For fruit, the most useful rule is whole fruit, not juice. Aim for about 2 servings per day, one serving at a time. Berries, apples, pears, oranges, kiwi, guava, peaches and plums are excellent routine choices. Mango, grapes, pineapple, bananas and watermelon do not need to be banned, but keep portions smaller.
For the next 3 months, I would make these your “default rules”: avoid soda and juice, keep desserts and sweets occasional, choose water/unsweetened drinks, keep white rice/naan/large bread portions smaller, include protein at every meal, and take a 10–15 minute walk after lunch and dinner.
Because your liver enzymes are elevated, also avoid excessive alcohol, minimize highly processed foods, and avoid unnecessary herbal “detox” supplements. Do not stop prescription medicines without discussing them with your clinician.
If you follow something close to this consistently, the reasonable target is to bring the A1c below 5.7% on a repeat test in the next few months.
