Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Lifestyle changes can often help reverse prediabetes, such as:
- Lose weight if you are overweight
- Switch to a plant-based diet
- Get regular exercise
27 Foods to Avoid If You Are Prediabetic
Foods to avoid if you are prediabetic include:
- Sweets
- Pastries
- Cookies
- Cake
- Candy
- Pie
- Doughnuts
- Refined carbohydrates
- White bread
- Pasta
- Bagels
- Crackers
- Pretzels
- Sweetened breakfast cereals
- Flavored yogurt
- Unhealthy fats from fried foods, such as French fries
- Fatty meats
- Jams and jellies
- Potato chips
- Snack bars (many are high in sugar)
- Fruit snacks
- Dried fruit
- Canned fruit
- Certain beverages
- Flavored coffees
- Energy drinks
- Sweet tea
- Fruit juice
- Cocktails
11 Healthy Foods to Eat If You Are Prediabetic
Foods to eat if you are prediabetic include:
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Kale
- Chard
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Low glycemic fruits
- Apples
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Low carbohydrate foods
- Olive oil instead of other oils such as vegetable oil
How to Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
A program offered through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-led National Diabetes Prevention Program is often recommended for people with prediabetes to help people lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58% (71% in people over age 60). The program includes:
- Working with a trained coach to make realistic, lasting lifestyle changes
- Learning how to eat healthy and add more physical activity into the day
- Finding out how to manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can slow progress
- Getting support from people with similar goals and challenges
What Are Symptoms of Prediabetes?
Prediabetes often has no symptoms, and may not be diagnosed until serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes show up.
Symptoms of diabetes may include:
- Increased hunger
- Thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Slow healing wounds
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet
What Causes Prediabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs when the body either does not produce sufficient amounts of insulin or it doesn’t use insulin properly, called insulin resistance, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise (hyperglycemia).
In prediabetes, the cells in the body respond abnormally to insulin, so the pancreas produces more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Eventually the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to meet the body’s needs and blood sugar rises.
Risk factors for prediabetes include:
- Being overweight/obese
- Being physically active less than 3 times a week
- Age 45 years or older
- Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
- Having a past history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Race and ethnicity
- African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at increased risk
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
How Is Prediabetes Diagnosed?
Prediabetes is diagnosed with a blood test to measure fasting blood sugar levels. Ranges are noted in the table below.
| Blood Sugar Category | Blood Sugar Level |
|---|---|
| Normal | less than 100 mg/dl |
| Prediabetes | 100 mg/dl to 125 mg/dl |
| Diabetes | 126 mg/dl or higher |
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/prediabetes.html
https://www.diabetes.org/
https://www.lark.com/blog/best-pre-diabetes-diet/