Prediabetes & Carbs
fabiosmexy
Posts: 1 Member
I am prediabetic, which has made it hard for me to reach my carb goals to help me push heavier weight. Any food suggestions with decent, safe carbs for prediabetics?
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Replies
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Don't have the answer, but curious how you came to be prediabetic as I also am but rarely eat actual sweets. I'm guessing I can over eat carbs which then turns into sugar?? I know other things like cereal has sugar but I do control that.2
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As someone who's constantly on the cusp of diabetes 2, unless you read the labels of absolutely everything you put in your mouth, you don't realize how many carbs are in there. Things that you would just assume are low carbs because there's "no sugar added" can still be HIGH in carbs. I find to keep my sugars on the lower end of the spectrum that if I need a sweet, I pair it with a protein. 3 hershey kisses + 3 cubes of cheese - make me a happy camper.2
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Grenade protein bars very low in sugar 1-3g a bar.1
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Cheese is always a good snack, laughing cow, babybels, or string cheese. Beef jerky is also good and filling. One thing I did learn is that exercise contributes a great deal to lowering your A1C. I found that the days that I walked, hiked or took a class at the gym my blood sugars were lower. I asked my doctor and she said that exercising helps your cells to function more effectively, and process better. Also, keep in mind how much sugar is in alcohol.3
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I was also surprised I was diagnosed as pre diabetic recently. I am losing weight as I read that losing 5-7 % of weight can lower it to normal. I was BMI 25 but think I may have had too many carbs. My LDL was high eventhough I switched to vegetarian diet months before. Frustrating but I am committed to be even healthier in my diet and Fitness Pal is helping. I hit a plateau but lowered calories to 1100 and I don’t count exercise. I’m 65 female so figure that goes with age too. I’ve lost 5 lbs in 5 weeks but going for at least 4 more.4
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Hi everyone! Glad I found this board. I just found out yesterday I am prediabetic. My mother and aunt both have type 2 so I REALLY need to watch myself. Sadly, already have some neuropathy in feet/toes which I read can happen in prediabetics...not just diabetics. Wish I knew this sooner. 😩. Anyway....onward and upward. I just feel so lost as to how to start planning my meals. My dr told me not to worry about counting calories at this point, but to save my carbs (potatoe,pasta, bread) for one meal of the day. Within reason of course. Does this sound reasonable? I’d feel better if I knew numbers....like how many grams of carbs is ok. Know what I mean? So confused. Help! 😂1
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fabiosmexy wrote: »I am prediabetic, which has made it hard for me to reach my carb goals to help me push heavier weight. Any food suggestions with decent, safe carbs for prediabetics?
Note that pre-diabetic isn't an actual diagnosis or disease...it's a warning shot over the bow. The two biggest factors in getting those numbers down is losing some weight and regular physical activity. I was pre-diabetic when I started and I didn't go out of my way to go low carb or anything like that...I just lost some weight and started getting active every single day in some capacity or another. I did and do focus on better nutrition so my carbs primarily consist of vegetables, root vegetables, legumes and lentils, fruit, and whole grains and seeds. I have very little in the way of added sugars or things like cookies, cakes, pies, etc. I have desert once or twice per week which is usually some ice cream...otherwise those other things are pretty much reserved for occasions.
But the biggest thing for me really was dropping some weight...and getting active was huge.6 -
I'm a nurse, and I was diagnosed with Pre-DM. My A1c was 5.7, and my post-prandial CBG was 220.
I read a book called The Diabetes Code, which is written by a nephrologist who specializes in DM. He advocates for intermittent fasting and explains in detail the science behind how it works.
I maintained the exact same dietary choices as when I had an A1c of 5.7, but I limited my feeding window to 4-8 hours per day depending on how I was feeling. I ate anything from healthy lean meats, veggies and whole grains to massive quantities of fast food junk.
My A1c over the course of months went from 5.7 to 5.4. My post-prandial CBG now never goes above 100, and I can go hours without food without feeling weak or tired.2 -
IF is not neccesary for diabetic or pre diabetic people ( or anyone else unless they want to)
It worked as a tool for you - it isn't for everyone.
My husband was diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, got his HBA1c from 7.1 to 6.0 in 3 months.
