What Are Foods that Can Help Pre – Diabetics?

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? The health condition in which the level of blood sugar is higher than normal but is not high enough to be categorized as diabetes is medically termed as pre-diabetes. ‘Impaired glucose tolerance’ is another term to describe the same condition. What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? Pre – diabetes is considered to be an at risk state, with high chances of developing diabetes. While, pre – diabetes is commonly an asymptomatic condition, there is always presence of pre – diabetes before the onset of diabetes.

The elevation of blood sugar is a continuum and hence pre – diabetes cannot be considered an entirely benign condition. Although most people with pre – diabetes have no symptoms, one might notice extra thirst, peeing a lot more, having blurred vision or extreme fatigue in the pre – diabetes conditions. What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? Pre – diabetic condition can be diagnosed by performing one of three different blood tests, the fasting plasma glucose test, the oral glucose tolerance test, or the hemoglobin A1c test.

Herbs that Lower Blood Glucose

Herb #1

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? Chia seeds are rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and protein. With regards to Type 2 Diabetes; chia seed is a super food in that it is very effective in bringing down the glycemic load of any meal, while increasing the feeling of satiety and stabilizing your blood sugar.

One way you can properly incorporate chia seeds into your meal plan is by adding a serving of these seeds to your breakfast; having chia seeds as part of your breakfast will keep you feeling fuller for longer. You can mix them with cocoa, almond milk or low glycemic load sweeteners like stevia.

Herb #2

Lentils qualify as a super food, as they come with various important vitamins, have a good amount of protein and have lots of fiber. Proteins, in addition to having little to no effect on your blood sugar, have the satiating quality that will help you feel fuller for longer and as a result help in fighting the hunger pangs that so often, and fiercely, haunt diabetes patients. Fiber usefully impedes absorption of carbohydrates, which has a positive effect on blood sugar levels as it helps keep them low. Lentils also have a good amount of minerals and vitamins such as iron and B vitamins like folate. Lentils also have a great complex carb-protein balance and they are quite versatile to cook with.

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? Remember, complex carbs are your healthy carbs, which, unlike simple carbs, do not have detrimental effects on your blood sugar. And with the protein content in lentils being so prevalent, you will stay satiated for longer, which will ensure you do not have the usual hunger pangs and sugar cravings. Brown and green lentils are delicious in a salad, and they remain firm even when cooked. The orange lentils do get soft after cooking, and this quality makes them a great option for curries.

Herb #3

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? The curry tree is a tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae. Its leaves are used in many dishes in India and neighboring countries. The leaves are generally called by the name “curry leaves” or “Sweet Neem leaves” in most Indian languages.

Eating curry leaves twice a day has proven to reduce blood sugar levels for non-diabetics and diabetics alike. This is a good herb to include as part of one’s regular diet. Studies on antidiabetic activity of leaf extracts of Murraya koenigii on alloxan induced diabetic rats revealed that it exerts hypoglycemic effect by increased insulin secretion and enhancement of the glycogenesis process. The extracts were effective in regulating the biochemical indices associated with diabetes mellitus such as activities of glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase. Histological studies showed that Murraya koenigii had protective effects on damages caused by alloxan to pancreas, spleen, liver and kidney, possibly by decreasing oxidative stress and preservation of pancreatic cell integrity.

Herb #4

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? Commonly known as dandelion, is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae. While the dandelion is considered a weed, the plant has several medicinal uses. Its leaves have been known diabetes prevention herbs to lower blood sugar levels. Use it in salads and green smoothies. Dandelion root stimulates the pancreas to make more insulin. Its root has a nutrient called inulin (not Insulin) that helps the body control blood sugar. It is a good antidiabetic drug and can lower the blood glucose level. Tests on diabetic mice show that dandelion extract may help regulate blood sugar and keep cholesterol in check.

Herb #5

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? This plant’s Hindi name translates as “sugar destroyer”. It is a native herb of the tropical forests of southern and central India and Sri Lanka. Chewing its leaves suppresses the sensation of sweet. It has herbal properties that help to reduce and lower blood sugar levels. Even in type 1 diabetics, using Gymnema can even reduce insulin requirements. Gymnema removes sugar from pancreas, restores pancreatic function. Studies have demonstrated that it exerts enzyme changes and glucose utilization and has effect in controlling blood glucose level.

Herb #6

Prickly pears are also known as “tuna” or nopales. Prickly pears are reddish fruits of common cactus that typically grow with flat, rounded cladodes that are armed with two kinds of spines; large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hair like prickles called glochids.

Tips on Managing Pre – Diabetic Consumption

Tip #1

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? Think of such products as ice cream, cheese, cream and whole milk. Again, you want to avoid cholesterol input in your body, which could complicate your efforts of diabetes management, as cholesterol makes it easier to gain weight. Ice cream also comes with sweeteners, which raise your blood sugar levels.

Tip #2

This is often present in many sodas, packaged convenience foods and candy. You want to avoid the simple sugars in these foods as they have a massive impact on your blood sugar levels, and their processed nature means that they lack extra fiber to get in the way of sugar absorption in your blood. As such, blood sugar levels get very high, very quickly.

Tip #3

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? One great way to tell foods that have artificial sweeteners and which ones do not, without having to conduct an intensive investigation, is to check food labels for the ‘diet’ tag. All processed foods that are ‘diet foods’, going by their labels, will almost always have artificial sweeteners in them. Sweeteners mean simple sugars, which mean elevated blood sugar levels, as simple sugars have a high glycemic load/index.

Tip #4

Think about foods such as kettle corn, cookies, candies, chips and sweets. These foods typically impact blood sugar levels heavily, as they contain high amounts of simple sugars and very low amounts of such foods as proteins, fiber, and healthy fats; and will only provide temporary satiety.

Tip #5

What are foods that can help pre – diabetics? Animal products that are high-fat in nature. It does not take too much thinking to tell what we are talking about here; fatty pork cuts, red meats, sausages and bacon. These products come with saturated fats that contain cholesterol. Of course, since maintaining a healthy BMI is vital, it is important to avoid saturated fats and cholesterol, which makes it difficult to lose weight, and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.