A low-fat vegan diet that does not restrict calories or carbohydrates may help people with type 1 diabetes use less insulin and lower their insulin expenses. The findings come from new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, published in BMC Nutrition.
Insulin is a hormone that moves glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into muscle and liver cells, where it is used for energy. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin because their bodies do not produce enough of it.
Some individuals with type 1 diabetes also develop insulin resistance, meaning their cells do not respond properly to insulin. When this happens, glucose stays in the bloodstream instead of entering cells. Dietary fat plays a major role in insulin resistance because it can interfere with the ability of glucose to move into cells…