Healthy diabetes-friendly Indian meal plan to help with blood sugar control
If you’re living with diabetes, maintaining a healthy eating plan will help you keep your blood sugar levels within the target range. A healthy diabetes diet plan should include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains while avoiding or limiting red meat and processed foods. Whole foods are rich in nutrients and antioxidants but low in fat and calories. In fact, whether or not you have diabetes, a well-balanced diet will help you lose weight, control blood sugar, reduce the risk of chronic conditions.
Following a diabetes diet plan will help you keep track of how many carbs, calories you consume and set a limit for each meal. Carbs are known to raise blood sugar faster and higher than protein or fat. However, carbs that have fiber in them (like sweet potatoes) can help lower blood sugar. A diabetes-friendly meal plan will also help you make healthful eating more fun and creative by adding some new ideas to the diet.
Here’s a sample Indian meal plan for diabetes
Below are a few tips and strategies diabetics can use as a reference in planning their own meals. Please note that this healthy diabetes-friendly Indian meal plan is a generalised one and you should consult your doctor or a dietitian to work out a diet plan that is suitable for you.
- Early norming: Start your day with a glass of lukewarm water - you can also add freshly squeezed lemon juice to your water to make the drink healthier and tastier. Diabetics can also consume fenugreek seed soaked in water, which may help with blood sugar control.
- Breakfast: You can have a bowl of poha/a bowl of oats porridge. Non-vegetarian may opt for one poached egg, half a small avocado spread on a slice of brown bread, and one orange.
- Mid-morning: Have a cup of green tea along with a handful of roasted channa, or a whole fruit such as apple/pear, orange, etc.
- Lunch: Make sure that you eat a wholesome meal - 2 chapatis/brown rice with a bowl of vegetable sabzi, 1 bowl of salad, 1 bowl of dal fry/curd/2-3 pieces of fish or chicken.
- Evening snack: 1 cup buttermilk without salt or sugar/ sukha bhel (tomato, cucumber, onion, coriander leaves, etc)/1 cup green tea along with steamed corn.
- Dinner: 2 chapatis and 1 bowl vegetable sabzi, 1 bowl of salad, 1 bowl of dal/2-3 pieces of chicken/fish.
- Bedtime: You can have some nuts (4 almonds or 2 walnuts) with a glass of warm water before bed.
With a few tips and tricks, people with diabetes can have a healthful, varied diet that can help improve blood sugar control, manage weight while boosting overall health.