The food and drink you consume every day plays a vital role in your metabolic health.

A healthy diet helps improve your blood sugar or maintain it on an optimal level, manage your weight, and reduce metabolic risks and related conditions, for example, blood pressure and cholesterol.

You can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 30 percent just by adjusting your diet. Whole grains and cereal fiber are particularly good choices, whereas processed meat, red meat in general, and sugar-sweetened drinks increase the risk of diabetes.

If you have a high genetic risk for developing type 2 diabetes, improving your diet is even more important.

Many different diets, such as the Mediterranean diet and all vegetarian diets, can improve metabolic health. They emphasize non-starchy vegetables, minimized amounts of added sugars and refined grains, and a preference for whole foods.

For better metabolic health, choose carbohydrates from nutrient-dense sources that are high in fiber and are minimally processed. These include vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, fruits, and whole grains.

Replace saturated and trans fats, found in red meat and full-fat dairy products, with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.