New Study Finds Plants Slash Diabetes Risk by 18 Percent

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Finland and published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that diets highest in plant-based protein minimized the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The findings are part of an ongoing study that began in 1984 called the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Study, and focused on 2332 male participants with no incidence of type 2 diabetes. After 19 years, researchers found that 432 participants—those who consumed the highest amount of meat, including fish—had contracted the disease. Researchers further found that swapping just one percent of energy intake from meat for calories derived from vegetables slashed type 2 diabetes risk by 18 percent. This study builds on a growing body of evidence that links plant-based diets to lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, treating symptoms of multiple sclerosis, aiding in maintaining a healthy weight, and decreasing the risk of contracting heart disease.