Your Prediabetes Diet Food List: The Best 7 Foods to Prevent Diabetes

This prediabetes diet food list isn’t about what you can’t have. Here are 7 types of foods you’ll love that will help prevent diabetes.

Hearing your doctor announce, “You have prediabetes” can make you feel like the floor has just fallen out from under you. Not only are you worried about developing type 2 diabetes, but you also wonder: Will I have to stop eating everything I love…and start eating foods I hate?

Here’s the good news: A prediabetes diagnosis does not have to lead to type 2 diabetes. Because with the right prediabetes diet food list, you can start reversing prediabetes and still enjoy your meals.

When students in my Prediabetes Turnaround course ask for a list of foods that prevent diabetes, I share a list of seven powerhouse foods that can help you reverse prediabetes.

These foods are powerful because they help dial back insulin resistance – a hallmark of both prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Plus, they’re all linked with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, better insulin sensitivity, or both. But they’re also delicious, which makes it easy for you to embrace your lifestyle reset and stay motivated.

If you’re worried about developing type 2 diabetes, add these foods to your prediabetes shopping list today.

Want to Reverse Prediabetes?

When you’re ready to tackle prediabetes head-on, I put together a course just for you. Prediabetes Turnaround is packed with hundreds of tips for better eating, healthier living, and all you need to know to manage or even reverse prediabetes and prevent type 2 diabetes.

This guide is your lifestyle reset to stop prediabetes. I poured everything I know into this course!

The Best 7 Foods for Your Prediabetes Diet Food List

When you’re wondering what to put on your grocery list for prediabetes, use this prediabetes diet food list. These seven foods are excellent choices for diabetes prevention, plus they’re delicious.

1. Yogurt

Research finds that an increase of one serving of yogurt a day is associated with an 18 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

It’s not clear exactly how yogurt might help prevent type 2 diabetes, but the protection might come from the probiotics or yogurt’s unique nutritional profile. Or it could be as simple as eating nutrient-dense yogurt instead of nutrient-poor snacks or breakfast foods like toaster pastries.

• How much? One to two servings frequently
• Recipes to try: This 2-ingredient frozen yogurt and a dessert with benefits. Or this cold cucumber yogurt soup, which I’m nearly addicted to over the summer.

Not sure which is the best yogurt? Give this a read.

2. Fruit

Yes, people with blood sugar problems can (and should) eat fruit. Diets with adequate fruit are associated with less chronic disease, not more. Citrus fruits, as an example, have the type of fiber that lowers blood sugar. And berries, in particular, are linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

• How much per day? Two to four servings
• Recipes to try: Try this very berry smoothie or this healthy baked blueberry oatmeal.

3. Whole Grains

There’s a whole world of whole grains out there! Try a new one this week, like quinoa, millet, farro, or amaranth. And find more ways to eat both oats and barley. These two grains give us the viscous fiber beta-glucan, which improves insulin sensitivity. And it lowers cholesterol levels too! For a simple shift, try mixing white rice with brown rice or make your next pasta salad with barley instead of macaroni.

• How much per day? Three or more servings
• Recipes to try: Check out this roundup of more than 20 oats and barley recipes.

4. Pulses and other legumes

Plant-based diets are all the rage, and for good reason. They’re associated with lower body weights and less chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and many types of cancer. But you can reap the rewards of a plant-based diet without going full-on vegan or even vegetarian. I embrace a “plant slant” diet that includes loads of plant proteins as well as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts.

Pulses like lentils, split peas, kidney beans and black beans are treasure troves of nutrition, including protein, folate, fiber, resistant starches, vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Studies show that diets rich in legumes have beneficial effects on both short-term and long-term fasting blood sugar levels. So try to eat them several times per week. You don’t have to give up your favorite animal foods. Just shrink the meat and add more pulses and other legumes.

• How much? Three or more servings per week. Bonus points if you eat legumes most days.
• Recipes to try: Give my summery Bean and Barley Salad a try. And when the weather cools off again, cook up a big batch of this delicious Lentil and Sweet Potato Chili.

5. Healthy Fats

Nuts, in particular, are associated with less risk of type 2 diabetes. And better health outcomes among people who already have type 2 diabetes. Nuts have a number of health-boosting phytonutrients, so you should feel good adding them to salads, vegetable dishes and even eating a 1/4-cup serving for a snack. They’re all good so enjoy them all.

In addition, other foods with healthy unsaturated fats are linked to better insulin sensitivity when they replace saturated fats. Decrease the saturated fats (including coconut oil) and embrace unsaturated fats in foods like peanut, canola and olive oils, as well as fatty fish, olives and avocados. A Mediterranean-style diet tends to be rich in unsaturated fats and is linked to less type 2 diabetes.

• How much per day? Include a small serving or two at most meals.
• Recipes to try: You’ll love this Honey Mustard Salmon and my Tomato and Goat Cheese-Walnut Pesto Flatbread.

If you struggle with what to eat for prediabetes, you’ll be surprised by just how easy crafting tasty meals that don’t jack up your blood sugars can be. Check out my simple 3-step meal planning formula.

6. Herbs and Spices

They may be tiny, but they still pack a powerful punch! Some – like cinnamon – are studied for their possible effects on blood sugar levels. But all of them have something to offer, such as anti-inflammatory or anti-microbial properties. Enjoy them fresh, dried or in combination. They’re all good choices for your prediabetes diet food list.