Combination of reducing sugar intake, increasing activity, losing weight.
No IF.
Incidentally I am a nurse working in primary care, if our occupations count for any 'street cred'
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I’m a nurse/diabetes educator with prediabetes.
They say that everyone will get diabetes eventually—if something else doesn’t kill you first. What does that mean? It means that your pancreas (your insulin-producing organ), like every other part of your body, will eventually give out. How fast it wears out is a question of lifestyle. If you “challenge” your pancreas by eating tons of carbs and being physically inactive, it will burn out much faster than if you eat a healthy diet and stay active.
Focus on real, whole foods. If you’re tempted to eat more fat (in order to avoid carbs) please be aware that saturated fats (mostly from animal sources) make insulin resistance worse. This is the opposite of what you want.
Don’t be afraid of any type of food. You need them all (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins). Just choose wisely from all categories.
A final comment: Prediabetes is an indication that pancreatic function is already in decline. It needs to be taken much more seriously at age 25 then at age 65. By 65, it could almost be considered part of the normal aging process. Our eyesight gets worse, our hearing declines, our skin sags, and our pancreases don’t work as well.10 -
Interesting spin on carbs
https://youtu.be/da1vvigy5tQ 4 -
I was pre diabetic for several years, watched my diet, exercised.... maintained. Covid came a long.... lockdowns, gym closed..... eating whatever..... now I'm diabetic. Wish I'd taken prediabetes more seriously. I'm back on healthy eating, I exercise every day. I count my carbs.... carbs = sugars.... talked to a dietitian on how many carbs to eat. MFP says I'm 163 days into my new healthy lifestyle. My A1C is almost into the normal range. It's doable. If you are still prediabetic.... make a change now!! Good luck to you all!!5
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Be sure to always pair any higher carb item you're eating with protein and fat to help regulate your blood sugar.
Also -- it seems like there is some decent evidence that consuming resistant starch can be helpful in regulating blood sugar as well.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31168050/2 -
Also, keep in mind how much sugar is in alcohol.
Strictly speaking, there's zero sugar in alcohol. Alcohol is its own pseudo-macronutrient, with 7 calories per gram - it isn't a carbohydrate, fat or protein. Some alcoholic drinks, like wine, do contain sugars or other carbohydrates, in addition to alcohol, and can contain other macros, too, of course (such as some mixed drinks).
Alcohol is potentially risky for any of us, but for diabetics, it can actually trigger low blood sugar, especially on an empty stomach, because of how it's processed in the liver. Alcohol is weird stuff, in the body.
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A diabetic friend shared this advice with me from a dietitian: When looking at packaged foods, the number of grams of fat+fiber+protein should be equal to or greater than the number of carbs.
I just started trying this.1 -
horsewishr wrote: »I’m a nurse/diabetes educator with prediabetes.
They say that everyone will get diabetes eventually—if something else doesn’t kill you first. What does that mean? It means that your pancreas (your insulin-producing organ), like every other part of your body, will eventually give out. How fast it wears out is a question of lifestyle. If you “challenge” your pancreas by eating tons of carbs and being physically inactive, it will burn out much faster than if you eat a healthy diet and stay active.
Focus on real, whole foods. If you’re tempted to eat more fat (in order to avoid carbs) please be aware that saturated fats (mostly from animal sources) make insulin resistance worse. This is the opposite of what you want.
Don’t be afraid of any type of food. You need them all (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins). Just choose wisely from all categories.
A final comment: Prediabetes is an indication that pancreatic function is already in decline. It needs to be taken much more seriously at age 25 then at age 65. By 65, it could almost be considered part of the normal aging process. Our eyesight gets worse, our hearing declines, our skin sags, and our pancreases don’t work as well.
I disagree with this. None of my grandparents ever developed pre-diabetes, and they lived into their 80's and 90's. It's a lifestyle disease. The reason most people will develop it as they age is because we, as a society, eat like total crap for the most part.8 -
sollyn23l2 wrote: »horsewishr wrote: »I’m a nurse/diabetes educator with prediabetes.
They say that everyone will get diabetes eventually—if something else doesn’t kill you first. What does that mean? It means that your pancreas (your insulin-producing organ), like every other part of your body, will eventually give out. How fast it wears out is a question of lifestyle. If you “challenge” your pancreas by eating tons of carbs and being physically inactive, it will burn out much faster than if you eat a healthy diet and stay active.
