What should you know about the DASH diet for prediabetes?

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It was designed around foods that provide fibre, protein, potassium and other nutrients while reducing heavily processed choices. For someone with prediabetes, the useful feature is the overall pattern: meals built from vegetables, fruit, pulses, whole grains, nuts, fish or other lean proteins, and unsweetened dairy. Fibre and protein can make meals more filling and may slow the rise in blood glucose after eating. Prediabetes raises the future risk of type 2 diabetes, but a food plan is only one part of care.

Start by replacing sugary drinks with water or unsweetened options, then add vegetables to lunch and dinner. Choose oats, brown rice, whole-grain bread or beans more often than refined grains. Keep fruit portions whole rather than juiced, and compare labels for added sugar and sodium. A dietitian can adapt the pattern to Emirati, South Asian, Mediterranean or other familiar foods, as well as kidney disease, food allergies or medicines. Regular activity and a weight-management programme may also be discussed. Do not make sudden medication changes based on diet alone.

Arrange a review if you have persistent excessive thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, unusual tiredness or unexplained weight change. These symptoms need assessment rather than an assumption that diet is the cause. Diabetes screening can clarify whether glucose remains in the prediabetes range or has progressed. Seek urgent help for confusion, fainting, severe weakness, vomiting or difficulty breathing.

Ask which glucose tests you need, what meal changes fit your medicines and culture, and whether nutrition counselling or a weight-management programme would be useful. Also ask how to monitor symptoms and when your results should be repeated.