What Is A Pre Diabetic Diet

Prediabetes Diet Plan And Eating Healthier

Here are some diet recommendations for prediabetes, including a list of foods that are best for those looking for the best diet to lower blood sugar.

Below are some foods that can help you regulate your blood sugar and keep your weight in a healthy range.

Want to Download This Prediabetes Diet Plan As A PDF?

What Are The Chances Of Developing Diabetes If You Have Prediabetes

If you have prediabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetes. Your degree of risk depends on where your glucose and A1C levels fall within the ranges in the table above. If your numbers are toward the lower end of the range, you are at a lower risk of developing diabetes. If your numbers are toward the higher end of the range, you are at a higher risk of developing diabetes.

There is no reliable way to tell how fast you could progress from prediabetes to diabetes. It depends on your body, diet, level of activity, and the severity of disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refers to a prediabetes diagnosis as your chance to prevent type 2 diabetes. Many people who find out they have prediabetes take their diagnosis as a warning to make lifestyle changes in order to reverse their prediabetes diagnosis and avoid developing diabetes.

The ADA offers an online type 2 diabetes risk test that you can take to find out what your risk is.

Overnight Spiced Peanut Butter Oatmeal

The oatmeal, peanut butter, apple, and milk in this breakfast deliver a balance of fiber, healthy fat, and protein. Make this recipe the night before and enjoy your breakfast no matter how hectic your morning might be!

Directions:

Variations: Try this recipe with almond butter instead of peanut butter, and any kind of fruit that you like to mix it up.

Also Check: Metformin 10 Mg

Are There Foods I Should Avoid In My Prediabetes Diet

As part of your prediabetes diet, we recommend avoiding processed and refined foods as much as possible. These foods tend to be void of nutrients and have a high Glycemic Index, which can cause drastic spikes in your blood sugar. Try to eat these foods and ingredients sparingly:

• Highly Processed and Refined Foods Processed and refined foods are extremely low in fiber and nutrients, which tends to absorb more quickly in the GI tract. These are the types of foods that cause drastic spikes in blood sugar. Replacing these foods with more nutrient-dense options will help prolong the release of glucose into the bloodstream.
• Trans fats

Interested in more details? Read our full blog on foods to avoid for prediabetes

How Are Prediabetes And Diet Linked

Prediabetes is a pretty strong predictor of type 2 diabetes . Basically, your blood sugar is high, but it isnt quite high enough to be classified as T2D.

If you have prediabetes, glucose builds up in your bloodstream and causes blood sugar levels to spike. And this high blood sugar can be a recipe for damaged nerves, blood vessels, and organs. The buildup can happen for a couple of reasons:

• Maybe your body doesnt produce enough insulin the handy hormone that collects glucose and delivers it to your cells.
• Maybe your cells have stopped responding quickly to insulin aka, they dont *want* these deliveries, thankyouverymuch.

Why your body cant seem to use or produce insulin correctly depends on many factors, but some risk factors include genetics, inactivity, and being overweight.

When it comes to food, prediabetic bodies have trouble processing sugar and other refined, processed carbs . So eating foods that dont have much sugar or break down into sugar slooooowly can help you avoid blood sugar spikes. These tend to be low carb, fiber-full, nutrient-dense eats.

In addition to dialing down blood sugar, experts say prediabetic folks with overweight bodies should also shed 5 to 7 percent of their body weight for the greatest chance of reversing the condition.

Fill up on the following foods to stabilize your blood sugar and help aid weight loss .

Read Also: Side Affects Of Metformin

How Will I Know If I Have Prediabetes

Prediabetes is diagnosed following a blood testbecause you are unlikely, at this stage, to be presenting symptoms. However, if you are over 45 years old or overweight, have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes, have a sedentary lifestyle, have in the past been diagnosed with gestational diabetes or PCOS, or are a certain ethnicity, you may be more likely to develop the condition. If you meet one or more of these criteria and are concerned, contact your GP for further guidance.

Fill Half Of Your Plate With Fruits And Vegetables

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 1 in 10 Americans consume the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and veggies per day. These foods are brimming with nutrients and fiber and are lower in calories. Plus, Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., RDN, founder of NutritionStarringYOU.com and authorofThe Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook, says, “The antioxidants and phytochemicals in fruits and veggies can play a role in improving insulin resistance, which can help to better control blood sugar.” Filling your plate at least half full of produce at each meal or snack is a great way to make sure you’re meeting your needs.

“Once you do this, you’ll find you’ll never be hungry eating moderate-sized portions of starchy foods and protein-rich foods,” says Jill Weisenberger, M.S., RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, creator of the free guideCan I Eat That with Prediabetes?“The nonstarchy vegetables are low-calorie, low-carb and very filling. Plus, they’re jam-packed with health-boosting phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.”

