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Dr. Neal Barnard's Cookbook for Reversing Diabetes: 150 Recipes Scientifically Proven to Reverse Diabetes Without Drugs
150 delicious plant-based recipes designed to tackle diabetes and its complications.Finally an approach to managing diabetes that is not based on pills or injections, but on food—the most delicious “prescription” you could imagine. Written by Dr. Neal Barnard, the unparalleled expert on diabetes and health, with recipes developed by Dreena Burton, bestselling cookbook author and creator of the Plant Powered Kitchen blog, this plant-based cookbook is filled with 150 easy and delicious recipes.Inside, expect to find favorite foods like burgers, onion rings, muffins, and pudding, but approached from a healthful angle—focusing on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. Dr. Barnard also offers thorough explanations about the scientific relationship between nutrition and diabetes, and identifies the ingredients in the book by their vitamins, nutritional properties, and health power in a simple and easy to understand way. Dr. Neal Barnard’s Cookbook for Reversing Diabetes is a treasury of meals that are as tasty as they are powerful for health.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2018
314 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Neal D. Barnard
71 books406 followersNeal Barnard, MD, FACC, is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Dr. Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, hormonal symptoms, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that paved the way for viewing type 2 diabetes as a potentially reversible condition for many patients. Dr. Barnard has authored more than 100 scientific publications and 20 books for medical and lay readers, and is the editor in chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians, a textbook made available to all U.S. medical students.
As president of the Physicians Committee, Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research. His research contributed to the acceptance of plant-based diets in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In 2015, he was named a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. In 2016, he founded the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, DC, as a model for making nutrition a routine part of all medical care.
Working with the Medical Society of the District of Columbia and the American Medical Association, Dr. Barnard has authored key resolutions, now part of AMA policy, calling for a new focus on prevention and nutrition in federal policies and in medical practice. In 2018, he received the Medical Society of the District of Columbia’s Distinguished Service Award. He has hosted four PBS television programs on nutrition and health.
Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Dr. Barnard received his M.D. degree at the George Washington University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the same institution. He practiced at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York before returning to Washington to found the Physicians Committee.
His latest book is The Power Foods Diet: The Breakthrough Plan that Traps, Tames, and Burns Calories for Easy and Permanent Weight Loss. With more than 120 recipes and beautiful food photography, it shows the surprising ability that certain foods have to cause weight loss.
Dr. Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, hormonal symptoms, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that paved the way for viewing type 2 diabetes as a potentially reversible condition for many patients. Dr. Barnard has authored more than 100 scientific publications and 20 books for medical and lay readers, and is the editor in chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians, a textbook made available to all U.S. medical students.
As president of the Physicians Committee, Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research. His research contributed to the acceptance of plant-based diets in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In 2015, he was named a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. In 2016, he founded the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, DC, as a model for making nutrition a routine part of all medical care.
Working with the Medical Society of the District of Columbia and the American Medical Association, Dr. Barnard has authored key resolutions, now part of AMA policy, calling for a new focus on prevention and nutrition in federal policies and in medical practice. In 2018, he received the Medical Society of the District of Columbia’s Distinguished Service Award. He has hosted four PBS television programs on nutrition and health.
Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Dr. Barnard received his M.D. degree at the George Washington University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the same institution. He practiced at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York before returning to Washington to found the Physicians Committee.
His latest book is The Power Foods Diet: The Breakthrough Plan that Traps, Tames, and Burns Calories for Easy and Permanent Weight Loss. With more than 120 recipes and beautiful food photography, it shows the surprising ability that certain foods have to cause weight loss.
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April 28, 2025Dr. Neal Barnard comes with an impressive résumé: He’s a professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.; he’s the president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a group promoting veganism; he’s authored quite a few studies on health and veganism. Which is why I am not going to give this cookbook a rating — because a rating would depend on whom you are.
Dr. Barnard insists that diabetes is not caused by a surfeit of sugar and carbohydrate-laden foods, such as potatoes or bread — the latter is the conventional medical position — but by too much fat, especially animal fat. Consequently, none of the recipes in this cookbook have any meat or even animal products: no eggs, milk, butter, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, etc. Dr. Barnard’s cookbook is strictly vegan.
As a vegan cookbook, this is a five-star tome, including vegan variations on quesadillas, creamy smoothies, chili, burgers, ice cream and more. If you’re vegan, you’ve hit the jackpot.
But what if you’re diabetic? Or you’re looking for low-carb recipes? While I respect Dr. Barnard, I do not believe in his notion that fat, not carbs, are making Americans fat nor bringing on our current epidemic of Type 2 diabetes. If low-fat diets were the answer, then the low-fat craze of the 1960s through the 2000s would have turned the United States into a svelte, healthy nation with barely a diabetic to be found. And it didn’t. In addition, the vast majority of physicians and medical researchers do not agree that veganism without regard to sugars and carbohydrates will improve — much less, reverse — high blood sugar. (Dr. Barnard adds maple syrup to all kinds of recipes, including those which don’t need sweetening. Very few of these recipes are low-carbohydrate, needless to say.)