Focus on real, whole foods. If you’re tempted to eat more fat (in order to avoid carbs) please be aware that saturated fats (mostly from animal sources) make insulin resistance worse. This is the opposite of what you want.
Don’t be afraid of any type of food. You need them all (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins). Just choose wisely from all categories.
A final comment: Prediabetes is an indication that pancreatic function is already in decline. It needs to be taken much more seriously at age 25 then at age 65. By 65, it could almost be considered part of the normal aging process. Our eyesight gets worse, our hearing declines, our skin sags, and our pancreases don’t work as well.
I disagree with this. None of my grandparents ever developed pre-diabetes, and they lived into their 80's and 90's. It's a lifestyle disease. The reason most people will develop it as they age is because we, as a society, eat like total crap for the most part.
No it isnt solely a lifestyle disease - although lifestyle factors obviously play into it.
and OP was right - everyone would develop diabetes eventually—if something else doesn’t kill you first
of course many people live into their 80's or 90's and don't develop diabetes - and die of something else before that happens
If you read what OP wrote she explains what that meant - that the pancreatic function declines as we age.
Just like renal function, cardiac function etc - really it would be more surprising if pancreatic function did not decline over time and people of 80 or 90 still had the full function they had at 25
Just knowing how the body and aging works, that wouldnt be realistic, would it?
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I am 39 and I went in for routine bloodwork because I was feeling fatigued after eating-extreme fatigue. Started testing my fasting blood sugar and it is always 100-120. My blood work showed high insulin. I go back in this week to do more blood work and get a A1c test done. She suspects prediabetic.
The problem I am having with this is I am already at a BMI of 20-5'7 weigh 130. I exercise almost every day-eat 3 meals a day with four small snacks and try to pair my meals with carb, protein, fat. I eat very healthy so I don't know what more I change.
My uncle was diabetic as well as my great grandma so I am wondering if this is just not preventable.4 -
Even though diabetes type 2 is considered preventable, genetics do play a factor. What our parents and grandparents ate is thought to have an influence on if we get pre-diabetes or not. Something like 1/3 of adults in the UK are pre-diabetic.
I am on a diabetes prevention programme at the moment. Mine is definitely from over eating sugar and starchy carbs and under exercising (thanks to chronic illness). Some people on the programme were adamant that they weren't doing any of the things that we were being taught to change - some of them I believe, others, well..
We are taught that various different diets are healthy, and it's hard for some people to re-learn that whilst it may have been healthy for XYZ reasons, their vegan raw food diet was actually quite high in starchy carbs and sugar, (one lady quit the program in disgust after being ever so gently challenged in eating 9-10 fruits per day), or that they might have had huge success losing a phenomenal amount of weight on slimming world, but that the uncontrolled amount of starchy carbs they were eating was having an unintended nasty side effect.
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The summary of what the NHS program in the UK promotes to address pre-diabetes is:
Lose weight (5-10% to see improvement in pre-diabetes bloods).
Exercise more. Throughout the day, and after having eaten is superior to one chunk early in the morning, in terms of managing blood sugar.
30g or less added sugar per day
No more then 7 portions of starchy carbs per day (a portion is 2 tablespoons of rice for example).
Higher fibre foods are better than sugary or starchy versions
Healthy fats are helpful. Omega 3s. Saturated fat is unhelpful.
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fabiosmexy wrote: »I am prediabetic, which has made it hard for me to reach my carb goals to help me push heavier weight. Any food suggestions with decent, safe carbs for prediabetics?
I don't claim to understand eating to gain muscle as well as I do for fat loss, but from my research for pre-diabetes, quinoa, red rice, and buckwheat are carbs I would suggest you look into. Quinoa and buckwheat are significantly less starchy than alternatives, and out of all the rices, red rice is the least starchy and highest fibre.
It depends, I think on what you mean by "decent, safe". Digestible carbs all convert to sugar eventually in the body, none are what I would call safe for a pre-diabetic to have huge amounts of. But low starch carbs are more helpful than starchy carbs for us, and eaten with protein and fats is even more helpful.
