A Foolproof Prediabetes Meal Plan – An Interesting Read

Diabetes, a condition that is worrisome and frustrating. It often results in people avoiding certain groups of food items in large numbers as well as some food groups from the food chain. Yup, some of these food items are tasty and desirable.

Diabetics can’t have those sweet sugary treats. Else their blood sugar will go out of control. They can’t have the fizzy soft drinks nor can they have the things for a sweet tooth.

Pre-diabetic people need to be careful. They don’t want this condition evolving into a full scale diabetes. Let us now have a look at a prediabetes diet plan which is fool proof and can help prevent a full scale blowup of diabetes.

A prediabetes diagnosis explained briefly

A prediabetes diagnosis is alarming without any doubt. This condition is indicated by an abnormally high level of blood sugar, especially the glucose. It is because of resistance to insulin. Pre-diabetes is a condition when the body does not use insulin properly. This is often a precursor to type 2 diabetes in humans.

Medical research indicates that pre-diabetic people are at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. People with prediabetes are also at a risk of developing a coronary heart & artery disease as well as developing a cardiovascular condition.

However, a diagnosis for prediabetes does not mean that anyone with this condition is bound to get type 2 diabetes. The key to overcoming this before its onset is a smart intervention. This helps reduce fat and the blood sugar levels back to the optimum margin.

The key for this is keeping a tab on the person’s diet and to ensure it does not bring the condition in any way.

Keeping tabs on the diet – how is it possible to prevent prediabetes and diabetes through the diet?

There are many factors related to raising the probability for diabetes. Genetics in many cases play a role especially if the condition is prevalent in one’s family. Apart from genetics, lack of proper exercise and obesity are other contributing factors paving the way for diabetes (loss fat with obesity itself is one of the major causes of cardiac and coronary heart problems among adults in the western world).

In prediabetes, the blood sugar level rises as sugar from food items starts getting accumulated in the bloodstream. Insulin cannot move it easily in the cells, hence the insulin resistance.

Those who are having prediabetes may find it difficult to reduce blood sugar levels immediately after meals. They thus need to limit their intake of processed carbs to ensure they burn it off easily too.

Overcoming prediabetes with healthy eating made easy

Controlling all risk factors for prediabetes is not possible for many people. But some factors can be easily controlled and the best part is that these factors once controlled can prevent the onset of both prediabetes and diabetes.

Here is what constitutes a foolproof prediabetes meal plan:

Controlling carbohydrate intake through the glycemic index (GI)

The glycemic index (GI) is a tool worth using in determining the effects of a particular food item on the blood sugar levels.

Food items which are high on the glycemic index will eventually raise blood sugar levels quickly. Food items ranked moderate to low on the scale have moderate or little (and in some cases, negligible) impact on the blood sugar levels.

Refined carbohydrates have a high ranking on the GI because they digest quickly. White bread, white rice, artificial juices, sodas and russet potatoes are fine examples of refined carbohydrates. Controlling their intake helps control prediabetes.

Incorporating the following in the diet is best for controlling prediabetes:

• Steel-cut oats
• Stone-ground whole wheat bread.
• Non-starchy vegetables (field-grown greens like spinach, cabbage, kale as well as carrots, broccoli, etc.) are a must.
• Beans.
• Corn.
• Sweet potatoes.
• Whole wheat pasta.

Incorporating fiber rich food items in the diet

Fiber helps people feel full and also eases down bowel movements. Here are some good foods rich in it:

• Beans.
• Legumes.
• Whole wheat pasta.
• Whole grain cereals.
• Fruits and vegetables with edible skin.
• Whole grain bread and whole grains (barley, quinoa).

Consuming lean meat

Meat is a rich source of saturated fat. Eating it in high amounts can cause cholesterol. Pre-diabetic people need to have a low cholesterol diet to reduce risk of a coronary heart disease. Here are some protein rich sources worth eating:

• Egg whites (egg substitutes too).
• Beans and legumes.
• Chicken without the skin.
• Soybean products (like tempeh and tofu).
• Fish (Cod, Haddock, Flounder, Trout, Tuna, Halibut).
• Lean cuts of beef (Ground round, tenderloin, flank steak, roast with fat trimmed off).
• Turkey without skin.
• Shellfish (crab, lobster, shrimp, scallops).
• Low-fat Greek Yogurt.