Fasting before a blood test is important because it helps ensure that your test results are accurate. When you fast, your body is able to better absorb and use glucose, which is what the test measures. If you have food in your stomach, it can affect the absorption of glucose and give false readings.
There are a few things you should avoid eating before a fasting blood test:
1. Fatty foods: Fatty foods take longer to digest and can cause inaccurate results. Avoid fried foods, fatty meats, butter, margarine, oils, salad dressings, and cream cheese.
2. Fiber: Fiber can also interfere with digestion and lead to inaccurate results. Avoid high-fiber foods such as whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.
3. Sweeteners: Sweeteners can cause spikes in blood sugar levels which can lead to inaccurate results. Avoid honey, molasses, agave syrup, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners such as Equal or Splenda.
4. Caffeine: Caffeine can cause dehydration which can lead to inaccurate results. Avoid coffee, tea