You could also consider carbs from beans and lentils, remembering that unprocessed or minimally processed is most helpful.
If it's carb-loading that you're trying to achieve, I don't think that's compatible with a diet for pre-diabetes. Perhaps there are other ways to achieve your fitness goals without doing that? 🤔1 -
I was newly diagnosed with prediabetes April 27, 2022!! In three weeks my A1C went from 5.7 to 6.1 on May 21, 2022!! That was my catalyst. I decided to turn it around and took hard look at my lifestyle and eating habits. A1C results were 5.3 on Aug 1, 2022. Lots of changes including started fasting 16:8 and traded unhealthy options for healthier whole foods. Ditched the refined foods. Traded low fat foods, sugar, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners for healthy foods + fats and stopped snacking. Basically eat twice a day in lieu of several times... to prevent insulin surges. Not to brag, but I am grateful for my wake up call! My changes are working! Lost over 27# and waist has shrunk as a bonus. YOU CAN REVERSE TOO!1
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MOMfit4life wrote: »I was newly diagnosed with prediabetes April 27, 2022!! In three weeks my A1C went from 5.7 to 6.1 on May 21, 2022!! That was my catalyst. I decided to turn it around and took hard look at my lifestyle and eating habits. A1C results were 5.3 on Aug 1, 2022. Lots of changes including started fasting 16:8 and traded unhealthy options for healthier whole foods. Ditched the refined foods. Traded low fat foods, sugar, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners for healthy foods + fats and stopped snacking. Basically eat twice a day in lieu of several times... to prevent insulin surges. Not to brag, but I am grateful for my wake up call! My changes are working! Lost over 27# and waist has shrunk as a bonus. YOU CAN REVERSE TOO!
This is a little confusing.
A1C is blood sugar based on an average over about 12 weeks. It's around 12 weeks because it's calculated from red blood cells and red blood cells life cycle is about 12 weeks. I suspect you had blood drawn and was analyzed and your Dr. then told you on April 27th that you were prediabetic, which you were. In order for you to then have an A1C 3 weeks later would mean your blood work would need to be done again, which generally means some time is also taken up for the lab to do the analyze then forward that to your Dr. as well.
For A1C to move that much can take a long time, decades for some people. If you were eating the same for that 3 weeks I suspect A1C didn't actually go up at all or almost nothing. I suspect your Dr. took a blood sample in the office on May 21st and took a reading with a glucose monitor and got a reading of 6.1which is not only possible but fluctuation throughout the day is quite normal and I suspect the reading was just a result of that and you interpreted it as a new A1C . Your A1C coming down from 5.7 to 5.3 after 3 months considering the intervention you did is quite possible and good for you. Now I'm not saying what you said isn't reality, but something I thought I would mention based on my knowledge of diabetes and nutrition in general. Cheers.1 -
sollyn23l2 wrote: »horsewishr wrote: »I’m a nurse/diabetes educator with prediabetes.
They say that everyone will get diabetes eventually—if something else doesn’t kill you first. What does that mean? It means that your pancreas (your insulin-producing organ), like every other part of your body, will eventually give out. How fast it wears out is a question of lifestyle. If you “challenge” your pancreas by eating tons of carbs and being physically inactive, it will burn out much faster than if you eat a healthy diet and stay active.
Focus on real, whole foods. If you’re tempted to eat more fat (in order to avoid carbs) please be aware that saturated fats (mostly from animal sources) make insulin resistance worse. This is the opposite of what you want.
Don’t be afraid of any type of food. You need them all (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins). Just choose wisely from all categories.
A final comment: Prediabetes is an indication that pancreatic function is already in decline. It needs to be taken much more seriously at age 25 then at age 65. By 65, it could almost be considered part of the normal aging process. Our eyesight gets worse, our hearing declines, our skin sags, and our pancreases don’t work as well.
I disagree with this. None of my grandparents ever developed pre-diabetes, and they lived into their 80's and 90's. It's a lifestyle disease. The reason most people will develop it as they age is because we, as a society, eat like total crap for the most part.
