5 tips for a healthy diabetic diet

Diabetes is a condition that occurs when you have too much sugar in your blood. It is a metabolic disorder that compromise your immunity and increases your risk of many diseases. Therefore, it is imperative that you try to keep your blood sugar levels within normal range in all circumstances.

Lifestyle modification is the key to success of any diabetes management programme which includes regular exercise and a healthy diet. Dietary management is all about knowing what, how much and when to eat in order to keep blood glucose level stable. Food contains carbohydrates, fats and proteins as a source of energy, and many other important ingredients like vitamins and minerals. Each of these has a different effect on blood glucose. Hence while planning a healthy diet for diabetics we have to look at the calorie content and check whether the diet provides optimal and balanced nutrition with sufficient fibre and has a low glycemic index. Hence, for a healthy 2018, Dr V. Mohan, Chairman and Chief of Diabetology at Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre shares few diet tips for every diabetic. Here are few diet tips for diabetics as suggested by diabetologist Dr. Pradeep Gadge.

1. Calories: Calories are the energy derived from the food with help of insulin. The per day intake of calorie/ calorie requirement depends on type of activity profile (sedentary, moderate, and heavy), age, gender, and nutritional & physiological status of the individual and it is calculated based on the patients Ideal Body Weight (IBW). The daily calorie intake will be decided and planned by your doctor and dietitian. But it is always necessary to monitor the calorie intake.

2. Refined carbohydrates vs. complex carbohydrates: Sugary foods (sugar, sweets, jelly jam etc), refined or processed carbohydrates (white rawa, maida etc) raise the blood glucose rapidly whereas the complex carbohydrates present in vegetables and whole grains increase the blood glucose gradually. Whole grains, vegetables, and fruits have a lower glycemic index. Refined foods have a high glycemic index, so they cause a sudden and sharp spike in blood sugar. If the body does not use this blood sugar, it is stored as fat. Naturally occurring carbohydrates – those found in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits — provide vitamins, minerals, and fibre. In addition, they usually contain fewer calories than foods with added sugar.

3. Fibre: Dietary fiber is a source of carbohydrate. Fiber is found in plant-based food like fruit, vegetables, legumes, peas, brown rice, whole-grain breads and cereals. Fiber is not digested or absorbed like other starches, and so has less of an effect on increasing blood sugars, reduces cholesterol, triglycerides and lowers LDL cholesterol. The recommendation is to eat 20-35 grams of fiber a day. Also read diabetic diet tips by celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar.

4. Protein: Protein plays an important role in our body. It accounts for one-fifth of our total body weight. The recommended protein choices for non-vegetarians are egg white, fish, and lean chicken in moderation. High protein intake from animal sources should preferably be avoided . Vegetarians can include soya, pulses, whole grams (channa, rajma, green gram, etc.), low fat milk and dairy products.

5. Fats: Food sources of fat can be from visible fats, which are derived from animal fats, like butter, ghee, vegetable oil, vanaspati or invisible fats (egg, meat, nuts and oil seeds). Fats and oily substances like cooking oil, cream, butter and mayonnaise, do not raise blood glucose. It slows stomach emptying and decreases the rate at which blood glucose rises after a mixed meal. But it adds calories and cholesterol. Though fat is important and enhances the taste of food, it is essential to remember that they are concentrated source of calories in foods. Each gram of fat yields 9 calories (twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrates).

Therefore, healthy diet and regular physical activity can bring about a reduction in your glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) values to the tune of 0.5 to 0.2%, which is equivalent to the effect of the most potent oral antidiabetic agents in the market today. Here’s the best diet plan for diabetes to control your blood sugar levels.

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