Read More: 7 Ways to Eat More Vegetables

Read Also: What Foods Should Not Be Taken With Metformin

What Are The Key Components Of The Prediabetes Diet

There is no specific diet for prediabetes, but there are some important modifications you can make to your diet. These include:

• Eat more whole fruit and vegetables, especially the non-starchy variety like green leaves, broccoli and asparagus. Other useful inclusions are those rich in a compound called nitrate, these include celery, rhubarb and beetroot including these may help reduce blood pressure and improve circulatory health.
• Make wholegrains your staple, such as jumbo oats, barley, rye, wholewheat flour, wholegrain rice, especially basmati or wild rice.
• Choose lean sources of protein. These help keep you full and reduce the urge to snack examples include chicken breast, fish and seafood, legumes, unsalted nuts and seeds.
• Include some dairy such as yogurt and cheese, or fortified plant-based alternatives.
• Minimise refined white carbs, sugar, sweetened drinks and starchy veg like potatoes.
• Minimise red and processed meats, aiming to keep within guideline amounts.
• Minimise the saturated and trans fats in your diet, focusing instead on the heart-healthy fats in oily fish, nuts and seeds, as well as fruit like olives and avocado.

Dont forget:

So What Does This Mean

These statistics typically measure insulin resistance, which means that your body is not using insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas in response to glucose. When your body is using insulin properly, the process looks like this:

Think of insulin as a key and your cells as a lock. In someone who does not have insulin resistance, insulin unlocks the cells so that glucose exits your blood stream and enters the cells for energy.

In someone with insulin resistance, it’s as if the cells have changed the locks. Insulin can no longer interact with cells and be used as energy. Instead, the glucose remains in the blood stream, causing your blood sugar to remain high. As a result, these blood sugar levels appear on your lab tests.

Read Also: How Does Diabetes Happen

Worst Breakfast: Bagels Breakfast Cereals And Bacon

Highly refined grains like bagels made from white flour and cereals arent the best breakfast choices for your prediabetes because they lack the fiber that blunts your blood sugar response. You can still eat these on occasion, but you should aim to limit these in your diet. Bacon also shouldnt be a frequent food. While its low in carbs, its high in saturated fat and preservatives like nitrates.

There are healthy alternatives available, like whole grain cereals and breads, as well as turkey and vegan bacon. Just make sure to choose products with minimal additives.

Taste of Home

Membership Is Packed With Value

When you join the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, youll have access to loads of great features designed to make it easy for you to lose weight.

• A rated, scientifically proven weight loss program
• 12 weeks of easy, delicious meal plans that are carbohydrate-controlled.
• Thousands of higher protein, low GI recipes and a range of meal plan options
• Expert weight loss guides including tips on blood glucose control.
• NEW digital weight loss coach to help you lose more weight
• Diet Type Dashboard weight loss strategies tailored to your diet personality from CSIRO experts
• New Android & iOS companion app to keep you on track
• Simple exercise plans you can do at home
• A Start Strong Interactive Guide to keep you focused and reach key milestones
• Positive psychology tools to give you a wellbeing boost
• Supportive online community to keep you motivated and on track
• A refund of up to $199^ if you adhere to the 12 Week Program

Read Also: Metformin Adverse Reaction

Ketogenic Diet For Prediabetes

A ketogenic diet is a type of low-carbohydrate diet that is on the extreme end. The goal is to limit carbohydrates so much that the body does not have enough glucose a type of carbohydrate to fuel the brain normally. Instead, the body shifts to a metabolic state called ketosis, and produces ketone bodies to fuel the brains activities.

The theory behind a ketogenic diet for prediabetes is that when your body is in ketosis, you can be sure that you do not have excess carbohydrates in your diet. Since carbohydrates in your diet are broken down into glucose that goes into your bloodstream, being in ketosis assures that you are not inundating your bloodstream with excessive amounts of glucose due to the foods you eat.

A ketogenic diet for prediabetes might include about 20 to 50 grams per day of non-fiber carbohydrates, or about 5 to 10% of total calories from carbohydrates. The rest of your calories come from fat and protein. The food choices on this diet are similar to those on other low-carb diets, but you may need to further restrict some of the moderate-carbohydrate options that might be easier to fit in on a more moderate low-carb diet. Examples include fruit and starchy vegetables .

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

The good news is that more than half of all cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed! Taking steps now to improve your lifestyle can make a huge difference and lead to a healthier future.