Actually it's not always a lifestyle disease some of us have genetic factors that bring it on. I have a condition called fredricksons that causes alsorts of nasty things to happen inside the body, high cholesterol, thickening of the blood, problems with my organs, and then diabetes becomes one of the conditions from that. I also suffer pcos which again messes with insulin production in women and can lead to diabetes in later life. I was diagnosed with diabetes after losing 3 stone in weight to try and prevent me from getting it, how cruel is that. My mum also had diabetes and she was a tiny size 4 (uk) in clothes. This is because of the genetic factors.1 -
MrsEddie2611 wrote: »sollyn23l2 wrote: »horsewishr wrote: »I’m a nurse/diabetes educator with prediabetes.
They say that everyone will get diabetes eventually—if something else doesn’t kill you first. What does that mean? It means that your pancreas (your insulin-producing organ), like every other part of your body, will eventually give out. How fast it wears out is a question of lifestyle. If you “challenge” your pancreas by eating tons of carbs and being physically inactive, it will burn out much faster than if you eat a healthy diet and stay active.
Focus on real, whole foods. If you’re tempted to eat more fat (in order to avoid carbs) please be aware that saturated fats (mostly from animal sources) make insulin resistance worse. This is the opposite of what you want.
Don’t be afraid of any type of food. You need them all (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins). Just choose wisely from all categories.
A final comment: Prediabetes is an indication that pancreatic function is already in decline. It needs to be taken much more seriously at age 25 then at age 65. By 65, it could almost be considered part of the normal aging process. Our eyesight gets worse, our hearing declines, our skin sags, and our pancreases don’t work as well.
I disagree with this. None of my grandparents ever developed pre-diabetes, and they lived into their 80's and 90's. It's a lifestyle disease. The reason most people will develop it as they age is because we, as a society, eat like total crap for the most part.
Actually it's not always a lifestyle disease some of us have genetic factors that bring it on. I have a condition called fredricksons that causes alsorts of nasty things to happen inside the body, high cholesterol, thickening of the blood, problems with my organs, and then diabetes becomes one of the conditions from that. I also suffer pcos which again messes with insulin production in women and can lead to diabetes in later life. I was diagnosed with diabetes after losing 3 stone in weight to try and prevent me from getting it, how cruel is that. My mum also had diabetes and she was a tiny size 4 (uk) in clothes. This is because of the genetic factors.
Genetics will always have an influence on disease but generally speaking diabetes (insulin resistance) in Western cultures is a result of diet and other lifestyle impact factors. Those lifestyle impact factors have affected people earlier and now we have children with full blown diabetes and increasing exponentially. the overall health of the nation is in crisis that is crippling and the amount of money spent medicating the population in general will be it's Achilles heel with diabetes leading the way. imo2 -
horsewishr wrote: »I’m a nurse/diabetes educator with prediabetes.
Focus on real, whole foods. If you’re tempted to eat more fat (in order to avoid carbs) please be aware that saturated fats (mostly from animal sources) make insulin resistance worse. This is the opposite of what you want.
This is not true. There is an ounce of truth in that statement though and WFPB advocates have used that argument against animal protein ad nauseum. I'm not assuming your a vegan, just mentioning the popular "messaging"
If muscle is taking in saturated fat and turning them into triglycerides then that is totally inert. Triglycerides have no effect on muscle insulin sensitivity at all, so basically triglycerides even if they're made up of saturated fat have no effect on insulin resistance. In other words, dietary fats of any kind have no effect.
Although there is some truth that saturated fats do contribute to insulin resistance and here is why. There is a type of fatty acid that a cell will make called ceramides in response to inflammation, cortisol and chronically elevated insulin. A ceramide is made when palmitate which is an ester made from palmitic acid which is a 16 carbon chain fatty acid and is the most common saturated fat acid found in all animals and plants for that matter and when combined with an amino acid, mostly serine and make these ceramides.
The palmitic acid found in the blood is produced by the liver and if someone was to not consume any fat whatsoever the liver would still be producing palmitic acid and the upregulation of ceramides, so yes even vegans will be afflicted with the same problem they advocate is caused by consuming saturated fat. So the ounce of truth is yes, palmitic acid is a saturated fat but it's not coming from dietary sources, it's coming from liver production even in the absence of saturated fat or any fat in the diet. Cheers.0 -
hello everyone! pretty new prediabetic here. reading everything and taking it all in - and learning a lot!2
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