Diet Plans For Metabolic Syndrome

Elevated glucose levels, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels and excess abdominal fat all raise your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Collectively this group of health conditions is known as metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X. Fortunately, making simple but sustainable lifestyle choices, such as changing your diet, exercising more often, not smoking and limiting your alcohol intake, can help reverse these problems and lower your risk of serious health complications.

Carbohydrate Counting

Metabolic syndrome may also be called insulin resistance or prediabetes. One of the most important ways to treat insulin resistance and elevated glucose levels is by limiting carbohydrate intake and eating carbs that are high-fiber and packed with nutrients. The American Diabetes Council recommends carb counting to limit the effect carbs have on blood sugar. Aim to eat between 45 and 60 g of carbs at each meal. Always eat a combination of protein, fat and carbs -- never carbs by themselves, because protein and fat will slow digestion and help keep glucose levels stable. Use food labels to see how many carbs are in each serving, and watch for serving size -- if you eat more than one serving, you'll need to take those extra carbs into account.

Lowering Cholesterol

Once you have your glucose levels under control, you'll want to lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. The Ohio State University Medical Center recommends decreasing your saturated and trans fat intake. Saturated fat is found primarily in animal products. Try using low-fat instead of full-fat dairy and olive or vegetable oils in place of butter or shortening. Trans fats are found in deep fried foods and commercially baked snacks. Avoid foods that contain hydrogenated oils -- those are trans fats. Limit your total fat intake to no more than 35 percent of your daily calories and your saturated fat intake to no more than 7 percent of your calories.

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

The DASH diet is a low-sodium eating plan designed to lower blood pressure. People with metabolic syndrome should limit sodium intake to no more than 1,500 mg daily -- that's about 1/2 tsp. of table salt. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the average American currently eats between 3,500 and 4,200 mg of sodium daily. The majority of sodium in the average diet comes from packaged or processed foods. Eat more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables and avoid cured meats such as pepperoni and sausages in favor of fresh lean meat. Use spices and herbs to add flavor to your food in place of salt.

High-Protein/Low-Carb Diets

High-protein diets are not recommended for people with metabolic syndrome. The American Heart Association does not recommend high-protein diets because of the burden protein metabolism places on the kidneys, which may already be damaged from elevated glucose levels. Also, many high-protein/low-carb diets restrict whole grains, which offer nutrients and fiber your body needs. High-protein diets also tend to be high in saturated fats, due to the increased consumption of animal protein.