Know About Prediabetes Diet

Prediabetes is a serious health condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other serious health problems if left untreated. However, it's not too late to halt the progression of prediabetes and prevent these diseases. Several pre diabetic diets involve various healthy foods and limiting unhealthy foods. A prediabetes diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It should also include lean protein sources such as fish, chicken, legumes, and nuts. Limit unhealthy foods such as carbs, sugars, fatty foodstuff, and sweet foods.

How to choose your food if you have prediabetes?

Focusing on a prediabetic diet food list can be tricky. You don't have to give up all your favorite foods, but you need to make some changes. Eat foods that will help keep your glucose levels stable and prevent type 2 diabetes. Here are some tips for choosing your food:

1. Choose high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
2. Choose lean protein sources like chicken and fish.
3. Avoid processed foods and sugary drinks.
4. Make sure you're getting enough calcium and vitamin D.
5. Drink plenty of water.

Foods to Avoid if you have Prediabetes

If you are borderline diabetic, you must be aware of the foods you should avoid to prevent your blood glucose levels from spiking. Foods high in sugar, carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats should be avoided. This includes sugary drinks, processed foods, fast food, and baked goods. Instead, focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Check for Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how quickly food raises blood sugar levels. The higher the number, the greater the impact on blood sugar. The Glycemic Index measures foods on a scale from 0 to 100, where Glucose, which is pure sugar, is set at 100.

How is Glycemic Index Calculated?

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a tool to determine how a particular food affects the blood sugar levels.

For Example :

• Refined carbohydrates like potatoes, white rice, juice, etc., get digested very quickly and rank high on the GI.
• Food items ranking low on the GI index are good to be included in the prediabetic diet.
• The GI value of a food is calculated by giving people a portion of food containing 50 grams of carbohydrates (without fiber) and then measuring the effect on their blood glucose levels over the next two hours.

Check for Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods. Unlike other carbohydrates, fiber cannot be broken down by the body into glucose, which is the sugar that powers our cells. Fiber is instead passed through the digestive system, primarily unchanged.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar levels, whereas insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and helps food to move through the digestive system quickly. Both types of fiber are essential for people with diabetes. Previous studies reveal that fiber may help to control diabetes. Researchers found that people who ate a high-fiber diet could reduce their blood sugar levels and A1C levels by up to 10%. 

Check for Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients, along with protein and fat. They are found in many different foods, such as grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk products. Carbohydrates are essential for the body because they provide energy.

There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are found in candy, soft drinks, and fruit juices. Complex carbohydrates are found in bread, pasta, rice, and cereals.

People with diabetes need to be careful about the amount and the type of carbohydrates they consume in a meal that increases the prediabetic glucose levels. Refined and processed carbohydrates are known to increase blood sugar levels. Sources of refined carbohydrates are such as white bread, flour, white rice, pasta, soda, breakfast cereals, pastries, sweets, or added sugars. Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage the body's organs, including the eyes, heart, kidneys, etc.

Pre Diabetes Diet Food List

A prediabetic diet food list can help those with prediabetes to maintain their blood sugar levels and prevent type 2 diabetes. Foods low on the glycemic index (GI) are a good choice for a prediabetic diet because they help keep glucose levels stable. Foods that are high on the GI, such as white bread and sugary drinks, can cause blood sugar levels to spike, which is dangerous for people with prediabetes. The best way to stick to a prediabetic diet is to ensure that most of your meals are balanced and include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Foods to Avoid if you have Prediabetes

If you have prediabetes, it's important to follow a healthy and strict diet for prediabetes. You may be wondering what foods to avoid. The following list includes some common foods that can increase blood sugar levels and should be avoided if you have prediabetes:

• Sugary drinks like sodas and fruit juices
• Refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and rice
• Processed foods like frozen meals and snacks
• Heavy cream and other high-fat dairy products
• Red meat and processed meat
• Sugary sweets like cakes, cookies, and candy.

