Prediabetes Diet: What to Eat and What to Avoid to Reverse Your Diagnosis

Key Takeaways: Your Prediabetes Diet Action Plan

Prediabetes can seem like a scary condition to be told you have, but please know with the proper resources and lifestyle changes it is completely possible to reverse. You don’t even have to starve yourself, be stuck eating bland and boring food, and you certainly don’t have to cut out all carbs. Here are the key habits to focus on:

• Balancing meals with a lean protein, plenty of veggies, and a healthy carb
• Exercise at least 150 hours per week
• Choose whole grain or high fiber carbohydrates to maintain blood sugar control 
• Avoid high sugar foods when possible, especially when eaten by themselves
• When traveling or at special events, have a game plan on how you’ll have access to blood sugar-friendly foods
• Remember to always be mindful of portion control as achieving a healthy weight can significantly improve blood sugar control
• Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables in each meal 
• Include a lean protein with every meal or snack to support hunger control

Prediabetes is a wake up call that there is still time to take control of your health and avoid a full blown chronic condition. It is possible. For the best odds at success, consider working with a registered dietitian for personalized guidance and support. 

What Is Prediabetes and Why Does Diet Matter?

Prediabetes is a condition that signals a warning that blood sugar levels are higher than normal, placing them close to diabetes levels, but not enough for a full blown diabetes diagnosis. When the blood sugar is elevated and stays that way, usually due to problems with how your body uses insulin, it can cause damage to the body’s cells and other health complications. 

Luckily, reversing prediabetes with diet and lifestyle changes is possible as the foods we eat directly impact our blood sugar levels. Large studies have shown that nearly half of people with prediabetes manage to reverse their condition with diet within one year, with more people seeing success over a longer span of time and with the guidance of a professional. 

The Best Foods to Eat When You Have Prediabetes

When managing prediabetes through diet, it’s important to remember that no one food is going to help, but rather building a balanced plate that helps keep blood sugar stable. A prediabetes meal plan isn’t meant to deprive you, but encourage you to make smarter choices.

Load Up on Non-Starchy Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables are essentially vegetables that aren’t potatoes, corn, or peas. Not that these veggies are bad for you by any means, but starchy veggies tend to impact blood sugar a bit more than the non-starchy kind. Examples include leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and carrots.

Not only do these veggies translate to better blood sugar control due to their high fiber content, but they help keep you full and are low in calories, so they can help with easier weight management as well. Aim to make half of your meal non-starchy vegetables. Get started by roasting veggies in bulk to add to meals throughout the week, adding leftover veggies to your eggs, and keeping chopped veggies around for snacks in lieu of processed carbohydrates. 

Choose Lean Proteins That Keep You Satisfied

Protein digests much more slowly than carbohydrates, so high-protein foods and meals keep you feeling fuller for longer and reduce blood sugar spikes. High-quality proteins like lean meats, fatty fish like salmon, poultry, eggs, legumes, tofu, and low-fat dairy like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are all excellent options. Just remember, plant-based proteins like legumes and dairy contain carbs, so be aware of portion control with these sources. 

The palm of your hand represents a portion of meat of around 3-4 ounces. If using dairy and legumes in your meals, ½ cup is recommended for a serving. To create a balanced plate, it’s recommended that 25% of your plate or meal is made up of protein. The cooking method matters as well. Try to only sparingly consume fried proteins and opt instead for grilled, baked, or roasted options for better health and weight control. 

Pick Smart Carbohydrates (Yes, You Can Still Eat Carbs!)

Many people who struggle with prediabetes and high blood sugar are shocked to hear that they can still enjoy carbs daily. Yes, carbohydrates do raise blood sugar, but it’s a common misconception that those with prediabetes have to cut them out altogether. Instead, focus more on choosing the right type of carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, brown rice, quinoa, oats, sweet potatoes, legumes, and fruits (especially berries).

These carbohydrates are high in fiber, which is a nutrient that slows digestion. This means that instead of flooding the bloodstream with sugar at all once, the nutrients enter your system more slowly rather than causing blood sugar spikes. Portion control is key even with healthy carbohydrates, so make about a quarter of your plate healthy carbs, or one cupped handful. Keeping blood sugar stable can be further achieved by balancing carbs with protein or healthy fats in your meals and snacks. 

Include Healthy Fats in Moderation

Healthy fats do not contain glucose, so they have little to no impact on your blood glucose. They also help keep your hunger satisfied. Some examples of good fats include olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, almond and peanut butter, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.

Be careful, though, these foods often dispense a lot of calories for a not-so-big portion of food, so portion awareness is important to keep weight under control. A thumb-sized portion of nut butter, one tablespoon of oil, and a small handful of nuts makes up a portion. You can add these foods to your diet by enjoying a portion of almonds as a snack, adding diced avocado to your salads, and having peanut butter on your toast.  

