English
Last updated on October 20th, 2023
Living with prediabetes doesn’t have to be daunting. In fact, it can be an opportunity to take control of your health and make positive changes to prevent the progression to full-blown diabetes. One of the most efficient solutions to manage prediabetes is through a balanced and tailored diet. This 7 day meal plan for prediabetes is designed to provide you with delicious and nutritious options to help stabilise your sugar levels. Also, this pre diabetic 7 day meal plan will boost your energy and pave the way towards a healthier future. Discover how small dietary changes can make a significant impact on your prediabetes journey, all while enjoying flavorful and satisfying meals.
Read More: HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1c) A1c Chart, Test, Levels, & Normal Range
Blood Sugar Management Strategies
Following the dietary guidelines for prediabetes management, which includes a prediabetes meal plan, is mandatory. But with this, prediabetics also need to make small changes in their lifestyle. The following are the steps you need to follow:
Do Some Muscle-Gaining Exercises
Along with maintaining a proper meal plan for prediabetes, muscle gain is the next thing on priority for you. The ADA (American Diabetes Association) recommends at least 150 minutes of weekly light to moderate levels of exercise. However, the intensity of the sessions would depend upon your age and other body conditions. Muscle gain will help you tackle prediabetes more efficiently. Muscles are sugar-absorbing tissues that reduce the amount of sugar in the blood. Muscles store the sugar in your body, thus effectively removing it from the bloodstream. So join a gym and start doing compound movements while mixing with small sessions of cardio exercises. In cardio, you can try jogging or just walking after meals. All these activities will help you improve your sugar levels.
Read More: Best Yoga Asanas For Diabetes To Control At Home Naturally
Divide Your Meals Into Portions
When consuming heavy meals like lunch and dinner, remember to divide your meals. Even when you are following a pre diabetic diet menu plan, analyse all your meals on this basis. Divide the meals into four parts. The first 25% of the meal will be lentils or dal. According to a study by the National Institute of Health, lentils are found to improve insulin response. The second part will be of non-starchy veggies. The third 25% of the meal will include whole grains, and the last 25% will have salads and sprouts.
Shun Away All Your Stress
One of the main elements of prediabetes and diabetes management is stress management. As per Mayo Clinic, stress and hypertension can heighten your blood glucose. Therefore, it’s mandatory to keep your stress levels in check. Practice stress-relieving techniques like meditation, counselling, etc.
Read More: Best Vegetable with Low Glycemic Index for Diabetics.
Maintain a proper Zzzzs Schedule
Maintaining an undisturbed sleep schedule is needed when controlling and managing prediabetes. Daily 7-8 hours of good night’s sleep is necessary. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, managing diabetes becomes harder if you don’t get 7 hours of sleep daily. There is a strong connection between sleep deprivation and prediabetes. Lack of sleep contributes to increased sugar levels. A study done in 2019 revealed many prediabetes patients had a history of improper sleeping schedules.
Include Fiber Rich Foods
When following a meal plan for prediabetes, remember you fill multiple sources of fiber in your meals. According to a study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, fiber is a kind of carb that is slowly digested and brings a much slower rise in sugar levels. Fiber also betters the digestive system and helps improve body mechanisms. It also lessens the chances of having diabetes in prediabetics and non-diabetics.
Read More: Indian Diet for Diabetes Reversal.
Pre Diabetic 7 day Meal Plan Foods to Include
- Whole grains like wheat, oats, jowar, bajra, etc.
- Lentils
- Beans
- Lean plant-based proteins like soymilk, tofu, etc.
- Eggs
- Nuts and dry fruits like walnuts, almonds, etc.
- Seeds like chia, flax, mustard, etc.
- Non-starchy veggies
- Low GI fruits
- Leafy greens like spinach, kale, cabbage, etc.
- Healthy oils like olive, coconut, and mustard
- Sprouts
Read More: Top 6 Dry Fruits For Diabetics.
Meal preparation For Weekly Meal Plan for Prediabetes
- Prepare the moong dal batter for idli/dosa in advance for the week and refrigerate.
- Start making vegetable soup early in the afternoon to get it ready before dinner.
- Use less oil and try air frying or baking foods.
- Instead of deep frying, try sauteing the food items.
Read More: How to Stop Sugar Craving Naturally?
Day 1
Today is the first day of this pre diabetic 7 day meal plan. The first day might be tough for you, but resist the cravings and adopt this positive change.
