Overview
With some huge changes in our lifestyle amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are now at a bigger risk of getting some serious diseases owing to our sedentary lifestyle.
In this situation, the biggest threat that looms around us has to be Diabetes, which completely changes our way of living in pursuit to lead a healthy life.
Many of us, who have been sitting at home doing nothing but work on our computers, may already have become pre-diabetic, which if left unnoticed, may lead to serious complications in future.
What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes, also known as “pre diabetes” and “pre-diabetes”, is a health condition in which the person’s blood sugar levels go up from normal, but remain lesser than in type-2 diabetes.
Just like diabetes, it occurs when your body finds it difficult to regulate glucose in your blood.
About 5-10 percent of people with prediabetes go on to develop diabetes every year around the world. A study has proven that a total of 70 percent prediabetes patients go on to develop diabetes later in their life.
If you take the preventive measures, you can cut down the risk of developing diabetes by 40-75 percent. A study also proves that about 5-10 prediabetes patients regain normal blood sugar levels every year.
So, if a person is well aware about the kind of changes he/she should make, they surely can prevent diabetes from developing.
The “Perfect” Prediabetes Diet
A perfect diet plan does not contain the names of the foods but the reasons and margins to ascertain which foods are required by a particular person and what is the reason behind that.
Here are some of the points which must be taken into consideration to prepare a health diet plan for a patient –
Include low-fat foods
Excess fat in the body is a big risk for people with prediabetes to develop diabetes. Hence, people with higher blood sugar levels must avoid fatty items in their diet.
Track Glycemic Index of Foods
The glycemic index tells you which foods are safe for consumption and which are not as per the carbohydrate count of foods. The measuring of this index is done on a scale of 0 to 100. The safety of every food item is ascertained by their rankings. Have a look at the following table to understand the glycemic classification –
| Sl. No. | Glycemic Index categories | Glycemic Index ranges |
| 1 | Low Glycemic Index (safe for diabetes patients) | 0 to 55 |
| 2 | Medium Glycemic Index (safe when taken in limited quantity) | 55 to 69 |
| 3 | High Glycemic Index (Diabetics should avoid) | From 70 and above |
This table may help you in understanding which foods are okay for you to consume if you are in a prediabetic stage.
Calories and Carbohydrates
You must check the amount of calories and carbohydrates in every food you are eating, so that you can avoid the ones which are not healthy for your body.
Keeping the calories consumption low in everything you eat is very important to ensure a healthy diet everyday. Keeping your carbohydrate consumption under control is also very important to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Consume Alcohol Only in Moderation
Every diabetic or prediabetic is advised not to consume alcohol. You, however, can have it in controlled amounts on a weekly basis, but regular intake is not recommended.
Avoid fast-foods
Junk foods are one of the biggest reasons behind worsening of diabetes and prediabetes. These foods cause a lot of damage to the patient. They are filled with too much sugar, unwanted carbs, fat, oils, etc, which can lead to weight gain.
Have more of:
- Proteins
- Minerals
- Vitamins
- Fibers
- Anti-oxidants
What increases your risk of developing prediabetes?
Mentioned below are the factors that increase your risk of developing prediabetes –
- If you are 45 or older
- If you lead a sedentary lifestyle
- If you overdo exercising
- If your family has a history of diabetes
- If you are overweight or suffer from obesity
- If you have high levels of LDL cholesterol
- If you have high triglycerides
The only good thing about this is that you can improve these with a healthy diet or a planned diet.
Prediabetes Diet Plan
The only good thing about prediabetes is that unlike diabetes, it is reversible. All you need to do is to follow a strict diet plan and do some physical activity on a daily basis. Here is a list of foods that may help you in keeping your blood sugar levels in control –
| Food options: Nutrients for Prediabetes | Examples |
| Non-Starchy Vegetables: fiber, potassium, low-calorie | Fresh lettuce and salad greens; tomatoes; celery; cucumbers; onions; snow peas; mushrooms; broccoli; spinach; brussels sprout; eggplant; zucchini; bell peppers…etc.!; frozen vegetables (no salt added) |
| Seafood: protein, healthy fats, potassium | Salmon; shrimp; tuna; crab; clams; mackerel; herring; tilapia; pollock |
| Legumes: * fiber, protein, potassium | Split and black-eyed peas; lentils; beans such as kidney, black, garbanzo, and pinto beans; soybeans and soy products, such as tofu, edamame, and soy milk; meat substitutes |
| Whole Grains:* fiber | Whole-grain bread, cereal, and pasta; oatmeal; brown rice; whole-grain barley, farro, and quinoa; air-popped popcorn |
| Starchy Vegetables: * fiber, potassium | Sweet potatoes; potatoes; winter squash; green peas; corn; pumpkin |
| Plant-based fats/oils: healthy fats, fiber (except oil), protein (in peanuts, nuts, and seeds) | Olive oil; avocado; natural peanut and nut butters; peanuts; nuts; seeds; flaxseed; vegetable oils |
| Reduced-fat dairy: protein, calcium, potassium, vitamin D | Plain yogurt; skim milk; fat-free cottage cheese; low-fat cheese |
| Fruit: * fiber, potassium | Peaches; cantaloupe; berries; apples; pears; oranges; tangerines; watermelon; frozen fruit (no sugar added) |
| Hydrating beverages: water, low-calorie | Water; decaffeinated black coffee and unsweetened tea without cream; water with mint, lime, lemon, or cucumber |
Takeaway
Prediabetes is quickly becoming a very common condition in India, and the only way to reverse it is by following a healthy diet combined with some physical activity. Moreover, it also leads to type-2 diabetes, and hence, it becomes extremely important for people to take it seriously and keep a close watch on their blood sugar levels.
