A blood glucose test is among the most common blood test that helps in diagnosing diseases like diabetes. It tells the amount of sugar present in the blood. Blood glucose tests are of different types. In some of the types, you need to consume glucose while others are fasting. People have different queries regarding blood glucose tests such as what to eat before glucose test and what food one should avoid before a glucose test.
Here, we will tell you what is glucose test, how it is performed, what to eat before a glucose test, foods you should avoid before a glucose test, and what are the effects of a glucose test.
What is a glucose test?
A glucose test is a blood test that is performed to find out the amount of glucose present in the bloodstream. For this test, blood is collected from your vein into a vial so that in the lab they can find out the amount of sugar that is present in your venous blood.
You can also perform a blood glucose test in your home with the help of finger pricking. You can prick your finger and collect a small drop of blood on the stick of the glucometer. When you will attach the stick to the Glucometer you can easily find out the amount of sugar present in your blood. However, if you have more than one blood test then in the lab they prefer venous blood tests because they can perform many tests on the same blood. The hemoglobin a1c test which is a sugar test done every 3 to 6 months is always done in the lab and not at home.
What happens during the glucose test?
When you collect the blood for a glucose test it actually measures the amount of sugar that is present in your blood at that time. Glucose is always present in the blood and its amount fluctuates depending on what we are eating and on the General Health of a person. If the blood sugar level is often too low or high it is a matter of concern.
At the resting stage, there are specific values of normal blood sugar level and fasting blood sugar level. A fasting normal blood glucose level should not be less than 100 mg per dl. A normal blood sugar level should not be less than 140 mg per dl if you have consumed food within 2 hours.
Diabetic patients should have a fasting blood glucose level in the range of 80-130 mg per dl. Diabetic patients should have less than 180 mg per dl sugar level after they have consumed a meal. Those diabetic patients who maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle have a regulated blood sugar level.
What to eat before glucose test
if you have a fasting blood sugar test then you should not consume any food or drink before 8 hours of the test. However, if you are going for a resting blood sugar level test then you can consume the following food 2 hours before the test.
Non-starchy vegetables
Since non-starch vegetables consist of very less Calories and are low in carbs therefore they will not fluctuate your blood sugar level much. If you will eat food that is high in carbohydrates then it can increase your blood sugar levels. So green vegetables and other non-starch vegetables are a very good choice before a blood glucose test. Following are some of the vegetables which you can consume before your blood glucose test
⦁ Green Bean
⦁ Mushroom
⦁ Tomatoes
⦁ Broccoli
⦁ Asparagus
⦁ Beetroot
⦁ Brussels sprouts
⦁ Salad lettuce
⦁ Peppers
⦁ Carrots
Protein-rich food
Protein is one of the major constituents of a properly nutritious diet. It is a macronutrient. It is not like carbohydrates because when you consume protein it does not immediately impact your blood sugar levels. Protein has a rather greater impact on your body muscles.
The following food consists of a higher amount of protein.
⦁ Tofu
⦁ Eggs
⦁ Cheese
⦁ Meet beef fish poultry
⦁ Nuts
Whole grains
Whole grains consist of a high amount of fiber and consume more time for digestion as compared to refined grains. Therefore, whole grains are a good option to prevent blood sugar spikes. Since it takes more time to digest, the food is converted into glucose slowly. Still, carbohydrates in any form can fluctuate your blood sugar level therefore you should reduce the portion of carbs in your meal.
Following are some examples of whole grains that you can eat before your blood sugar test
⦁ Oatmeal
⦁ Brown rice
⦁ Brown bread
⦁ brown pasta.
What not to eat before a glucose test
During the resting blood sugar test, you can eat 2 hours before the test. Still, you need to avoid consuming some food because they can increase your blood sugar drastically, impacting the result of your glucose test. Following are some of the food which you should avoid before a blood glucose test.
Refined carbohydrate
Refined carbs such as White Rice, white bread, or pasta can increase your blood sugar level hence disturbing the glucose test.
Starchy vegetables
Starchy vegetables are loaded with carbohydrates and calories such as potatoes should be avoided before a blood glucose test.
Sugary drink
Sugary drinks are loaded with glucose and calories which should be avoided before the blood sugar test as it can increase the sugar level immediately after drinking it.
Fruit juice
Fruit juice such as Cranberry juice, orange juice, Pineapple juice, or Apple juice is loaded with sugar in it there one should avoid them before a blood glucose test.
Is there any after-effect of the glucose test?
Although after effects of blood glucose tests are rare. Still, some people gave the resting blood glucose test by drinking the glucose sample and can experience headaches, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, shortness of breath even fainting for a while. Once the procedure is done within a few hours you will get back to your normal health.
Conclusion
During a fasting blood glucose test you should not eat anything before 8 hours of the test. If you are wondering what to eat before glucose test then the above mention list will help you much in it. Diabetes patients should try to improve their diet and consume these foods on regular basis to maintain their blood sugar levels.
