World Diabetic day: Expert tips to Eat Right and Manage Diabetes

New Delhi, November 28, 2019: World diabetic day is organized on November 14^th every year to promote awareness on diabetes. November 14^th is the birthday of the man who co discovered insulin in 1922 (Frederick Grant Banting).

India has more diabetic than any other country in the world, 62 million Indians which is more than 7.2% of the adult population are diabetic and nearly 1 million Indians die due to diabetes every year. (Source international diabetic foundation)

So what is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a disease which occurs due to insufficient hormone called insulin. This hormone is produced by the pancreas, a gland situated behind the stomach. When the pancreas, does not make sufficient insulin to meet the body needs due to various factors such as – Overweight, genetics, lack of activity/exercise and hormonal imbalance, it results in a sustained increase in glucose levels in the blood leading to diabetes.

Untreated diabetes may lead to heart disease, nerve damage, blindness, kidney failure, amputations and early death.

So what can be consumed to control diabetic?

Diet plays an important role in the management of diabetes. A diabetic diet consists of all food groups included in amounts to maintain desirable body weight and control blood sugar levels. A diabetic can eat almost any food that other people normally eat. However, quantities of some foods must be maintained within the daily calories allowance. Exceeding the calorie allowance prescribed could cause an increase in blood sugar levels.

DONT’S

Cut down the refined carbs like sweets and sweetened products like sugar, honey, jaggery, cakes, pastries etc.

Avoid fried foods butter/ nutralite, Vanaspati and coconut.

Avoid sweetened fruit juice, high calorie fruits or over ripe fruits like mango, banana, sapota, seethapala and jackfruit.

Avoid roots & tubers such as potato, sweet potato, beetroot, yam, tapioca and sweet pumpkin.

Avoid aerated and caffeinated drinks such as pepsi, coke, fanta, diet coke, soda etc.

Avoid dry fruits such as raisins, dates, figs, prunes, plums, cashew & pista.

Restrict the amount of salt in the diet. Avoid papad, pickles, processed food, canned food, baking soda and aginomoto.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETNERS LIKE SUGARFREE can be used with tea and coffee in small amounts.

Avoid organ meat, red meat (mutton), beef, pork, and egg-yolk.

Strictly avoid health drinks (like- Horlicks, Boost, Complan etc.)   

DO’S

Proper diet, regular exercise and meditation are important.

Eat small & frequent meals. Control portion size; don’t give long gap between meals. Have early dinner.

Include raw or fresh salads and high fiber food (wheat, ragi, jowar, millets and brans) in every meal.

Include green leafy vegetables and sprouts, flax seeds, chia seeds daily.

Selected fruits like small apple, pear (marasebu), orange, guava, peaches, sweet-lime, plum,1 slice muskmelon, apricot, Jamun, papaya and pineapple are allowed 100gms only & preferably in midmorning if the fasting blood glucose levels are less than 100mg/dl.

Use boiling / steaming/ baking / grilling process for cooking food

Limit the salt intake to 5gm/day or one leveled teaspoon

For cooking use rice-bran oil, Canola oil, groundnut oil, mustard oil, sunflower oil, olive oil etc. and limit the intake to 500 Gms or half a liter per person per month

Include plenty of water, butter milk, soups and keep your self-hydrated.

Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)