I just found out I am prediabetic. Should I treat this like I have diabetes? I am unsure of what to eat. I love fruit and veggies but am afraid to eat them at all! Please help!
Q: I just found out I am prediabetic. Should I treat this like I have diabetes? I am unsure of what to eat. I love fruit and veggies but am afraid to eat them at all! Please help!
In prediabetes, your blood sugar is higher than someone with normal blood sugar levels but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. A normal fasting blood sugar is less than 100 mg/dL and a normal A1c is 5.6% or lower. Prediabetes is diagnosed when a fasting blood sugar level is between 100-125 mg/dL or an A1c is between 5.7 and 6.4%. Diabetes is diagnosed when fasting blood sugar is 126 mg/dL or higher or an A1c is at least 6.5%.
Although your values aren't as high as someone with diabetes, you still have trouble processing carbohydrates. When you eat high-carb foods, your blood sugar will increase to levels outside the healthy range.
Therefore, it's important to eat primarily low-carbohydrate foods like meat, fish, eggs, cheese, plain Greek yogurt, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Try to include non-starchy vegetables at every meal, if possible. You can also have a few low-carb fruits, such as berries and apples, as long as you limit the portion size to one cup or less. Beans, legumes and starchy vegetables (carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes) are higher in carbs but also contain fiber and valuable nutrients. These can be enjoyed in a half-cup serving at a meal.
Answered By dLife Expert: Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
Certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian living in Southern California.
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