Plant foods, healthy plant-based diets, and type 2 diabetes: a review of the evidence.

This article focuses on the relationship between healthy, plant-based diets and type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention and management. It reviews evidence from cohort studies and randomized controlled trials showing that replacing animal foods with healthy plant foods—such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts—is consistently associated with a lower risk of T2D and improved cardiometabolic outcomes in both patients with T2D and those at high risk. The article discusses biological mechanisms underlying these effects, including reductions in ectopic fat, inflammation, dietary acid load, and advanced glycation end products, as well as improvements in insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, gut microbiota, and glucagon-like peptide-1 production. It concludes that well-planned, vitamin B12–supplemented, 100% plant-based diets are nutritionally adequate, safe across all life stages, and beneficial for T2D prevention, treatment, and related complications such as diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease.