Welcome back, health champions!👋

Here's something wild: You can eat the exact same meal and get completely different glucose responses—just by changing the order you eat it in.

We're talking 30-40% lower spikes. Same food, same portions, different sequence.

Sounds too simple to be true, right? Except the research is rock-solid on this one.

Today's Health Guide dives into what to eat with prediabetes.

Think: which foods to eat first, why your pantry staples might be working against you, and the post-meal habit that costs zero dollars but delivers outsized results.

In this issue:

• What foods to avoid with prediabetes (the real culprit)

• Five ways to eat that work at your next meal

• Smart swaps that actually keep you satisfied

• Fall comfort meets smart carbs

BEST FINDS
Embrace Fall flavors while supporting steady blood sugar with these cozy, nutrient-packed recipes. Warm up with Pumpkin Turkey Chili that combines lean protein with fiber-rich pumpkin, or try Creamy Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup for a plant-based protein boost. Sheet pan simplicity meets omega-3s in Salmon with Brussels Sprouts, while Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Cauliflower delivers comfort food satisfaction with smart carb swaps. Make Stuffed Acorn Squash with Turkey and Rice even more blood-sugar-friendly by mixing in cauliflower rice, and start your day right with Almond Flour Pumpkin Pancakes that trade refined flour for protein-rich almond flour.

What to Eat with Prediabetes: The Simple Guide That Actually Works

If you have prediabetes, you've probably heard conflicting advice about what to eat. Cut carbs. Avoid sugar. Watch portions. Someone's cousin swears by keto. Your neighbor does intermittent fasting.

Here's what gets missed in all that noise: It's not just what you eat—it's how foods are processed, prepared, and combined that determines your glucose response.

Over this two-part series, we're tackling the most common food-related glucose troublemakers. More importantly? We're giving you practical fixes you can implement immediately. Like, at dinner tonight.

Today (Part 1): What to eat with prediabetes—focusing on ultra-processed foods and meal strategies that work at your very next meal.

Next time (Part 2): Antinutrients, cooking methods for meat and dairy, and how they affect your metabolic health.

Here's what this means for you: Instead of eliminating entire food groups or following rigid rules, you'll learn specific preparation techniques, simple swaps, and evidence-based strategies that can lower glucose spikes by 30-40%.

Small, strategic changes to how you shop, prep, and plate your meals can significantly improve your glucose control, reduce cravings, and boost energy. This helps turn prediabetes from overwhelming to manageable—and soon, gone.

What Foods to Avoid with Prediabetes

The Ultra-Processed Problem

Here's the truth: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are the biggest, most consistent troublemakers for people with prediabetes.

Why? They combine refined starches and sugars with minimal fiber—creating a fast-acting carbohydrate load (Strong evidence). Think packaged snacks, many breakfast cereals, white bread, sweetened beverages, convenience meals. You know, the stuff that's designed to last forever on a shelf.

But it goes beyond the glucose spike. UPFs are engineered to be hyper-palatable—that perfect combo of salt, sugar, and fat that makes it nearly impossible to stop at one serving. This drives overconsumption → weight gain → insulin resistance (Strong evidence). It's a cycle that's hard to break when these foods dominate your pantry.

What about additives, emulsifiers, and artificial sweeteners? 

The evidence here is more nuanced (Emerging/Mixed). Some research suggests certain additives may affect gut bacteria or glucose metabolism, but responses vary significantly between individuals. We're watching this space, but right now, the refined carbs and lack of fiber are the main villains.

The key takeaway: You don't need to achieve zero UPF overnight. That's not realistic, and honestly? Not necessary. Trimming your top three offenders gives you outsized returns. Focus on what you eat most frequently—those daily snacks, breakfast staples, go-to dinners.

Shopping Guide: What to Look for on Food Labels

Standing in the grocery aisle wondering what to eat with prediabetes? Here's what to check:

Ingredient order matters. If sugar (or its sneaky aliases: high-fructose corn syrup, cane juice, maltodextrin) appears in the top three ingredients—that's your red flag. Ingredients are listed by weight, so if sugar's up there, there's a lot of it.

Use the fiber heuristic: Target at least 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories, or 5 grams per serving. Fiber slows glucose absorption and improves satiety—keeps you fuller longer. Most UPFs fall far short of this threshold.

Look for protein: Aim for at least 15 grams per meal. Protein helps you feel satisfied and blunts glucose spikes (Strong evidence). It's one of your metabolic allies.

