High or low blood sugar levels are a matter of concern. That’s why doctors recommend going for a glucose test (we’ll also discuss what to eat before glucose test) if any of the following symptoms are observed:
- Frequent hunger or thirst
- Increased volume of urination
- Nausea
- Seizzers
- Pins or needles sensation in the body
These are just a few symptoms which is why if you have a doubt you must go for testing. Glucose testing can be done for identifying several underlying health conditions, for instance- hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, Type 1 or 2 diabetes, etc.
One noteworthy thing here is that the glucose test has several categories. So, what to eat before glucose test depends on the type of glucose test you’re going for. Let’s understand them one by one.
Table of Contents
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
GTT is done to evaluate the body’s response to a sugary substance or glucose element in food. Mostly, the oral dosage is given to people while performing this test. That’s why it is also referred to as Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) in some cases.
An individual is directed to follow their normal course of meals even 15-20 days prior to the test. Thereupon, the person has to fast 8-12 hours before the test. Nevertheless, they can consume water.
A blood sample is drawn and the person is asked to consume a glucose solution within 5 minutes. Your doctor will most probably call you in the morning for GTT because the sugar level tends to modify after the first meal.
Then, the sample collector will collect your blood sample at different time intervals. For instance- a blood sample is collected after 2 hours of dosage for diabetes screening. Apparently, it depends on what protocol your doctor is following.
The test results indicate how quickly and effectively your body regulates sugar levels. If the test comes positive, the following health conditions might be developing or developed in your body- diabetes, reactive hypoglycemia, acromegaly, carbohydrate metabolism, etc.
Results between 100 mg/dL and 125 mg/dL are indicative of a prediabetic condition whereas above 126 mg/dL are indicative of a diabetic condition.
What To Eat Before Glucose Test (GTT)
You can follow the normal course of your meal (until and unless prescribed by your doctor) 15-20 days before the test.
You need not give up on carbohydrates-
- Milk
- Bananas
- Cookies
- Sweet potatoes
- Rice
- Quinoa
- kidney beans
- Beetroot, etc. also.
But on the day of testing, you can only have water and can’t munch on anything 8-12 hours prior to the test.
Postprandial Glucose (PPG) Test
As per American Diabetes Association, PPG Test is ideal for patients who have high A1C values. In such a situation, your body doesn’t dissolve glucose at a normal rate resulting in low blood sugar levels.
This test evaluates how your body reacts to the glucose elements of your diet. The procedure of this test is almost the same as that of GTT (refer to the section above). The difference lies in the fact that instead of glucose, you need to consume carbohydrate-rich food (at least 75g). Then your blood sample will be drawn after 2 hours.
What To Eat Before Glucose Test (PPG)
- You need to starve at least 12 hours before the test. Before the test day, you can follow your normal meal course.
Random Glucose Test (Non-fasting)
In this glucose test, fasting is eliminated from the scene. Therefore, it is done with the prick technique at any random point of time assuming that you’ve had your meal recently.
It is generally performed by piercing the fingertip and then dissolving the blood sample on a reactive chemical strip. The only problem with this glucose testing method is that it measures results at a certain point of time.
Therefore, an advanced technique called Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is followed.
In CGM, a small electrode is placed under the skin and a receiver gets readings through a transmitter every 5 to 15 minutes. This allows monitoring of glucose level trends over time.
The result indications are as follows:
- 80–140 mg/dl- Normal
- between 140 and 200 mg/dl- Prediabetic Condition
- 200 mg/dl or above- Diabetic Condition
What To Eat Before Glucose Test (Non-fasting)
- Since the test is done to monitor blood sugar levels at random points of time, there is no set compulsion as to what to eat before this glucose test.
What To Eat Before Glucose Test Pregnancy
Although very few percent of cases have occurred when expecting mothers are diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes (high blood sugar levels in pregnancy), dietary modifications and exercise can help a lot.
If left untreated, gestational diabetes can adversely affect the health of the child and result in many severe conditions, for instance, type 2 diabetes, hypoglycemia, macrosomia, and stillbirth.
Gestational Diabetes (GD) can be detected through any of the above-mentioned testing techniques. However, Continuous Glucose Monitoring is reportedly not ideal in this case.
To know about the varied range of results as per WHO’s recommendation for GD glucose test, refer to this table.
As for what to eat before glucose test pregnancy, it is suggested to follow the protocols advised by your doctor. However, chances are, your doctor might not suggest fasting techniques.
For different testing techniques, different food intake has to be followed (as mentioned in the sections above).
Nevertheless, food enriched with Vitamin D can prevent this-
- Mushroom
- Spinach
- Soybean
- Cod liver oil
- Oats, and cereals
Furthermore, a plant-based diet can also help in preventing GD-
- Beans
- Lentils
- Buckwheat
- Nuts
- Sweet Potatoes
- bread, etc.
What Not To Eat Before Glucose Test
Food that contains caffeine must be avoided. For instance-
- Coffee
- Tea
- Energy Drinks
- Cola
- Processed Food, etc.
These can increase the level of blood sugar.
Tips To Control Blood Sugar Levels
- Sleep well and follow a schedule for rectifying your body’s biological clock (circadian rhythms).
- Avoid caffeine and processed food.
- Add yoga and exercise to your schedule.
- Go for meditation.
- Try to avoid stress.
