Sherri Shepherd Co-Host on ABC’s Writes Book on Diabetes

Kale and cauliflower don't exactly inspire big laughs – unless you're talking to Sherri Shepherd.

"If you had told me a few years ago that I'd be liking kale, I'd have laughed you out of the room," she said during a recent phone interview, her voice rising with vigor. "Freaking kale? Let's face it, when you break up with someone, you do not want a bowl of asparagus. I've never heard anybody say, 'I'm so depressed, can you give me a plate of asparagus and broccoli?'"

But as she describes in her new book, "Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even if You Don't Have It)," getting acquainted with those veggies became necessary. Shepherd, a comedian and co-host of ABC's "The View," was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2007. 

The formal diagnosis came after years of ignoring doctors' warnings that she was prediabetic – a wakeup call that led to her current pro-veggie mindset: "The other night, my husband sautéed the kale in olive oil with green, red and yellow peppers," she said. "And it was good! So now I'm a kale addict. I always challenge people to do things that are a little bit different with their veggies."

Shepherd, 46, who's 5 foot 1 and weighs 157 pounds – down from 197 several years ago – originally needed three medications to control her diabetes. Now, she's learned to control her blood sugar with a healthy diet and regular exercise. She spoke with U.S. News about how she reached that point, as well as her advice to others.

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