I commend Dr. Barnard’s commitment to cruelty-free eating, but I don’t believe that eschewing meat and animal products will reverse anything about your health, much less diabetes. If you decide to become a vegan, do so for ethical reasons, not to cure your diabetes.
In the interest of full disclosure, low-fat diets never helped me, and I have lost 25 pounds in the last six months by counting carbs and eating more vegetables. If you’re like me, you’ll find some interesting recipes in Dr. Barnard’s cookbook, but you’re rating will be closer to three stars rather than five.
The cookbook is available free for those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Dr. Barnard insists that diabetes is not caused by a surfeit of sugar and carbohydrate-laden foods, such as potatoes or bread — the latter is the conventional medical position — but by too much fat, especially animal fat. Consequently, none of the recipes in this cookbook have any meat or even animal products: no eggs, milk, butter, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, etc. Dr. Barnard’s cookbook is strictly vegan.
As a vegan cookbook, this is a five-star tome, including vegan variations on quesadillas, creamy smoothies, chili, burgers, ice cream and more. If you’re vegan, you’ve hit the jackpot.
But what if you’re diabetic? Or you’re looking for low-carb recipes? While I respect Dr. Barnard, I do not believe in his notion that fat, not carbs, are making Americans fat nor bringing on our current epidemic of Type 2 diabetes. If low-fat diets were the answer, then the low-fat craze of the 1960s through the 2000s would have turned the United States into a svelte, healthy nation with barely a diabetic to be found. And it didn’t. In addition, the vast majority of physicians and medical researchers do not agree that veganism without regard to sugars and carbohydrates will improve — much less, reverse — high blood sugar. (Dr. Barnard adds maple syrup to all kinds of recipes, including those which don’t need sweetening. Very few of these recipes are low-carbohydrate, needless to say.)
I commend Dr. Barnard’s commitment to cruelty-free eating, but I don’t believe that eschewing meat and animal products will reverse anything about your health, much less diabetes. If you decide to become a vegan, do so for ethical reasons, not to cure your diabetes.
In the interest of full disclosure, low-fat diets never helped me, and I have lost 25 pounds in the last six months by counting carbs and eating more vegetables. If you’re like me, you’ll find some interesting recipes in Dr. Barnard’s cookbook, but you’re rating will be closer to three stars rather than five.
The cookbook is available free for those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
July 26, 2018
The 150 plant-based recipes in this book may be interesting and flavorful, but the author did a big disservice by packaging it as a cookbook for reversing diabetes without drugs. Many of the recipes use sugar in various amounts and types, with some well past the desired levels for a diabetic. Most of the sauces and dressings include either maple syrup, applesauce, or coconut nectar, despite the fact that added sugars can be bad for a diabetic's overall well being. Dr. Neal Barnard's Cookbook for Reversing Diabetes may be a good choice for a vegetarian or vegan, but is not the best for a diabetic's needs.
November 29, 2019
Certainly something to consider. Lots of good information at the beginning of the book to explain it's premise. The recipes are hearty enough that you wouldn't feel hungry.
October 15, 2021
I tried the Thai corn and sweet potato stew and it was tasty. Better the second day. But the prep time and variety of ingredients didn't make it very weeknight friendly. A good variety of recipes that I haven't seen in every other WFPB book, but again the ingredients may not be in every pantry which might be a turn off. I would have liked to see a better selection of main dishes. There were at least four recipes for various burgers.
And the layout is strange. A photo spread for select recipes is past the halfway point of the book in between two different main dish recipes. So alongside the Southwest tofu recipe is a photo for low fat granola. And a picture of chocolate baked bananas alongside the lentil Bolognese recipe. Why not separate the photos in the center apart from the recipes??
And the layout is strange. A photo spread for select recipes is past the halfway point of the book in between two different main dish recipes. So alongside the Southwest tofu recipe is a photo for low fat granola. And a picture of chocolate baked bananas alongside the lentil Bolognese recipe. Why not separate the photos in the center apart from the recipes??
May 17, 2022
As someone that needs to further improve their diet, I appreciated the science added. I may not be a fan of certain staples of this diet, however, it is helpful to make this transition by having starter recipes to find inspiration. I do find it odd how often a sweetener is added to a recipe, but avoiding sweets was never the problem so I simply omit it.
The information is direct for which foods should be eaten most often, and which to be avoided, and why.
The information is direct for which foods should be eaten most often, and which to be avoided, and why.
June 29, 2019
2.5 / 5 stars
The entire premise is to just become a vegan. Honestly, while some of the recipes sound good they all look like too much work to actually make them part of a regular menu plan.
The entire premise is to just become a vegan. Honestly, while some of the recipes sound good they all look like too much work to actually make them part of a regular menu plan.