If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by:

• following a healthy diet
• exercising regularly
• losing weight

Read Also: Taking Too Much Metformin

Best Vegetables: Leafy Greens Spinach Peppers Asparagus Cauliflower

Honestly, any non-starchy vegetable is a great go-to for those with prediabetes, as they are full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The fiber in vegetables also helps to regulate blood sugar response after consumption. There are a few non-starchy vegetables that contain more natural sugar than the others, including carrots and tomatoes, but enjoying those is still a better choice than not eating vegetables at all. Learn more about the best vegetables for people with diabetes.

Cereal With Yogurt And Berries

The best diabetes breakfast cereals are unsweetened, whole-grain cereals such as shredded wheat, Cheerios, or bran flakes.

Whole grains can actually lower diabetes risk, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. So even though they contain carbs, dont be afraid to eat them as part of a healthy prediabetes diet! Just be sure to eat whole grains in moderation, and combine them with protein and fiber to reduce any blood sugar spike. This recipe for cereal with yogurt and berries is a perfect example of a well-balanced meal with whole grains.

Directions:

Don’t Miss: Does Type 1 Diabetes Go Away

Types Of Foods To Eat

Focusing on whole, unprocessed foods can go a long way toward keeping diabetes at bay. High-fiber whole grains, low-carb fruits and veggies, lean meats, and plant-based protein are all building blocks of a healthy pre-diabetic diet. Some best choices to incorporate include:6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

• lean ground beef or flank steak
• buffalo

• walnuts

Diabetes Is Harder To Live With Than Prediabetes

Though people with prediabetes are already at a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, they dont yet have to manage the serious health problems that come with diabetes.

Diabetes affects every major organ in the body. People with diabetes often develop major complications, such as kidney failure, blindness, and nerve damage . Some studies suggest that diabetes doubles the risk of depression, and that risk increases as more diabetes-related health problems develop. All can sharply reduce quality of life.

Also Check: Medication To Lower A1c

What Food Is Included In The Pre Diabetic Food List

A pre-diabetic diet food list often contains information about healthy desserts. Its essential to make sure that any dessert you choose is not high in calories or fat and does not include saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, salt, or sugar found in most desserts. Its also important to read over the ingredients in the list. Many pre-diabetic desserts may be healthy but may still contain high amounts of refined sugar. Therefore, its necessary to read the ingredients on the back of the packaging and do your nutritional research before purchasing the product.

Try To Let Go Of Some Tension

Stress relief alone will not fix prediabetes. But we know that stress hinders your other efforts . Maybe you stress-eat or dont meal-prep because youre stressed. Maybe stress triggers sleep probs, which can raise your risk of diabetes.

Try incorporating other stress-relief activities like yoga, breathing techniques, nature walks, and meditation.

Don’t Miss: Low Blood Sugar And High Blood Pressure

Easy Healthy Breakfast Ideas For Prediabetes

Do you have prediabetes? Then make sure to start your day off on the right foot with a healthy breakfast. The right food choices can keep your blood sugars low and help you get back on track with your health.

Read on to discover what prediabetes is, how healthy eating can lower your risk, and five healthy breakfast ideas for prediabetes you can try today!

What About The Glycemic Index

The GI ranks food according to how much it spikes your blood sugar. In general, experts donât think itâs a great tool for people with prediabetes. It can be really confusing. And you might leave out foods that are healthy. Instead, itâs better to make sure your meals and snacks are a mix of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. If youâre not sure how to do that, ask your doctor or dietitian.

Show Sources

Don’t Miss: Side Effects Metformin Er

Best Snack: Hummus And Crudits

One goal of a prediabetes diet is to up your intake of fruits and veggies, and one way to do that is to include them in a snack. Healthy dips like hummus makes it easy. Made from chickpeas, legumes have been shown to improve fasting blood sugar levels in both the short- and long-term. Youll definitely want to try this easy-to-make hummus recipe.

Prediabetes: What Does It Mean

A diagnosis of prediabetes is a warning sign about your health, but its not a life sentence. Prediabetes means having blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not yet in the territory of diabetes and you can easily make changes that will improve your health and lower your risk of developing diabetes and its related complications.

Diet, in combination with activity, can have a considerable impact on the development of Type 2 diabetes, says New Brunswick-based registered dietitian Michelle Corcoran, who works with clients who have prediabetes, Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes. And according to the Canadian Diabetes Association, two large studies have shown that by cutting calories, reducing fat intake and exercising at least 150 minutes a week, the number of participants who progressed from prediabetes to diabetes was lowered by 58 percent.

That said, prediabetes is a diagnosis that should be taken seriously. While not everyone diagnosed with prediabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes, many willand people with prediabetes are at higher risk for heart disease and stroke. Losing weight will make a difference, if you need toa drop of even five to 10 percent can lower your risk, Corcoran says. Follow these healthy diet guidelines to improve the health of everyone in the family, no matter what their current situation.

You May Like: High Blood Sugar Medical Term