Breakfast (329 calories)
- 3 Moong dal idli
- Sambhar – 1 Katori
Morning Snack (105 calories)
- Coconut water – 1 glass (100 g)
- Mix fruits – ½ cup
Lunch (210 calories)
- Pulao of foxtail millet and veggies- 1.5 Katori
- Vegetable Salad
Evening Snack (122 calories)
- A bowl of dry fruits with 5 walnuts and 5 almonds.
Dinner (200 calories)
- Steamed Brown Rice – 1.5 Katori
- Green Salad
- Any seasonal vegetable stir fry or curry – 1 Katori
Total Nutritional Count: 867 calories, 24.5 grams of protein, 35.5 grams of fat, 96.4 grams of carbs, and 16.3 grams of fibre.
Read More: Is Coconut Milk Good for Diabetics?
Day 2
The second day of the 7 day meal plan for prediabetes Indian focused.
Breakfast (125 calories)
- Vegetable masala oats – 1 bowl
Morning Snack (5 calories)
- Black tea – 1 cup
Lunch (380 calories)
- Multigrain Rotis – 2 Pieces
- Vegetable and beans Sprouts- 1 Katori
- Paneer/tofu curry – 1 Katori
Evening Snack (90 calories)
- Mix seasonal fruit – ½ cup
Dinner (219 calories)
- Vegetable Pulao – 1 Katori
- Whole lentil dal – 1 Katori
- Sprouts – 1 Katori
Total nutritional count: 720 calories, 30 grams of protein, 23 grams of fat, 124 grams of carbs, and 22.2 grams of fiber
Read More: Is Cauliflower Good for Diabetic Patients?
Day 3
On the third day of this prediabetes food plan/Foods to focus on for prediabetes will be lentil-focused.
Breakfast (350 calories)
- Whole Moong Dal Dosa – 2 Pieces
- Sambhar Dal with veggies – 1 Katori
- Coconut peanut chutney
Morning Snack (12 calories)
- Amla neem extract mixed with water – 1 glass
Lunch (231 calories)
- Paneer capsicum onion saute– 1 Katori
- Steamed Rice – 1 Katori
Evening Snack (66 calories)
- Trail Mix (pumpkin seeds, sunflower, flax seeds and sesame seeds) in coconut water
Dinner (309 calories)
- Bajra and jowar rotis – 2 Pieces
- Vegetable and lentil sprouts – 1 Katori
- Arhar Dal with veggies – 1 Katori
Total nutritional count: 968 calories, 36 grams of protein, 31 grams of fat, 161 grams of carbs and 22 grams of fiber.
Read More: Are Peanuts Good for Diabetics?
Day 4
On 4 of this 7 day meal plan for prediabetes, you will introduce a small amount of egg.
Breakfast (130 calories)
- Upma filled with veggies – 1.5 Katori
Morning Snack (73 calories)
- Buttermilk – 1.5 glass
Lunch (380 calories)
- Paneer mixed with vegetables – 1 Katori
- Steamed Rice – 1 Katori
- Whole lentil mixed daal (Maa ki dal)- 1 bowl
Evening Snack (7 calories)
- Amla pudina juice
Dinner (410 calories)
- Multigrain flour rotis – 2
- Cucumber tomato lemon dashed Salad
- 1 Egg bhurji
- Seasonal veggies mix curry – 1 Katori
Total Nutritional Count: 1032 calories, 35.5 grams of proteins, 32.4 grams of fat, 145 grams of carbohydrates and 27 grams of fiber.
Read More: 16 Best Fruits Juice For Diabetes.
Day 5
On Day 5 of the pre diabetic diet menu plan today, you focus more on veggies and soup.
Breakfast (271 calories)
- Besan cheela – 2 pieces
- Peanut chutney
Morning Snack (50 calories)
- Cut papaya – ½ cup
Lunch (280 calories)
- Lentil flour Rotis – 2 pieces
- Vegetable and bean sprouts – 1 Katori
- Cabbage Tofu Stir fry – 1 Katori
Evening Snack (92 calories)
- Vegetable soup – 1 cup
Dinner (318 calories)
- Mix veg stir fry – 1 Katori
- Steamed Rice – 1 Katori
- Any whole or mixed dal – 1 Katori
Total Nutrition count: 1022 calories, 45 grams of protein, 27.5 grams of fats, 160 grams of carbs and 29 grams of dietary fiber.
Read More: Is Rice Good For Diabetes?
Day 6
Day 6 of the pre-diabetic 7-day meal plan will have non-vegetarian protein sources.
Breakfast (280 calories)
- Egg Sandwich – 2 pieces
Morning Snack (74 calories)
- Roasted mixed nuts – 10 pieces
- Cucumber – 1 whole
Lunch (330 calories)
- Wheat bajra jowar flour rotis – 2 pieces
- Vegetable green salad – 1 Katori
- Fish/Chicken/Egg Curry – 1 Katori
Evening Snack (75 calories)
- Water with chia and flax seeds
- Vegetable soup
Dinner (340 calories)
- Moong dal dosa – 2 pieces
- Sambhar – 1 Katori
- Coconut peanut chutney – 2 teaspoons
Total nutritional count: 1130 calories, 46 grams of protein, 42 grams of fats, 150 grams of carbohydrates and 29 grams of fiber.
Read More: Is Butter Milk Good for Diabetes?
Day 7
On the final day of the meal plan for prediabetes, we will again switch to green and veg sources of food.
Breakfast (186 calories)
- Vegetable stuffed bajra and jowar rotis – 2 pieces
Morning Snack (45 calories)
- Buttermilk – 1 Glass
Lunch (282 calories)
Evening Snack (186 calories)
- Roasted and boiled chickpeas – ½ Katori
- Vegetable Soup – 1 Katori
Dinner (338 calories)
- Multigrain vegetable stuffed rotis – 2 pieces
- Vegetable Sprouts – 1 Katori
- Tofu sabzi – 1 Katori
Total nutrition count: 1046 calories, 63 grams of protein, 34 grams of fats, 131 grams of carbs, and 27 grams of fiber.
Read More: Is Mushroom Good for Diabetes Patients?
Mission Accomplished
Yay! Congratulations on finishing the first week of this prediabetes food plan/Foods to focus on for prediabetes. You will benefit from it whether you stick to every meal exactly as written or adjust the way you eat. For diabetic patients, the first week of the 7 day meal plan for prediabetes would be challenging. You will, however, become more accustomed to the technique with time. We can guarantee that if you faithfully adhere to this 7-day meal plan for prediabetes, things will change for good. Your sugar levels will begin to fall, and in a few weeks, you will even go back into the non-diabetic range. However, you should also continue your usual exercise routine and keep in regular touch with your physician. We advise speaking with your diabetologist before making abrupt dietary adjustments. His or her judgment and counsel will always be preferred to all others.
FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)
The meal plan for prediabetes includes the following:
Eating more non-starchy veggies
Avoiding starchy veggies
Choosing whole grains
Switching to lentil-based meals
Avoiding foods having sugar and simple carbs
Adding nuts and seeds
Adding plant-based proteins
Avoiding animal fat food sources
Avoiding full-fat milk and other dairy products
Consuming low-GI fruits
When consuming full meals in a pre diabetic 7 day meal plan, according to ADA (American Diabetes Association), you will have to divide meals into:
Fill the first 50% of your meal with non-starchy veggies and sprouts
The next 25% of the meal will be complex carbs
The last 25% of your meal will have lean protein sources.
Yes, fasting is good for prediabetes, but only for overweight prediabetics. Underweight prediabetics should avoid fasting for long periods. However, both can follow a 7 day meal plan for prediabetes. Overweight prediabetes patients can try intermittent fasting, where you eat for 8 hours. For the rest of the 16 hours, you do fasting. The benefits of fasting include lowering sugar levels and burning excess fat in your body.
When prediabetic, you can drink all kinds of herbal teas and other plant-based drinks. The drinks included in the 7 day meal plan for prediabetes include:
Black tea
Chamomile tea
Green tea
Ginger tea
Hibiscus tea
Methi dana water
Amla Neem water
Jamun seed powder mixed in water
Sweet lime juice
Buttermilk
Coconut water
The best fact about prediabetes is that you can recover from it. And wait, there’s more, you can do that naturally without meds. However, you would need to make a few lifestyle changes. The changes include following a prediabetes food plan/Foods to focus on for prediabetes and doing some exercises and muscle gain. By doing these, you can naturally recover from prediabetes.
Disclaimer
This site provides educational content; however, it is not a substitute for professional medical guidance. Readers should consult their healthcare professional for personalised guidance. We work hard to provide accurate and helpful information. Your well-being is important to us, and we value your feedback. To learn more, visit our editorial policy page for details on our content guidelines and the content creation process.