Generally, a shorter ingredient list beats a long one—but this isn't a religion. A can of chickpeas with just chickpeas, water, and salt? Perfectly fine despite being "processed." We're talking about ultra-processed here.

How to Eat with Prediabetes: Five Strategies That Work Tonight

These tactics have strong research behind them and require minimal effort. We're talking small changes, big impact:

1. Eat in this order: Vegetables first, carbs last

Eat vegetables or salad first, then protein and fat, then save carbs for last (Strong evidence). This simple order can reduce your glucose spike by 30-40% compared to eating the same meal with carbs first.

How does it work? Your vegetables create a "buffer" in your digestive system—they slow down how quickly everything else gets absorbed. Same meal, different experience. It's almost annoyingly simple.

2. Add vinegar or lemon to your meals

Include 1-2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice with starchy foods (Mixed/Promising evidence). Apple cider vinegar (warning: protect your teeth) in salad dressing or lemon squeezed over your sweet potato can modestly blunt the glucose response.

The acetic acid appears to slow gastric emptying and starch digestion. Translation: your body processes those carbs more gradually instead of all at once.

3. Always pair carbs with protein and fiber

Never eat carbohydrates alone. Greek yogurt with fruit, beans with rice, or cheese with an apple creates a more balanced glucose response than fruit, rice, or apple eaten solo.

This is the "always bring a friend" rule for carbs. They behave better with company.

4. Walk after eating (the 15-minute trick)

A 10-20 minute walk after eating significantly reduces glucose peaks (Strong evidence). Even light movement—washing dishes, gentle stretching—helps your muscles take up glucose without needing as much insulin.

This is one of the most powerful, free interventions available. Your muscles are like glucose sponges when they're active. Use them.

5. Cook, cool, and reheat your starches

When you cook potatoes, rice, or pasta, then cool them in the fridge and reheat, you create resistant starch—a type of carbohydrate that behaves more like fiber and produces a smaller glucose spike.

Meal prep just became your metabolic friend. Make extra, refrigerate, reheat. Done.

Your Weekly Tweaks to Prediabetes Eating Plan

Don't try to overhaul everything at once. That's a recipe for burnout. Instead:

• Swap 3 most common UPF snacks with whole-food alternatives

• Prep one high-fiber base this weekend (overnight oats, a big batch of quinoa)

• Plan post-dinner walk into your schedule—put it on your calendar like it's a meeting

• Keep vinegar or lemon visible on your counter as a reminder

Small, consistent actions compound into major metabolic improvements over weeks and months. We're playing the long game here.

What Carbs You Can Eat with Prediabetes

Let's clear up some common confusion: Whole-food carbohydrates with fiber—like oats, legumes, and intact grains—often help people with prediabetes, not hurt them (Strong evidence). The fiber, vitamins, and resistant starch they provide can actually improve insulin sensitivity over time.

Similarly, fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and tempeh can improve glucose tolerance for many people, likely through their effects on gut bacteria and protein content.

The problem isn't carbohydrates—it's refined, fiber-stripped carbohydrates eaten in large portions without protein or fat. Carbs aren't the enemy. Context matters.

When to Get Help (and When to Slow Down)

Here's the reality: Not all tweaks work like magic, and going too hard too fast can backfire.

Common stumbling blocks:

If you've been eating minimal fiber and suddenly load up on beans, whole grains, and vegetables, you might experience bloating, gas, or digestive discomfort. Your gut bacteria need time to adapt.

If you drastically cut out foods or entire food groups overnight, you might trigger intense cravings and rebounds—leading to overeating the very foods you were trying to avoid.

Some people experience headaches or fatigue in the first few days when significantly reducing ultra-processed foods, as your body adjusts to steadier blood sugar levels.

The solution: Go gradually, but go consistently. You can still be aggressive with your changes—just do it stepwise. Add one high-fiber food at a time. Swap one UPF per week instead of clearing your entire pantry overnight. Let your body adapt.

When to talk with your provider: If you're making these changes gradually but still seeing persistent glucose spikes after 2-3 weeks, experiencing digestive issues that don't improve, or have a history of kidney stones or unusual lab work, talk with your healthcare provider

Your Next Step

Reply with one swap you'll try this week. Just one.

Next time, we'll tackle antinutrients, meat, and dairy—the real risks and real fixes through soaking, sprouting, stewing, and marinating. No fear, just tactics that work.

Have questions? We got answers. Email [email protected]