People with pre-diabetes have blood sugars that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. The goal of pre-diabetes management is to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Losing weight and limiting fluctuations in blood sugar by following a healthy diet and exercise program can help. Healthy foods for a pre-diabetic diet should be low in fat and have a low glycemic index.
Low Glycemic Starches
The glycemic index is a food ranking system that measures how food effects blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index, or GI, cause blood sugars to increase rapidly, while foods with a low GI cause only small increases in blood sugar. People with pre-diabetes should choose to eat more low GI foods, a ranking number of 55 or less, to help prevent fluctuations in blood sugar and the onset of diabetes, says the Official Glycemic Index website. Only foods with carbohydrates, including starches, fruit, milk and yogurt, have a GI ranking.
Low GI starches include corn tortillas, chapati, barley, corn, whole wheat and white flour spaghetti, rice noodles, udon noodles, rolled oats, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils and soy beans. Cooking affects the glycemic index of a food, according to the American Diabetes Association. For example, spaghetti cooked al dente has a lower GI than soft-cooked spaghetti.
Low Glycemic Fruits
Low GI fruit choices for a pre-diabetic include apples, orange, bananas, canned peaches, raw dates, grapes, strawberries, grapefruit, orange juice, apple juice and mangoes. Fruit ripeness also affects GI, according to the American Diabetes Association. The more ripe a fruit, the higher the GI. To help manage your blood sugars and pre-diabetes, choose fruit that is less ripe.
Milk and Yogurt
Both milk and yogurt have a low glycemic index. To help limit your calorie intake for weight loss, choose low-fat and nonfat milk and yogurt products. Good choices for a pre-diabetic diet include skim milk, 1 percent fat milk, low-fat yogurt and nonfat yogurt.
Lean Meats and Low-fat Meat Alternatives
Meats do not contain carbohydrate and do not have a glycemic index. To limit your calorie intake for weight loss, choose more lean meats and low-fat meat alternatives. Lean meats are also lower in saturated fat. High intakes of saturated fat increases your blood cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. Lean meat choices for a pre-diabetic diet include skinless chicken and turkey, fish, shellfish, beef eye of round, top sirloin, pork tenderloin, lamb chops and lean ground meat. Low-fat meat alternatives for a pre-diabetic diet include egg whites, egg substitutes, low-fat cheese and tofu.
Non-starchy Vegetables
Low-calorie, nutrient-dense non-starchy vegetables are an important part of the pre-diabetic diet. Eating more non-starchy vegetables will keep you feeling full and may prevent the onset of heart disease, some cancers and diabetes, according to the USDA. Non-starchy vegetable choices for a pre-diabetic diet include cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, leafy greens, tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant, squash and mushrooms. Non-starchy vegetables have small amounts of carbohydrate and most do not have a glycemic index ranking.
