiovascular and microvascular complications.

A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that 43 percent of people with type 2 diabetes who went vegan and ate low-fat foods reduced their need for medications to manage their disease compared to only 26 percent of those who followed the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association. One of the study’s researchers stated, “The [low-fat vegan] diet appears remarkably effective, and all the side effects are good ones—especially weight loss and lower cholesterol.”

These studies emphasize that going vegan not only lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes but is also highly effective in managing the condition for those already diagnosed.

Diabetes and Weight: Why Vegan Foods Matter

Weight management plays a key role in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes, and what you eat can make all the difference. Plant foods—fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds—can support healthy weight and improve metabolic health, while meat, dairy, and eggs are linked to increased risk of obesity.

A study by the University of California, published in Diabetes in Control, found that patients with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-fat, meat-free diet lost significantly more weight than those following the American Diabetes Association’s standard guidelines, which include meat and dairy. Participants who ditched meat also experienced a significant drop in cholesterol levels, while those following the ADA’s guidelines actually saw their cholesterol rise.

Research from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, shows that participants lost more weight when vegan—even when eating food considered “unhealthy”—than those following a Mediterranean diet.

Other studies support this link between eating animal-derived “products” and weight risk: Research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vegan women had a lower risk of obesity than meat-eaters, and a Swiss study reported that “overweight and obese individuals were more likely to be high-meat eaters.”

What About Type 1?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that can’t be cured or reversed, but growing evidence suggests that early-life exposure to cow’s milk may increase the risk of developing it. The risk is even higher for genetically predisposed children—yet the multibillion-dollar dairy industry continues to push dairy on kids.

A report by researchers at the Clinical Nutrition & Risk Factor Modification Center at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto stated being vegan has been shown to improve glycemic control, reduced lipid levels, and reduced rates of renal disease. The researchers urged diabetics to substitute “soy or other vegetable proteins for animal protein.”

According to Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a former nutrition researcher at Cornell University and director of the largest epidemiological study in history, “The depth and breadth of evidence now implicating cow’s milk as a cause of type 1 diabetes is overwhelming.”

This means that dumping dairy can be an effective step in reducing the risk of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. When you’re at the grocery store, choose dairy-free milks and yogurts that don’t have any of the cholesterol found in cow’s milk.

Are Vegans Less Likely to Be Diabetic?

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, individuals who don’t eat meat have lower rates of diabetes (as well as lower rates of heart disease, some cancers, and obesity) than meat-eaters do.

Although the causes of diabetes are often complex, and genetics may predispose you to it, there is strong evidence that being vegan can help prevent and treat diabetes. The following are a few reasons why:

Saturated Fat and Cholesterol

Our bodies produce all the cholesterol that we need. Additional cholesterol from food—which is found exclusively in meat, eggs, dairy products, and other animal-derived products—along with saturated animal fats, raises our blood cholesterol to dangerous levels, which clogs our arteries. Diabetics are at a heightened risk of developing heart disease, so doctors recommend that they pay particularly close attention to their intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. Being vegan brings dietary cholesterol to zero and drastically reduces the amount of saturated fat a person eats.

Iron

Iron consumption comes in two forms: heme iron, primarily found in meat and other animal-derived products, and nonheme iron, found in plant foods. A study by Harvard researchers found that consuming heme iron from pigs’ and cows’ flesh significantly increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while nonheme iron from plant foods was not linked to a higher diabetes risk.

Another study led by researchers at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published in Nature Metabolism, found that those who consumed the highest amount of heme iron had a 26% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Fiber

Nutrition research strongly indicates that eating large amounts of dietary fiber dramatically reduces the risk of developing diabetes. Fiber lowers blood-glucose levels, which can improve diabetics’ health significantly. There is no dietary fiber in animal flesh, eggs, or dairy—fiber is only found in plant foods. By going vegan and loading up on fiber-rich beans, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables, you’ll be making a terrific investment in your health.

Manage Diabetes and Help Animals

Preventing or managing diabetes is complex, and some factors are still unknown. But what we do know is that the high levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and heme iron in animal-derived products can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes—or worsening the disease for those who already have it.

The good news? Being vegan can help anyone, including those with diabetes, live a healthier, more vibrant life—supporting blood sugar control, reducing complications, and improving overall well-being. To top it all off, you’ll be sparing cows, chickens, pigs, and fish from being killed for your lunch.

Want to Learn More About Improving Your Health?

Read about how going vegan can protect you from other serious illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.

It’s not just good for you—it’s good for the planet and for our fellow animals, who have feelings, personalities, and relationships, just as humans do. Make the compassionate switch today: