Post Updated 11/9/19

If you have been diagnosed as having insulin resistance, prediabetes or metabolic syndrome your body has impaired insulin sensitivity and has built up a tolerance to insulin, making this important hormone, less effective and struggle to do its job properly. 

The body’s job is to breakdown the food you eat into glucose so that is can be used as energy by your cells. When your cells become less responsive, insulin does not get in and glucose remains in the bloodstream.

Insulin resistance is a large component of PCOS and the real reason you are struggling to shed the weight.

But have no fear, if you are insulin resistant you can reverse it! In fact, here are 10 natural ways to reduce insulin resistance.

The best way to reverse insulin resistance is through your diet.

Diet Tips for Insulin Resistance

Here are 5 foods to cut if you are insulin resistant to improve your insulin sensitivity and health.

1.      Refined Sugar and Added Sugars

Refined sugar is from sugar cane and it is processed to extract the sugar. Refined and added sugars are used to sweeten food like cakes, cookies, cereal, beverages, yogurts, crackers, sauces, etc.

Why are refined and added sugars bad for you?

They have no nutritional value and they are calorie heavy. Studies show that added sugars are linked to chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

When you eat foods high in refined or added sugars you have an immediate and rapid spike in blood sugar levels. That is what you want to avoid if you are insulin resistant.

There are various kinds of refined sugars. Try to avoid food with granulated sugar, powdered sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, and fructose, malt sugar, invert sugar, and fruit juice concentrates.

Try natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit instead. You can also use dates, figs, and prunes, pure maple syrup, or raw unfiltered honey. Just be careful with these options especially maple syrup and honey. It is best to use them in small amounts. If you are insulin resistant, you still want to be careful with these alternatives. Everything in moderation.

Want help getting your insulin resistance under control? This plan will help you stabilize blood sugars and help you lose weight.

2.      White Bread and flours

There's not a whole lot of nutritional value in white bread and flours because they have been bleached and stripped of all their nutrients.

The body is able to quickly digest foods made from flour which will cause your blood sugars to rise.

A great substitute for white flour when baking is almond flour. While almond flour can be a little denser, the flavor is excellent. Almond flour is very low in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar levels like traditional white flour. 

Another option you can try is coconut flour. Coconut flour is lower in carbohydrates and has a decent amount of fiber and has a mild effect on blood glucose levels. The only caveat with coconut flour is that you have to adjust your recipe slightly and add more water.

If you can't just walk away from bread, try multigrain or whole-grain bread, or ones that are higher in protein and fiber. Breads that are higher in protein and fiber will slow down the breakdown of sugar. The slower the breakdown the better!

A sprouted bread it a fabulous choice. My favorite is the Food for Life Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread. Ezekiel bread is made from whole, sprouted wheat, spelt, barley, millet, soybeans, and lentils. It is found in the freezer section because it doesn’t contain any preservatives. My 2-year even likes this bread. So give it a try!

3.      Potatoes

As Americans, we love potatoes and they tend to be a dinner staple at most homes.

However, white potatoes are starchy and filled with carbs that will break down into sugar. Starch is rapidly digested by the body and results in a rise in blood sugars.

Try substituting sweet potatoes for regular white potatoes.

Sweet potatoes have more fiber, contain more vitamins, and are lower on the glycemic index. Boiling sweet potatoes instead of baking also help to stabilize blood sugar levels.

An even better swap is substituting your mash potatoes for cauliflower mash.

4.      Pasta

Forget about pasta! It breaks down quicker than anything and has a high glycemic index. The trouble with pasta is that people make it a main meal and there usually isn’t any protein source included. So you are consuming a lot of carbs and quickly. If you eat it on the side (as a small serving) with a protein source it can be okay.

Luckily, there are a lot of new alternatives on the market including chickpea, lentil, and black bean pasta alternatives.

Banza was one of the first to create a chickpea pasta. The consistency is a little different but it is very tasty and packs a lot of protein which is something traditional pasta doesn’t do. When I am in the mood for pasta, Banza is my go-to. It is affordable and tastes almost like real pasta.

Try swapping pasta with zoodles or spaghetti squash. Soon you won’t even miss pasta with these healthier alternatives.

5.      Juices/Soda

Americans drink 22% of our total calories, much of that from beverages sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

Any type of juice, including fruit juices, are loaded with sugars.

Liquids will spike glucose levels faster than solid foods because it doesn’t have to be digested/broken down.

Ditch the soda and juice! Try drinking sparkling seltzers or fruit-infused water. There are some great tasting seltzers like La Croix or you could even make your own with the help of this device!

So now that you know what you should avoid if you are insulin resistant, what can you do to improve your insulin sensitivity?

Here are some things you can do to improve insulin sensitivity

• Focus on your diet.

  Eat real, whole foods. Choose a variety of colors and eat the rainbow. Try to choose a vegetable that is non-starchy. They will not spike your blood sugars. Check out these 8 superfoods for PCOS.

  Don’t be afraid of fruits. They offer a lot of antioxidants and nutrients. Here are the best low carb fruits to eat.

• Take supplements that are proven to increase insulin sensitivity.

  Ovasitol is one of the best supplements out there for women with PCOS or women who are insulin resistant or prediabetic. If you want to know more about Ovasitol for PCOS, check out this detailed review.

• Exercise.

  Exercising helps to improve insulin sensitivity. And if you are insulin resistant you will want to make sure you are working out at the right time. Yes, there is a best time to workout if you are insulin resistant.

Once you cut these foods you should start to see a change in your blood sugar levels. Remember consistency is key. It is about lifestyle changes not being on a crash diet.

The items listed above are accompanied by affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if a purchase is made through my links. This has no impact on the cost to the consumer. I link to products this way whenever possible, and it has no bearing on the products I choose to review or recommend.

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