Foods to Limit or Avoid With Prediabetes

There are certain foods that won’t help you keep better control of your blood sugar if consumed daily, but rather than framing them as “forbidden foods,” think of them as foods to limit your intake of in favor of choices that are better for your health. 

Cut Back on Added Sugars and Sweets

Added or refined sugars cause rapid spikes in blood sugar that are harmful for those dealing with prediabetes, especially when foods containing added sugars are consumed often. Common foods that contain refined sugars include candy, cookies, cakes, pastries, ice cream, and sugary cereals.

Other foods that many may not consider “sugary,” but do contain large quantities of added sugars include certain sauces and condiments, sweetened coffees, flavored yogurts, granola bars, and some protein bars. 

So, make sure you read your labels as some foods specifically list the amount of added sugars the product contains. Other ways to be careful about your sugar intake include limiting desserts only to special occasions, exercising portion control, and choosing unsweetened, high-protein yogurt. Even “natural” sweeteners like honey and agave still have the same effect on your blood glucose as white sugar and should be counted as such. 

Watch Out for Sugary Drinks

Possibly even more hazardous to blood sugar control than foods with added sugar are sugar-sweetened beverages. Since the body doesn’t have to work to break it down, it’s absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly, especially when consumed in isolation. Examples of such beverages include sweet tea, fruit juice, lemonade, some energy drinks, fancy lattes, sports hydration drinks, and regular soft drinks.

Though it can be easy to believe that fruit juices are healthier even if they are 100% fruit, they lack the fiber present in the fruit from which they are derived, and therefore still cause spikes in blood sugar. Better options for drinks include water and sparkling water, black coffee, and unsweetened tea. If sugar-sweetened drinks are a big part of your daily routine, consider transitioning away from them little by little. Gradually reduce the amount of sugar you put in your coffee, try fruit-infused water, and dilute lemonade and fruit juices with water. 

Limit Refined Carbohydrates and White Starches

Refined carbohydrates like white bread, crackers, white rice, white pasta, pretzels, and potato chips typically have little to no fiber or nutrients as they are stripped during processing. Due to the lack of the presence of fiber, these foods tend to cause rapid blood sugar spikes. Some alternatives that are more conducive to blood sugar control include whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole grain crackers. Remember that even healthy carbohydrates are still carbohydrates, so keep portions in mind. 

Be Mindful of Saturated and Trans Fats

Consistently high blood sugars during prediabetes can cause inflammation and damage to the heart and arteries, which means those with prediabetes are at a higher risk of heart disease. This means prediabetes nutrition should also be approached with a heart healthy diet that avoids inflammatory fats like saturated and trans fats.

Common foods that contain high amounts of these fats include full-fat dairy, butter, sour cream, processed meats like hot dogs, fried foods, fatty cuts of beef and pork, along with baked goods containing hydrogenated oils. Better options to include in your prediabetes diet plan would be lean meats like poultry and fish, low or non-fat dairy, olive oil, and changing your cooking methods from fried to baked, grilled, or roasted with healthy oils. 

Simple Meal Planning Strategies for Prediabetes

When learning how to reverse prediabetes with diet, the process doesn’t have to be overwhelming or burdened with complicated rules. All you have to do is understand some basic principles on how to choose the best foods for prediabetes and structuring your meals and snacks mindfully. 

Use the Plate Method for Balanced Meals

The plate method is a simple tool to remember how to make a balanced meal: half the plate non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of the plate healthy carbs, and the rest lean protein. This approach is effective because it allows you to control portions and balance nutrients without having to overthink or pre-plan every single time you sit down to eat. Certain meals like breakfast may look slightly different, but the general idea is applicable to most meals. 

For lunch, this could be as simple as a kale salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, ½ cup of lentils, and 4 ounces of salmon. For dinner, it could be as simple as a balanced plate of grilled chicken breast with roasted squash and sweet potatoes. The plate method is recommended by diabetes organizations due to the evidence showing it consistently provides better blood sugar control than unbalanced meals. 

Plan Ahead to Set Yourself Up for Success

Meal planning for the week can help reduce stress around meal times as well as reduce the chances you’ll make less-than-optimal decisions out of impulse. If you’re new to this practice, start small. Plan just 3-4 dinners for the week and assess how the process works for you in terms of how much time it takes to select recipes, grocery shop, and prepare food. Even just having 3 dinners ready for you is better than none.