Other Ways to Prevent Prediabetes

Preventing prediabetes is not difficult. You can do several things to help reduce your risk of developing the condition by making simple changes to your lifestyle. Here are a few things you can start doing today:

1. Make sure you are physically active. Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent prediabetes and improve your overall health. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
2. Eat a healthy diet. Eating a balanced pre diabetic diet is key to good health. Emphasize whole foods and limit processed foods. Fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Avoid processed foods and sugary drinks.
3. Lose weight if you're overweight or obese. Losing just 5-7% of your body weight can help improve your blood sugar levels.

Bottomline

If you've been diagnosed with prediabetes, your doctor has probably told you that you need to change your diet. In this article, we provide you with the details of foods to eat and avoid, so you can start to get your blood sugar under control. Remember, it's important to discuss your diet with your doctor or a nutritionist to make sure you're getting the most out of your food choices and are able to control your prediabetic glucose levels.

FAQs

What Foods to Avoid if you have Prediabetes?

If you are a borderline diabetic, it is advisable to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages like energy or sports drinks, sweetened tea or coffee, soda, 100% fruit juice, mixed alcohol cocktails, etc., artificial trans fat like butter, spreads, margarine, white bread and rice, pasta, refined flour foods, fruit-flavored yogurt, breakfast cereals, honey, white table sugar, candies, cookies, maple syrup, dried fruits, packed food items, french fries, etc.

What foods to eat if you have Prediabetes? 

If you are a borderline diabetic person, you must incorporate food items low on GI level, such as non-starchy vegetables, such as carrots, beans, greens, and corn. You may add protein sources like chicken, soybean, tofu, lobster, etc., and fiber-rich food items. Try to reduce or avoid sugary drinks and maintain moderate behavior in alcohol consumption and consume sufficient water. Read more about is carrot good for diabetes.

What are the Warning Signs of Prediabetes? 

Warning signs of prediabetes are combined or few, such as increased hunger and thirst, blurred vision, fatigue, numbness in feet and hands, unidentified weight loss, frequent urination, etc.

Prediabetes diet plan for Indians?

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, it is highly likely that you will be put on a prediabetes diet. This will be done so that you avoid the onset of a full-blown diagnosis of diabetes. Once the doctor notices a sugar level that is in the borderline range, they will put you on a specific diet and regime to control your blood sugar levels. This diet would look like this:

• No skipping meals – If a meal is skipped, it might lead to overeating in the next meal which would then lead to an excess calorie intake. The fat deposit due to the high-calorie intake would cause insulin resistance. 
• Increased protein – Since the traditional Indian diets are filled with carbs, it would be vital to add proteins to the diet which would help with the slow release of sugars in the body post meals. Low-fat dairy, eggs, meat, pulses, etc
• Low GI foods – Any type of whole grains, cereals, pulses, whole fruits, etc can be consumed as they are not high in their glycemic index. This diet for prediabetes would not let the blood sugars go out of control.
• Fiber-rich foods – These foods help to lower the overall glycemic index of the food consumed. More fiber leads to better control over blood sugars. Additionally, it also helps to reduce the food intake and keeps you highly satiated. Include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, millets, quinoa, chia seeds, etc.
• Healthy fats – Not adding trans fats but having more healthy fats would improve insulin resistance. Omega-3-rich foods can be added.

What fruits should a prediabetic avoid?

While learning the pre-diabetic diet chart and what foods to include, it would also be vital to understand what to avoid. Most fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious but not all may be beneficial for a person with diabetes. Some fruits that are high in sugar can cause a spike in the glucose levels of the body too. Here is a list of fruits that can be avoided by a person with diabetes:

• Overly ripe bananas
• Dried fruits
• Fruit juices
• Mangoes – due to the high natural sugar content
• Sitaphal and chikoo – lead to spikes in the blood sugars.

Having grapes in moderation would work.