Protein is essential for life,  but that doesn’t mean you have to get most of yours from animal meat. In fact, plant-based proteins may be a better option, especially for diabetics.

Here are four reasons to consider replacing your beef burgers with veggie burgers.

#1 Red Meat Can Increase the Risk of Developing Diabetes

Red meat and processed red meat have also been found to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Each additional serving of red meat eaten per day raises the risk of diabetes between 12% and 32%. Conversely, substituting one serving of meat with a serving of nuts, low-fat dairy, or whole grains daily lowered the risk of developing this disease between 16% and 35%.

#2 Plants Have Little To No Saturated Fats

Most plants with protein in them, such as lentils or beans, have very little saturated fats. This is the stuff that sticks to the insides of your arteries and causes all sorts of problems. It’s not great for diabetics who are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease anyway. While there are some plant-based foods with saturated fats, such as coconut oil, they don’t contain cholesterol.

#3 Even Small Amounts Of Red Meat Are Linked To Heart Disease

Research by the Harvard School Of Public Health has found that eating even small amounts of red meat each week leads to an increased risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Consequently, the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or any other cause also goes up. However, replacing red meat with plant protein, fish, or chicken seems to lower the risks.

#4 Plant Based Protein Takes Longer To Digest

Diabetics often look for foods that digest more slowly, which helps prevent sugar spikes and can keep their appetites sated for longer. Foods such as beans contain lots of fiber, which makes the body work a little harder and longer to break them down. On the other hand, meat doesn’t contain any fiber. So, it digests fairly quickly. You may find yourself feeling hungry sooner when you eat a primarily meat-based diet.