A DIABETIC DIET

A quick look on what to eat and what not to eat in diabetes

The first question that comes in your mind when i tell patients that they have diabetes is " do I have to stop a lot of things in my daily food intake?", "Does diabetes means no more enjoyment of food?", "what do i stop eating now?", "What can i eat?"

I know diabetes is a tough disease, many go through a casual approach and face consequences later, some change their lifestyle completely and live a normal life for decades. Diabetes is all about mindset.

The moment you are diagnosed with diabetes should be a wake up call for you to change your lifestyle.

here are some tips that will help you solve some of your queries regarding diet in diabetes.

Diabetes is cured by 3 major ingredients: diet, exercise and medication. Diet is an essential part of the disease because it is our sugar intake, be it in form of direct sweets and sweeteners or by carbohydrates, what we eat, decides how much medication we might require.

Diet if kept in balance at an early stage, can take care of diabetes even without medication.

Rice, sugar, maida, bread, potato raise blood sugar

Dal, milk, and milk products (without sugar), non-veg foods do not raise sugar.

It is always better to increase vegetables in your diet.

Food you should'nt eat:

We come to a very essential part of your diet, the food that you should not eat at any function, occasion, season or any event. These if consumed are just adding fuel to fire.

Here are the list of food items you should not eat

SUGAR

GLUCOSE

HONEY

SYRUP

JAGGERY

SWEETS

HALWAS

BURFIES

JAMS

JELLIES

PRESERVED FRUITS

DRIED FRUITS

AERATED DRINKS

CAKE

PASTRIES

CANDY

HORLICKS *

BOURNVITA *

CHOCOLATE DRINKS AND CHOCOLATES

PROPRIETARY DRINKS

ALCOHOL

FRIED FOODS

*HORLICKS AND BOURNVITA IS ALLOWED IF YOU ARE ILL AND CANNOT TAKE SOLID FOOD BUT STILL CONSULT YOUR DIETICIAN.

Free foods:

Free foods are a great way to help you as they do not contain enough food energy (kilocalories) to have a significant impact on body weight.

Using free foods (and some creativity) you can prepare a 'guilt free' tasty snack or small meal to be enjoyed between meals.

HERES A LIST OF FREE FOODS YOU CAN CONSUME:

CLEAR SOUPS

GELATINE (UNSWEETENED)

LEMON

SOUP CUBES

PEPPER WATER

PLAIN COFFEE OR TEA

SKIMMED BUTTER MILK

UNSWEETENED LIME JUICE

TOMATO JUICE – 1 SMALL GLASS

SODA WATER

RAW VEGETABLES

SEASONINGS LIKE ONION, MINT, PEPPER, GARLIC, CURRY LEAF, CORIANDER, VINEGAR, MUSTARD AND SPICES

FRUITS: CHOOSE 1 PER DAY ONLY

APPLE - 1 SMALL/ ½ MEDIUM

GUAVA - 1 MEDIUM

ORANGE - 1 MEDIUM

PAPAYA - ½ MEDIUM OR 3 SLICES

PINEAPPLE - 2-3 SLICES

PEAR - 1 MEDIUM

SWEET LIME - 1 MEDIUM

WATERMELON - 2-3 SLICES

POMEGRANATE - 1/3RD MEDIUM

COCONUT WATER - 150 ml

JAMUN - 100 gm

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DIETICIAN REGARDING THIS AMOUNT IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER DISEASE ALONG WITH DIABETES.