• How much per day? As much as you’d like. Go ahead, use a heavy hand.
• Recipes to try: For breakfast, try Oats and Lentils with Sweetly Spiced Apples. For dinner, you’ll love Spiced Chicken with Tangelos.

7. Coffee and Tea

Isn’t it great to know that these favorite beverages are good for you? Both beverages are linked to less risk of type 2 diabetes. They come from plants, so it’s no surprise they have important phytonutrients. Even decaffeinated versions offer protection. Just be careful to keep them healthful and low calorie. Skip the heavy cream (or use just a touch), syrups and spoonfuls of sugar.

• How much per day? Two or more cups
• Recipes to try: To go along with your coffee or tea, try these Chocolate-Dipped Apricots. If you’re new to tea, check out 5 Health Benefits of Tea + How to Brew the Perfect Cup.

What Foods to Avoid in Your Prediabetes Diet Food List

Those seven foods are all excellent to add to your prediabetes grocery list, but you might be wondering if you need to avoid certain foods, too.

You can enjoy most foods in reasonable amounts. However, if you typically eat any of the following foods, consider cutting back or replacing them with some of the powerhouse foods above. You don’t have to completely eliminate these foods, but any healthy (yet still delicious!) substitutions can help you with your goal of reversing prediabetes.

• Sugary beverages like sweet tea, sodas and fruit punch—replace with unsweetened coffee, tea, sparkling water or plain water
• Refined grains like white bread and pasta—replace with whole grains
• Chips or pretzels—replace with a small handful of nuts or a couple cups of popcorn
• Candy or desserts—replace with fresh fruit or yogurt or try Wyman’s Just Fruit, a fave in my house

Frequently Asked Questions About Your Prediabetes Diet Food List

Below, you’ll find answers to the most common questions I hear from my students and clients about what to include in your prediabetes shopping list:

• I’m currently eating a white bagel with jelly every morning, and I’d like to change that. What’s a good breakfast if you have prediabetes? Go to answer
• Is it a good idea to start a low-carb diet for prediabetes? Go to answer
• As a female, do I need anything extra on my shopping list for prediabetes? Go to answer
• When I get to the grocery store, I see all these healthy foods that I know will help reverse prediabetes, but I’m not sure what to do with them, so I end up just getting the same foods I always get. I’ve never made quinoa or lentils, let alone most vegetables. Help! Go to answer

I’m currently eating a white bagel with jelly every morning, and I’d like to change that. What’s a good breakfast if you have prediabetes?

Oatmeal is a great choice because it includes the viscous fiber beta-glucan, which improves insulin sensitivity and lowers cholesterol. Add cinnamon and fresh fruit or a dollop of nut butter to get even more flavor and nutrition.

My usual breakfast is low-fat cottage cheese with cinnamon and muesli. The muesli has the beta glucan, plus, since the oats in muesli are uncooked, they have resistant starch too. And that means a small bit of the starch in the oats doesn’t turn into calories or contribute to blood sugar. Instead, it travels to the gut with other fibers to feed the good gut bacteria. It’s a triple win!

Another great choice is plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit.

For more ideas, check out my guide to breakfast: 5 Healthy Breakfast Tips to Keep You Full Until Lunchtime.

Is it a good idea to start a low-carb diet for prediabetes?

Healthy eating isn’t about a list of foods to ban from your diet. Relax! Food is good. In fact, people with diabetes or prediabetes can eat carbs, even starchy carbs.

Over the years, many of my patients who’ve followed low-carb diets put all foods with carbs in the same category. But kidney beans and jelly beans don’t belong in the same category. If you want to still enjoy carbs in your diet – and I hope you do – you’ll want to check out this list: 5 Ways to Pick Healthy Carbs.

As a female, do I need anything extra on my shopping list for prediabetes?

Nope, not a thing. But you do still need to keep your usual womanly nutritional needs in mind. For example, women of child-bearing age need more folate and iron than men or older women. And it’s important not to eat the fish with the highest amounts of mercury if you’re pregnant, could become pregnant or are breastfeeding. But you don’t need to make special food choices related to your blood sugar or heart health because of your gender.

When I get to the grocery store, I see all these healthy foods that I know will help reverse prediabetes, but I’m not sure what to do with them, so I end up just getting the same foods I always get. I’ve never made quinoa or lentils, let alone most vegetables. Help!

You’re not alone. It’s hard to shift your habits at the grocery store! Try this: Write down at least five dinners you’ve eaten recently or eat often. Then for each meal, try to make some of the tweaks and substitutions we covered earlier in this article.

For example, if you typically make pasta once a week, try replacing the white pasta with whole-grain pasta or another whole grain like farro. Or if you eat burgers each week, try a black bean burger next week. You don’t need to be perfect—just find a handful of meals where you can make some simple shifts, then put together your shopping list for prediabetes.

Or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try a few new recipes and put together a full 7-day meal plan for prediabetes. Here are some of my favorite recipes to get you started:

• Breakfast: Blueberry Baked Oatmeal; Healthy Smoothies for Prediabetes; Shakshuka; Oats and Lentils with Sweetly Spiced Apples
• Lunch: Lentil and Sweet Potato Chili; Chickpea Waldorf Salad; Bean and Barley Salad
• Dinner: Mediterranean Baked Feta; Lentil Sloppy Joes; Honey Mustard Salmon; Easy Black Bean Burger; Veggie-Powered Pasta Sauce with Lentils