If you’re not a fan of constructing entire meals ahead of time, try using sheet pan recipes or batch cooking veggies and proteins in bulk on the weekends to add to meals throughout the week. Also be sure to have healthy staples on hand in the fridge or pantry to use in a pinch or if the week gets crazy. This could be frozen veggies, canned beans, bags of brown rice, and canned tuna. It’s also a good idea to keep healthy snacks on hand like fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs, or chopped veggies to keep yourself from grabbing something that’s not ideal when hunger strikes between meals. 

Practice Portion Awareness Without Obsessing

Portion sizes are related to blood sugar levels in the way that more food = more glucose in the blood, so portion control is as important as the foods you are portioning. A deck of cards or the palm of your hand equals about 3-4 ounces of animal protein, a closed fist or a baseball comes out to one cup of grains or cooked veggies, and a thumb is about tablespoon of fats like olive oil.

A trick as simple as using smaller plates and containers or even bento boxes can help you naturally reduce portions. It’s also important to be in touch with hunger cues, as in stopping eating when you’re full and making sure you’re actually hungry before eating, instead of eating out of habit. If you truly have no clue where to start in understanding which portions are right for you, seeking the help of a dietitian can help. 

What to Eat for Breakfast When You Have Prediabetes

Prediabetes breakfast ideas should include protein, fiber, and healthy fats. By the way, breakfast should be consumed to balance blood sugar levels, as blood sugars are often low at the start of the day after hours of sleeping. 

Some examples of prediabetes breakfast ideas include Greek yogurt with strawberries and walnuts, a cup of cottage cheese with fruit, a whole grain wrap with scrambled eggs and avocado, a veggie omelette with whole grain toast, oatmeal with almond butter and blueberries, or an English muffin with Canadian bacon, spinach, and a slice of cheese. 

You want to avoid common, carb-heavy breakfast options like sugary cereals, sugar-sweetened lattes, pastries, white bagels, and fruit juices. If the breakfast ideas above need some time to implement, consider making them ahead of time so you can just grab them on chaotic mornings.

Can You Reverse Prediabetes With Diet Alone?

When learning how to reverse prediabetes with diet, it’s important to note that other lifestyle changes like exercise, smoking cessation, quality sleep, and stress management all play a role. That said, if positive changes can be made, evidence has shown the condition can absolutely be reversed. 

Weight loss also plays a huge role in how your body uses insulin and controls blood sugar. Studies have shown that even modest weight loss (5-7%) can significantly reduce A1c and diabetes risk. Some people may need medication to help them control blood sugar as they go through these lifestyle changes, and that’s completely okay.

Small changes day by day will be more sustainable than trying to overhaul your entire life overnight and that’s also okay. Working with a registered dietitian can also help calm the overwhelm and make the process less daunting, which can drastically increase odds of long-term success. 

Beyond Diet: Other Lifestyle Changes That Help

Knowing what to eat with prediabetes is a large piece of the puzzle, but it’s also important to understand what other habits in your life can be changed to help support overall health and blood sugar management. 

Get Moving With Regular Physical Activity

Regular exercise helps the body use insulin more effectively, which directly helps supplement changes in diet. It’s widely recommended to aim for 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per week to experience benefits. Note that you don’t necessarily need a gym membership to make this happen, any sort of physical activity (like brisk walking) can make a difference. 

Find activities you enjoy like swimming, dancing, or hiking if traditional forms of exercise like weights and cardio aren’t enjoyable for you. Any sort of movement that you can do consistently and enjoy long term so you can stick with them will be the most effective. Make sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen. 

Prioritize Quality Sleep

When the body doesn’t get quality sleep, cravings for high-carb foods and the release of cortisol can make it more difficult to manage blood sugar. It’s recommended to aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night. Some common ways to make this happen is to set a consistent time to go to bed, sleeping in a dark cool room, choosing relaxing activities like reading to enjoy before bed, and limiting screens like TVs and phones to allow the body to power down. 

Manage Stress Levels

As mentioned, stress hormones like cortisol tell the liver to release more sugar into the bloodstream, so proper stress management is also tied into blood sugar control. Some simple techniques to manage stress include breathing exercises, enjoying the outdoors, finding hobbies you enjoy, and embracing social life. Stress is unavoidable for all of us, but knowing how to manage it can make all the difference. 

Working With a Registered Dietitian for Personalized Support

Guidance from a credentialed diabetes nutritionist can be extremely beneficial for a complex condition like diabetes. A registered dietitian can help you lay out a carb-smart meal plan, keep you accountable on your journey, help you navigate any obstacles, and provide ongoing support. They are also trained to tailor your diet plan to your culture, food preferences, cooking skill, budget, and individual lifestyle. 

Many insurance plans cover nutrition counseling for prediabetes (including medicare) and Top Nutrition Coaching makes checking insurance coverage to get matched to a expert support simple. Get started by taking the online quiz to check insurance coverage and match with a registered dietitian.