A large study of over 4,800 people with type 2 diabetes found that those who ate more plant-based foods had a lower risk of dying from any cause over an 11-year period. Interestingly, the benefit was even stronger for people whose diabetes was harder to control or who had been living with diabetes for a longer time. The study also found that eating unhealthy plant-based foods (like processed snacks) was linked to higher death risk, suggesting that the quality of plant foods matters just as much as eating plants themselves.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating more plant-based foods helps people with type 2 diabetes live longer and healthier lives
  • Who participated: 4,829 people with type 2 diabetes from the UK Biobank who provided detailed food diaries at least twice. Researchers followed them for an average of 11.3 years and tracked how many people passed away.
  • Key finding: People who ate the most plant-based foods had a 21% lower risk of dying compared to those who ate the least plant-based foods. However, eating unhealthy plant-based foods (like processed plant snacks) was linked to a 24% higher death risk.
  • What it means for you: If you have type 2 diabetes, eating more whole plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains may help you live longer. However, simply eating more plant-based processed foods won’t help—focus on whole, unprocessed plant foods. This is especially important if your blood sugar is hard to control or you’ve had diabetes for many years.

The Research Details

This was a long-term follow-up study using data from the UK Biobank, a large health database. Researchers looked at people with type 2 diabetes and examined their food diaries (called 24-hour dietary recalls) to score how plant-based their diets were. They created three different scores: one for overall plant-based eating, one for healthy plant-based foods, and one for unhealthy plant-based foods. Then they tracked these people for over 11 years to see who stayed healthy and who passed away.

The researchers used a statistical method called Cox regression to compare death rates between people who ate the most plant-based foods versus those who ate the least. They also looked at whether the benefits changed depending on factors like how well someone’s blood sugar was controlled, their weight, how long they’d had diabetes, and their age when diagnosed.

This approach is strong because it follows real people over a long time and uses detailed food information, but it can’t prove that eating plants directly causes longer life—only that the two are connected.

Long-term follow-up studies like this one are important because they show what happens to real people over many years, not just in a lab. Since type 2 diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people, understanding which foods might help them live longer is very valuable. This study is particularly useful because it looked at different types of plant-based eating (healthy versus unhealthy) and examined whether benefits varied for different groups of people.

This study has several strengths: it included a large number of people (4,829), followed them for over a decade, and used detailed food records rather than just asking people to remember what they ate. The study was published in Diabetes Care, a respected medical journal. However, the study cannot prove cause-and-effect—it only shows that plant-based eating and longer life are connected. People who eat more plants might also exercise more or have other healthy habits. Additionally, most participants were from the UK, so results might not apply equally to all populations.

What the Results Show

During the 11.3-year study period, 679 people passed away. Those who ate the most plant-based foods had a 21% lower risk of death compared to those who ate the least (this difference was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to be due to chance). When researchers looked specifically at healthy plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains, there was a similar protective trend, though the results were slightly less certain.

In contrast, people who ate the most unhealthy plant-based foods—such as processed plant-based snacks, sugary plant-based drinks, and refined grains—had a 24% higher risk of death compared to those who ate the least of these foods. This finding highlights an important point: not all plant-based foods are equally beneficial.

The protective effect of eating more plants was even stronger for certain groups. People whose blood sugar was harder to control, those who carried more weight around their middle, those diagnosed with diabetes at a younger age, and those who had lived with diabetes for longer all showed greater benefits from eating plant-based foods. This suggests that plant-based eating might be especially helpful for people with more serious or long-standing diabetes.

The study found that the benefits of plant-based eating varied depending on individual characteristics. For example, someone diagnosed with diabetes in their 30s saw more benefit from eating plants than someone diagnosed in their 60s. Similarly, someone whose blood sugar levels were poorly controlled (measured by a test called HbA1c) benefited more from plant-based eating than someone whose blood sugar was well-managed. These findings suggest that plant-based diets might be particularly valuable for people with more challenging diabetes situations.

This research aligns with previous studies showing that plant-based diets are generally healthy. However, this study adds important new information by showing that the quality of plant foods matters significantly. Earlier research sometimes grouped all plant-based foods together, but this study clearly demonstrates that healthy plant foods (whole foods) and unhealthy plant foods (processed foods) have very different effects on health. The findings also support the idea that people with more difficult-to-control diabetes may benefit most from dietary changes.

This study has several important limitations. First, it only shows that plant-based eating and longer life are connected—it doesn’t prove that eating plants causes people to live longer. People who eat more plants might also exercise more, have better healthcare, or have other healthy habits that actually explain the longer life. Second, the study relied on people’s memories of what they ate, which can be inaccurate. Third, most participants were from the UK and of European descent, so the results might not apply equally to other populations. Finally, the study only included people with type 2 diabetes, so we don’t know if the same benefits would apply to people without diabetes or those with type 1 diabetes.

The Bottom Line

If you have type 2 diabetes, consider eating more whole plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, and whole grains. Focus on unprocessed or minimally processed foods rather than plant-based processed snacks and drinks. This recommendation has moderate confidence based on this study combined with other research showing plant-based diets are healthy. The benefit appears strongest if your blood sugar is difficult to control, you carry extra weight, or you’ve had diabetes for many years.

This research is most relevant for adults with type 2 diabetes who want to reduce their health risks. It’s especially important for people whose diabetes is hard to manage with current treatments. However, anyone with diabetes should talk to their doctor or a dietitian before making major dietary changes, especially if they take diabetes medications, as dietary changes might affect how much medication they need. This research doesn’t apply to people with type 1 diabetes or those without diabetes, though eating more whole plant foods is generally healthy for everyone.

You might notice some benefits (like better blood sugar control or more energy) within weeks to months of eating more plant-based whole foods. However, the major health benefits shown in this study—like reduced risk of serious illness or longer life—take years to develop. Think of it as a long-term investment in your health rather than a quick fix. Most people see meaningful changes in blood sugar control within 3-6 months of consistent dietary changes.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily servings of whole plant foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds) separately from processed plant-based foods. Aim to log at least 5 servings of whole plant foods daily and keep processed plant foods to less than 2 servings per day. This helps you see whether you’re eating the beneficial type of plant foods.
  • Start by adding one new whole plant-based food to each meal this week (like adding beans to lunch, berries to breakfast, or extra vegetables to dinner). Next week, try replacing one processed snack with a whole plant food. Use the app to set reminders for meal prep on weekends so you have healthy plant-based options ready to eat.
  • Track your plant-based food intake weekly and review your blood sugar readings monthly (if you monitor them) to see if eating more whole plant foods helps improve your control. Also note any changes in how you feel—energy levels, digestion, and overall wellness. Share this information with your doctor at regular check-ups to discuss whether your diabetes medications need adjustment.

This research suggests an association between plant-based eating and longer life in people with type 2 diabetes, but it does not prove cause-and-effect. If you have type 2 diabetes, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes, especially if you take diabetes medications, as dietary changes may affect your medication needs and blood sugar levels. This article is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. Individual results may vary based on overall health, genetics, and other lifestyle factors.