- Type 2 diabetes affects more than 500 million people throughout the world, and numbers are increasing rapidly.
- It increases the risk of many chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and eyesight problems.
- Together with medications, diet and exercise can help prevent complications of type 2 diabetes.
- New research suggests that the DASH diet may be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of diabetes complications.
The burden of diabetes worldwide
Of these, according to the World Health Organization (WHO),
People with type 2 diabetes are recommended to follow a healthy diet and exercise, together with medications such as metformin and GLP-1 agonists, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide, to control their blood glucose.
If blood glucose is not controlled, complications of type 2 diabetes can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, eyesight problems and foot problems.
Now, a review of the recent research published in Frontiers in Nutrition, has found that one particular dietary approach — the
Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS, a physician-scientist and assistant professor at the RUSH Institute for Healthy Aging, RUSH University, College of Health Sciences, who was not involved in the review, told Medical News Today:
“These findings are important because they show that the DASH diet, which was originally designed to lower blood pressure, also improves several of the biological pathways that drive complications in type 2 diabetes. Scientifically, the diet’s mix of high potassium, magnesium, calcium, fiber, and healthy fats, along with low sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat, reduces vascular stiffness, calms inflammation, and supports healthier kidney filtration and blood vessel function. This means the DASH diet helps protect the organs that diabetes tends to wear down over time, especially the heart, kidneys, eyes, and blood vessels.”
The DASH diet was designed to prevent and control high blood pressure (hypertension). However, researchers found that as well as lowering blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes, it had many other beneficial effects.
Overweight and obesity are closely associated with type 2 diabetes, and researchers found that the DASH diet was particularly effective in lowering blood pressure in people with these conditions.
The diet regulated sodium-potassium balance, improved endothelial function, and reduced inflammation, all of which contribute to lowering blood pressure. When combined with time-restricted eating, the effects were even greater.
The diet also improved blood lipid (fats) levels, helping to reduce the likelihood of microvascular disease, a condition that affects the smallest blood vessels in the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes, and is responsible for many of the complications of type 2 diabetes.
For blood glucose control, the researchers investigated how the DASH diet affected
They found that although the diet had only a modest effect on HbA1c, it enhanced insulin signaling, thereby reducing insulin resistance and fasting plasma glucose.
DASH also reduced the risk of diabetic
The DASH eating plan is a flexible, balanced eating plan that emphasises heart-Healthy foods. The diet focuses on:
- controlling portion sizes
- lowering intake of sodium (salt) and eating foods that are high in magnesium, calcium and potassium
- eating lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils
- including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, and poultry, but reducing intake of fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils
- limiting intake of sugar and sweets.
The DASH diet improved glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular health, all of which are linked to reduced complications of type 2 diabetes.
Many factors of the diet are responsible for its beneficial effects, as Holland explained:
“The DASH diet […] targets multiple physiologic stressors at the same time, and these effects translate into protections people can actually feel and understand. For example, eating less sodium and more potassium-rich foods helps blood vessels relax and reduces blood pressure, easing strain on the kidneys, eyes, and small vessels commonly damaged in diabetes.”
“High fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains slows how fast glucose enters the bloodstream, feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and lowers cholesterol, acting like a ‘slow-release’ system that softens blood sugar spikes. Replacing saturated fats with fish, nuts, and plant oils improves cell membrane health and reduces vascular inflammation, making arteries less prone to clogging,” he added.
The researchers emphasized that the effects of the diet are greater than might be seen through taking supplements, as the different elements of the diet work together to modulate metabolic disorders and reduce the likelihood of complications in people with type 2 diabetes.
They suggested that it is the antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties of the diet that help protect those with metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, from further complications.
Holland agreed, noting that “one key takeaway is that the DASH diet works because it is a whole dietary pattern, not a single nutrient tweak, and this aligns with the evidence from Frank Sacks’ earlier and later works showing that isolating individual features matters less than the full dietary structure.”
People with type 2 diabetes could really benefit from following the DASH diet, said Holland, though he added some light caveats.
“The DASH diet should be recommended for most people with type 2 diabetes, but with the right expectations. Biologically, the diet improves blood pressure, reduces inflammation, protects kidney function, and enhances lipid metabolism, all of which target the major drivers of diabetes-related complications. These mechanisms translate to real-world benefits: Better kidney labs, lower cardiovascular risk, and fewer downstream problems even if the diet itself does not always produce dramatic short-term drops in hemoglobin A1c.”
– Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS
At the same time, he cautioned that, while, “generally, the DASH diet is very safe for most, but people with kidney issues or those on glucose-lowering medications should have a conversation with the doctor if they are going to change their diets, as they may need closer follow-up and some personalization might be required.
