HbA1c — glycated haemoglobin — measures the share of your red blood cells coated in sugar, and because those cells live about three months, it reflects your average blood sugar over that whole period rather than a single moment. It is the standard test for diagnosing and monitoring prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Being a long-run average, it responds to sustained change — more fibre, fewer refined carbohydrates, weight loss — rather than to any one meal.
Compounds that influence HbA1c
- Dietary Fibre — may help lower
Written by the Nutrition Encyclopedia team · medically reviewed by Dr. Sunaina Tariq, MBBS
Last updated 22 June 2026
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