Can we reverse Type 2 Diabetes with an animal-based diet?

To understand claims about dietary changes and type 2 diabetes, it helps to start with how the condition affects the body. In type 2 diabetes, the body’s cells don’t respond properly to insulin, the hormone that helps lower blood sugar. This means that no matter how much insulin the pancreas produces, diabetic individuals end up with all that sugar in their blood. Because of this, lifestyle strategies such as dietary changes can play an important role in managing the condition, though these are best pursued with the guidance of qualified health professionals. 

Claim 1: “The healthiest way to do this is to: Cut out all ultra-processed foods.”

Fact-check: Cutting out soda, chips, candy, and greasy fast foods is universally recommended! However, not all foods classified as “ultra-processed” are harmful. The NOVA classification defines ultra-processed foods as those containing industrial ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and flavour agents that are not found in our kitchens. But it also lumps in foods that can be healthy and convenient — like canned beans, fortified plant milks, or whole-grain breads with preservatives —  simply if they have one of these ingredients. 

A 2023 synthesis of three large cohorts found that ultra-processed food intake overall was linked to higher diabetes risk — but when broken down, refined grains, sugary drinks, and animal products increased risk, while whole-grain breads and fruit products reduced it. So avoiding sodas, sweets, and greasy fast food is clearly beneficial, but labelling all ultra-processed foods as harmful oversimplifies the evidence and may discourage people from choosing affordable, nutritious options that support diabetes management.

Claim 2: “Cut out all high-carbohydrate foods: grains, pasta, bread, cereal, fruit, honey, potato.”

Fact-check: While it is true that managing carbohydrate intake is central to diabetes care, this does not mean eliminating carbohydrates altogether but rather choosing high quality carbs. 

The American Diabetes Association, for example, recommends that carbohydrates make up roughly a quarter of the plate, with an emphasis on whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. That is because these foods provide fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that not only support general health but also help regulate blood sugar through various mechanisms in the body. For example, whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread versus refined grains like instant cereals, while rice and bread, crackers, chips, etc.

Extensive research backs this up. Meta-analyses show that people who eat more whole grains, fruits (excluding fruit juice), and beans/lentils (source, source) have lower insulin resistance, better lipid and glycemic control, lower body weight, and reduced risk for developing type II diabetes. So saying that all high-carbohydrate foods should be avoided oversimplies the science and may deprive people of foods that can actually help with blood sugar control.

Claim 3:  “Replace these carbohydrates with animal fats: tallow, butter, ghee, lard. Centre all your meals around fatty meat, seafood, eggs.”

Fact check: This advice directly contradicts decades of scientific evidence and the recommendations of major health organisations. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are often called “sister diseases” because they share common risk factors: obesity, hypertension, inflammation, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Any effective dietary intervention for diabetes must also reduce cardiovascular risk, not increase it. 

High intake of animal protein has repeatedly been linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes. For example, in three large U.S. cohort studies, raising red meat consumption by just ½ serving per day increased diabetes risk by nearly 50%. In contrast, replacing one daily serving of red meat with legumes or nuts lowered diabetes risk by 30%. Vegetarians consistently show a lower risk of type 2 diabetes than omnivores—evidence that contradicts the idea that animal products are essential for diabetes reversal.

While the claim is that type 2 diabetes can be reversed by stabilising blood sugar, lowering insulin, and shrinking fat cells, clinical trials show that plant-based diets can accomplish all three. Following a low-fat plant-based diet improved weight and blood sugar, reduced diabetes medications, improved beta-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and significantly reduced fat in liver and muscle cells—key drivers of insulin resistance.

These findings align with recommendations from the World Health Organization, American Diabetes Association, and the British Diabetic Association, which recommend limiting saturated fats and choosing lean proteins to prevent lipid abnormalities (high triglycerides, elevated LDL-C, and low HDL-C) that contribute to atherosclerosis. Tallow, butter, ghee, lard, and fatty meats are high in saturated fats, which experts advise limiting for better long-term health. A Nature Medicine study found that diets rich in plant-based unsaturated fats were associated with lower rates of both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, compared with diets high in saturated animal fats.

Final take-away

These claims misrepresent nutritional science by ignoring evidence linking animal protein to type 2 diabetes, oversimplifying advice by cutting out entire food groups, and downplaying decades of research and global health guidelines. While small amounts of lean animal products can fit into balanced diets, the strongest evidence supports plant-based patterns, which consistently improve blood sugar control and cardiovascular outcomes. This type of narrative can also leave people feeling uncertain about who to trust, pulling them away from healthcare professionals and making it harder to feel confident in safe, evidence-based options.

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We have contacted Lucy Fabbri and are awaiting a response.

Disclaimer

This fact-check is intended to provide information based on available scientific evidence. It should not be considered as medical advice. For personalised health guidance, consult with a qualified healthcare professional.