How to lower fasting blood sugar
The foods that help, the ones to ease off, and a day on a plate.
How do you lower fasting blood sugar with food?
To lower fasting blood sugar, fill half the plate with vegetables and fruit, add beans, whole grains and fiber, and ease off sugary drinks and refined carbs. A fasting test after 8 hours without food should read under 100 mg/dL, per ADA.1
Built from ADA and Harvard advice. Reviewed November 13, 2026.Eat more
Eat more of these
Vegetables and fruit
Half the plate at lunch and dinner, skins and color left on.
1/2 plateof vegetables and fruit, Harvard6
Beans and lentils
A half cup of cooked beans or lentils in place of meat.
3 cupsof legumes a week, US guidelines4
Whole grains
Oats, quinoa or brown rice in place of white bread and rice.
2 servingsof whole grains a day, Harvard3
Ease off
Ease off these
Sugary drinks
Soda, sweet tea and energy drinks, most days of the week.
26%higher diabetes risk, 1 to 2 cans5
White rice and white bread
Refined grains at most meals instead of whole grains.
5+ servingsof white rice a week, 17% higher risk3
Juice and fruit drinks
The plate guide caps juice at a small glass a day.
1 small glassof juice a day at most, Harvard6
Potatoes as your vegetable
Potatoes sit outside the vegetable half of the plate guide.
1/2 platevegetables and fruit, potatoes excluded6
Alma turns these foods into meals that fit your numbers.
Build my planGet Alma on AndroidGet the appA sample day
One day on a plate
BreakfastOats with yogurt and berriesOatmeal, plain Greek yogurt and blueberries.
LunchLentil and vegetable bowlLentils, roasted peppers, spinach and olive oil.
SnackAlmonds and an appleA small portion of almonds with a whole apple.
DinnerBaked salmon with quinoaBaked salmon, roasted vegetables and a small scoop of quinoa.
Fasting blood sugar ranges1
- Normal
- Under 100 mg/dLafter 8 hours without food
- Prediabetes
- 100 to 125 mg/dLADA calls this impaired fasting glucose
- Diabetes
- 126 mg/dL or higher
ADA defines fasting as 8 hours without food or drink, water only.
What people ask
Do beans and lentils lower fasting blood sugar?
Harvard says legumes have a low glycemic index, are high in fiber and contain slow-digesting resistant starch. It also notes research is mixed and not yet definitive that they lower blood glucose, so see them as one part of the plate.
What should I eat the night before a fasting blood test?
ADA says fasting means no food or drink except water for at least 8 hours before the test, usually first thing in the morning. Eat your usual dinner, drink water as normal, and follow any extra steps your clinic gives you.
Which foods are linked with higher diabetes risk?
Harvard notes that people who have 1 to 2 cans of sugary drinks a day or more have a 26% greater risk of type 2 diabetes than people who rarely drink them. White rice eaten five or more times a week went with a 17% higher risk of diabetes.
How much fiber helps lower fasting blood sugar?
Harvard puts the target at 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day for adults, from whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruit and nuts. Most Americans get about 15 grams, so build up slowly and drink more water to avoid bloating.
Is fasting blood sugar the same as A1C?
No. A fasting glucose is one morning snapshot, while A1C reflects two to three months. ADA calls an A1C under 5.7% normal, 5.7% to 6.4% prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher diabetes.
Sources (6)
This guide is general education. Talk with your clinician before changing your diet or medicines.
