Hey there, viewers!
Wondering what prediabetes is?
It’s when your blood sugar is high, but not yet within diabetes range.
This means you still have time to control your rising sugar levels and prevent diabetes.
Does prediabetes always progress into diabetes?
Well, 5 to 10% of people with prediabetes develop diabetes each year.
Experts estimate around 70% of people with prediabetes go on to develop the full blown
version.
In today’s video, we’re going to share diet tips for people with prediabetes.
Which foods should you eat, and which should you avoid?
What's a DASH diet?
We’ll be talking about all of these AND more....
1.
Foods to eat and avoid Research has shown that for every 2 pounds
of weight you lose each year, you reduce the chance of diabetes by 16%.
If you can maintain that sort of weight reduction for three years, your risk of diabetes goes
down by as much as 58%.
For this reason, it’s important you maintain a diet that will help you shed all those extra
pounds.
Your diet should ideally have foods that are low in carbs, low in calories and high in
fiber.
To achieve this, eat a lot of vegetables and whole grains.
If you want to eat meat, stick to lean meat to avoid extra carbs.
Legumes that are rich in protein are also a good option to have as part of your diet.
You should try and avoid sugar as much as possible.
Keep in mind that not all sources of sugar are completely bad.
Fruits come with sugar, but they also have a lot of fiber and other minerals as well.
Fruit is good, as long as it’s in limited amounts.
Looking for some food suggestions?
How about you start with fatty fish and leafy greens?
Salmon salad is a great option to start with.
Maybe some avocado toast and boiled eggs for breakfast?
Eggs and avocados are good for your blood sugar levels.
Chia seeds, yogurt, beans, and nuts are healthy as well.
You can have chia seeds and Greek yogurt pudding as a snack.
Top it up with roasted pecans, almonds, and walnuts.
Do you monitor your daily calorie intake?
Do you eat veggies every day?
Share your preferences with the Bestie community in the comments below.
2.
Glycemic index The glycemic index is a system based on the
speed sugar reaches your bloodstream.
This can be a useful tool to figure out which carbohydrates are healthy, especially for
people with diabetes that need to avoid carbs and added sugar.
The highest score on the GI is 100, and the lowest is 0.
The higher the score, the faster the sugar reaches your blood.
There are some foods, however, that breach the 100 mark.
This is because they cause sugar levels to skyrocket.
Russet potatoes, for example, have a GI rating of 111.
If you’re eating foods that contain refined sugar, their GI score will be higher than
the sugar you add by eating fruits.
One thing to remember is that the more fruits and vegetables ripen, the higher their GI
score goes up.
Research has shown that foods with a high GI number, and high carbohydrates can increase
the chances of hyperglycemia in patients with type-2 diabetes.
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3.
Count Carbs Cutting carbs completely from your diet is
not a healthy thing to do.
Some of the foods that contain high carbs provide other essential nutrients.
Instead, it would be more helpful if you counted the carbs you consume and kept it to a minimum.
For instance, potatoes, peas and corn are starchy vegetables that are quite high in
carbs.
When you’re eating them, it’s necessary to keep portions to a minimum.
This way, you can avoid a spike in your sugar levels.
One cup of any of these three vegetables comes with 30 gms of carbs.
One way is to look for alternatives that are low in carbs, but still give the same amount
of nutrients.
Instead of starchy vegetables, you can eat asparagus and broccoli.
Carrots and celery are also good options to add to your diet.
There are other alternatives that are low on carbs, but high on fiber and nutrients.
Tomatoes, spinach, zucchini and peppers are all options you can include in your diet.
Research suggests you should have about 45% - 65% of your diet as carbs.
Before we move ahead, here’s another video you might like.
Watch this video to learn more about the 23 kitchen hacks that will change your life forever.
Now back to our discussion on prediabetes.
4.
Eat regular meals If you have prediabetes, it’s necessary
you keep your blood sugar level as steady as you can.
Fasting, or eating food with high GI can cause sugar levels to change significantly.
Instead, you should try eating smaller meals at regular intervals to maintain your glucose
levels.
It’s recommended that you eat three portioned meals a day, spaced out no more than six hours
apart.
But that doesn’t mean you can eat anything as long as you stick to this rule.
You should make sure each meal is balanced with proteins, fats and carbs.
It may be difficult to determine this, which is why the Plate Method comes in handy.
Experts recommend that around half your plate should be made up of fruit and vegetables.
A quarter of the plate can be meat or fish, or any other sources of protein.
Another quarter of the plate should be for foods with carbs, like whole grains.
Research has shown that eating smaller portions can help people lose weight.
You should try and regulate your food intake, and stick to the schedule recommended.
If this means following the plate method, do that.
5.
DASH diet Health experts recommend following the Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension, also known as DASH.
This diet consists of counting carbs, while also being aware of the GI score.
It typically helps people with prediabetes keep their sugar levels in check.
The main agenda behind the DASH diet is not to reduce your calorie count, but to make
healthier choices with the food you eat.
The DASH diet encourages you to eat more vegetables and fruits, along with whole grains and fat-free
dairy products.
Fish and poultry are also good options, while beans and nuts give you protein.
For those suffering from prediabetes, foods such as fatty meat and sugary drinks are a
major no-no.
You should also avoid full fat dairy products.
You should also drop coconut and palm oil.
Avoid candy as much as you can.
6.
Eating out If you have prediabetes, it does not necessarily
mean you should avoid going out to eat.
But you should always be conscious about the restaurant you go to.
For example, make it a point to go to restaurants that have healthy food options.
You thought counting your calories was hard.
Try persuading your family and friends to go to a different restaurant than the ones
you’re used to.
Whichever place you end up choosing, one of your choices should be a salad.
Just avoid the high calorie dressings.
If you can’t have it without dressing, your best choice would be to use a bit of olive
oil or lemon juice.
Nothing more.
You should try and avoid going to restaurants where the buffet is the only option.
With buffets, you’re tempted to put more on your plate than necessary.
You also tend to have more than one plate.
When you go out to eat, try to focus on the quality of the food in terms of fresh ingredients
used rather than going for quantity.
If the restaurant’s menu has a list of calories for every dish, this will work in your favor.
You get to control the amount of calories you consume.
If you’re constantly going out to restaurants, you’re probably drinking sodas or beer.
You should avoid that temptation.
Instead, stick to sparkling water with ice.
If you want to make it fancy, just add a slice of lemon.
It tastes great.
You can definitely stop your prediabetes from turning into diabetes.
If you do end up getting diabetes, all is not lost.
You just need the right information.
There are so many healthy snack options for diabetics.
For instance, there are fruits you should be eating, as well as others you should avoid.
Let’s look at a couple more videos, shall we?
Watch 9 Fruits You Should Be Eating, And 8 You Shouldn’t If You’re Diabetic.
You can also try 18 Healthy Snacks If You’re A Diabetic
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to become a healthier diabetic.
Are you prediabetic?
Will you be following these diet tips?
Let us know in the comments below!