List of Foods Good For Pre-Diabetics

What is Pre-Diabetes?

Pre-diabetes is a condition characterized by a higher than normal blood sugar level, but it is not as high as in diabetes. People with pre-diabetes often develop type-2 diabetes within 10 years. Ones having pre-diabetes can prevent the onset of type-2 diabetes by losing 5% to 7% of their body weight by following a healthy diet.

List of Foods Good for Pre-Diabetics

An ideal pre-diabetes diet consists of different types of foods from each of the food groups. The following is a list of foods good for pre-diabetics.

List of Grains and Starches Good for Pre-Diabetics

Starches and grains form an important part of a pre-diabetes diet. The requirement of these foods depends on the sex, age, and activity level of the pre-diabetic individual, but varies from 150 to 250 gm a day for most adults aged over 19 years. For managing their health and weight, 50% of a pre-diabetic’s grain and starch choice should be whole-grains. Whole-grain foods contain more fiber than refined grain foods, and since fiber takes longer to get digested, it keeps the individual feeling fuller for long. Brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, cereal, and crackers, oatmeal, pretzels, popcorn and quinoa are good starch and grain choices for pre-diabetics.

List of Fruits That are Good for Pre-Diabetics

Fruits are loaded with nutrients like folate, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. Pre-diabetics should try and eat 1.5 to 2 cups of fruits per day. Pre-diabetics should eat whole fruits rather than drinking fruit juice since the former is rich in fiber, which helps to improve digestion and support weight loss. A pre-diabetic’s diet should include fruits like oranges, apples, pears, bananas, plums, peaches, melons, grapes, berries, cherries, unsweetened canned fruit, dried fruit and juice without added sugar. All these fruits are good for pre-diabetics.

List of Vegetables Good for Pre-Diabetics

Pre-diabetes diet should include loads of fresh vegetable to help shed off those extra pounds. Since vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, and low in calories, they effectively promote weight loss in Pre-Diabetics. High intake of veggies also helps to prevent cardiac diseases, diabetes and certain types of cancer. People with pre-diabetes are advised to have 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day. Vegetables like carrots, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, kale, and asparagus are some of the food items which are good for pre-diabetics and should be included in a pre-diabetes diet.

Meat and Beans

Meat is a major source of fat and calories in a diet. More of lean cuts of meat like fish, poultry without the skin, ham, shellfish, beef, pork and lean ground meat should be included in a pre-diabetes diet to limit the calorie intake and promote weight loss. Even more of meat alternatives, like beans, can be added to the diet of a pre-diabetic person to further help reduce the fat and calorie intake. Beans are not only are rich in proteins, but are also loaded with fiber and folate. Most pre-diabetic adults need to consume 140 to 180 g of meat and beans a day.

Dairy Products for Pre-Diabetics

Milk also contains fat and calories. So pre-diabetics should choose low-fat or non-fat milk and dairy foods to control their calorie intake. Since most people do not get optimal amount of dietary calcium, it is advisable that they consume 3 cups or servings of milk every day. About 1 cup of yogurt, 40 gm of natural cheese or 60 g of processed cheese can also be consumed daily. It is best for people with pre-diabetes to consume skimmed milk, 1% fat milk, non fat or low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese.

Cooking Oil for Pre-Diabetics

Oil is a concentrated form of calories and its intake should thus be limited, especially when you are a pre-diabetic and trying to lose weight. Adults can consume 5 to 7 tsp of oil per day. Good oil choices for pre-diabetics include safflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil. If consumed in small quantities, even healthy oils from avocados, nuts and seeds can be consumed by pre-diabetics.

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List of Foods Good For Pre-Diabetics

What is Pre-Diabetes?