October 11, 2020
This is a good starter cookbook, but the PCRM website has many more recipes as does his book about reversing diabetes.
March 21, 2018
4.5* This book accompanies the updated version of Dr. Barnard’s book on reversing diabetes. In this one, he briefly reviews the science behind his dietary recommendations, but the focus is on how to translate actually day-to-day cooking of whole foods into your life.
The recipe author is Dreena Burton. I’ve tried a few recipes from another book of hers on cooking plant-based for a family and loved them. So that nudged me towards purchase of this book. I’ve already tried several recipes and they are terrific. One of the challenges of this lifestyle is managing without adding processed oils (and yes, that means no EVOO, which has no real health value except when compared to a diet high in animal fat). Burton has given me several easy and extremely tasty dressings to use on salads, as dips, in Buddha bowls. She is a believer in batch cooking and I’m attempting to add that habit to my life too.
I’m really glad I bought this as it provides guidance for how to get started living a new way. To succeed, you need tasty recipes, some new equipment (a high-powered blender is an essential tool), and support (Burton does respond to questions on her website and Facebook page).
Highly recommend. I withheld 1 star because so many recipes are family sized; more authors need to provide options for 1-2 person families.
The recipe author is Dreena Burton. I’ve tried a few recipes from another book of hers on cooking plant-based for a family and loved them. So that nudged me towards purchase of this book. I’ve already tried several recipes and they are terrific. One of the challenges of this lifestyle is managing without adding processed oils (and yes, that means no EVOO, which has no real health value except when compared to a diet high in animal fat). Burton has given me several easy and extremely tasty dressings to use on salads, as dips, in Buddha bowls. She is a believer in batch cooking and I’m attempting to add that habit to my life too.
I’m really glad I bought this as it provides guidance for how to get started living a new way. To succeed, you need tasty recipes, some new equipment (a high-powered blender is an essential tool), and support (Burton does respond to questions on her website and Facebook page).
Highly recommend. I withheld 1 star because so many recipes are family sized; more authors need to provide options for 1-2 person families.
October 5, 2021
Wonderful recipes! My husband reversed late onset Type 2 diabetes, dropping >25 pounds and reducing A1c >12 to below 7 by following the guidance in Dr. Barnard’s book ‘Program for Reversing Diabetes Without Drugs’. Maybe it’s more accurate to say he put his diabetes in remission, since to keep his metrics where he wants them requires ongoing adherence to meals without extracted oils (no matter how many extra virgins) made entirely from intact plant parts: roots & stalks, leaves and blossoms, berries, fruits, and seeds. Garden of Eden eating. I got off statins the same way. If you doubt the science that clarifies how fat not ‘carbs’ leads to insulin resistance, here’s a start at comprehending: https://nutritionfacts.org/2016/11/17.... To keep him off metformin & me off statins, we do plenty of weekly batch cooking that makes our fridge an easy-access buffet of plant-based whole (intact, unprocessed or lightly processed) foods to allow us quick meal assemblies. Many thanks to Dr. Barnard and Dreena Burton for all the good ideas in this information-packed cookbook.
June 19, 2025
Picked it up from the library. Good enough that I went ahead and ordered a copy of my own to keep.
I haven't used the recipes yet but a lot of them look fairly simple and tasty.
While diabetes isn't a concern for me, there are plenty of people in my life who could benefit from this, so I figure it's worth getting some recipes down and sharing with people from time to time.
I haven't used the recipes yet but a lot of them look fairly simple and tasty.
While diabetes isn't a concern for me, there are plenty of people in my life who could benefit from this, so I figure it's worth getting some recipes down and sharing with people from time to time.
July 22, 2025
Not a doctor, but I don’t think you can reverse diabetes, although he does explain himself in the first chapter. The hidden agenda is vegan, not sure why he doesn’t make that clean the cover. They’re all vegan recipes so buyer beware. Hardly any photos and the photos are nowhere near the actual recipe. He’s got a lot of carbs and sweeteners in his recipes, so I’m putting this one aside.
October 28, 2020
A good book for plant based recipes, with good cooking tips for life in general, scattered throughout. I've made a few and did enjoy them, plus found meals relatively inexpensive to make. Overall, a good bunch of ideas to have on hand if you're trying to eat healthier.
June 14, 2023
Yep, another cookbook to review. There were enough enticing recipes in this one that I ordered it. Not all were in my wheelhouse but I feel quite a few of those I could tweak to make them more "mine". I have my first few recipes picked out to try.
September 22, 2019
Thought the recipes were awful. Made two of them and they didn't work.
December 20, 2020
Always seeking easy, plant-based recipes that are healthy.
January 24, 2021
Good companion book to Dr. Barnard's ground breaking, scientifically based Reversing Diabetes book, with more delicious health promoting vegan recipes.
December 30, 2021
Recipes did not appeal to me. Too many foods that I dislike.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews