Focus on eating more whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and fewer processed foods and saturated fats
An insulin resistance diagnosis serves as a warning. It signals issues with your body’s ability to balance blood glucose (sugar), a situation that could eventually escalate to prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.
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The good news? It’s often possible to reverse insulin resistance with changes in your day-to-day habits, particularly involving the food you eat.
Let’s learn more from registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD.
A healthy insulin resistance diet is high in natural, fiber-rich foods that limit blood sugar spikes and low in not-so-nutritious processed and sugary foods. It’s a way of eating that’s less taxing on your insulin production system.
“If you’re insulin resistant, your goal should be eating foods that require less insulin for processing,” explains Czerwony. “It’s about giving your body a better chance to do what it needs to do.”
So, what should be in your grocery cart if you’re looking to address insulin resistance? Czerwony suggests adding these items to your shopping list:
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Certain foods qualify as “heavy hitters” when it comes to loading your bloodstream with glucose, a no-no with insulin resistance. “Removing these items from your diet can make a significant difference,” emphasizes Czerwony.
The list includes:
If you’re looking for an overall eating plan to address insulin resistance, your best bet is the Mediterranean diet. It’s a nutrition strategy built around eating plant-based foods, fish and healthier fats.
The diet also de-emphasizes many items on the insulin resistance foods-to-avoid list, like processed foods and saturated fats.
“It’s a healthy and nutritious eating concept that’s sustainable for the long term,” explains Czerwony. “When it comes to insulin resistance, it hits the mark across the board with its focus on whole grains, vegetables, fruit, fish and lean protein.”
The American Diabetes Association recommends a Mediterranean-style eating plan for blood glucose management. It also suggests the DASH diet and adopting plant-based vegetarian or vegan approaches.
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