Fight Diabetes through Your Diet

The best way to fight diabetes is to fight it with food. What to eat, when to eat and how much? – These questions keep haunting us!!

A diabetic diet should be high in complex fiber, low in simple carbs and high in proteins. It should include low fat milk, seasonal vegetables and fruits.  Diabetic diet ratio known is 60:20:20 for carbs, fats and proteins.  Diabetic diet should include at least two seasonal fruits and three vegetables on daily basis.

Foods that help boost immunity to diabetes are:

• Methi seeds: 1 teaspoon of methi seeds soaked overnight in 100ml of water has proven in controlling diabetes.
• Load your system with tomato juice: Drink tomato juice on an empty stomach.
• Whole food: Whole grains, Oats, whole channa atta, millets and other high fiber foods should be included in the meals. Suiji upma, pastas and noodles can be made suitable for diabetes by adding sprouts and vegetables.
• Milk is the best source: Milk is the balanced combination of carbohydrates and proteins and hence should be taken twice daily.
• Green it up: High fiber vegetables such as beans, broccoli, spinach etc should be a part of every meal.
• Protein build up: Pulses are good source of protein and are considered as low glycemic index foods.
• Avoid the fatty lane: Healthy fats such as omega 3 and monounsaturated fats should be consumed as they are good for the body.
• Fruity choices: Fruits when eaten with edible peels make a good source of fiber which in turn slows down the conversion of carbohydrate to glucose in blood. Fruits act like protective foods and hence should be eaten in between meals.
• Nuts : Almonds have shown results in keeping a check in blood sugars.
• Don’t starve yourself: Its best to have small frequent meals (5-7servings/day) over three meals/day.

Foods to avoid in Diabetes:

• Refined flours and products, rice, processed grains.
• Canned vegetables- sodium content is too high.
• Extra fat- butter, cheese, fried food.
• Sugar and sugar syrups. So avoid canned fruits.
• Jam, jellies, cakes and dessert.
• Fruit punch, fruit juice, Aerated drinks, energy drinks.
• Higher fat cuts meats, red meat
• Whole milk and products.
• Custard apple, sapota grapes to be avoided as their glycemic index is high.
• Vegetables with high GI are Taro or yam, Colocasia roots