Avoid Starch and Fruit if Diabetic?

[LindsayO]

I was pre-diabetic a year ago and struggle with sugar addiction and I'm pretty sure I'm diabetic now. Should I avoid starch and fruit on my whole30? I feel like fruit definitely affects my blood sugar and potatoes usually make me feel lethargic and just lousy.

[ShannonM816]

If something makes you not feel good, it makes sense to avoid it. Whole30 used to not allow potatoes, so it is definitely possible to do without them, and fruit is never necessary. 

You might find you're okay with some starchy vegetables in small amounts, like carrots, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, winter squashes (like butternut or acorn), plantains or sweet potatoes. I would aim for just a fist-sized serving, with a meal, not more than once a day and see how you do, if you want to include them. It's something you'd have to try. Many people who have issues with depression or anxiety find they need at least some starchy vegetables, and if you are exercising, you might need some as well. If you're pretty sedentary and not dealing any kind of mood issues, you might be fine with a serving every 2-3 days.

If you do decide to have fruit occasionally, it may make a difference if you have it with a meal. For instance, while you may not be able to eat grapes on their own, you might be fine with a chicken salad with a few grapes in it, since it would have protein from the chicken and fat from mayo, which would help slow down how fast everything is digested. But if you don't want fruit, it is fine to not have any.