Indian Diet for Diabetes

In a country where it has been estimated that around 40 million people are affected with one or the other form of diabetes, Indians have a lot to worry about.
When it comes to a condition like diabetes, there’s plenty of information available and that is a cause of worry too. The question remains, what suits you best? To know that, it is important to first analyze the type of diabetes you are suffering from.

There are only two well-known types of diabetes, one is non insulin dependent (NIDDM) or Type-II Diabetes, and the other is insulin-dependent (IDDM) or Type-I Diabetes. One of the factors that differentiate the two types is the diet a person would need to essentially follow. Indian food habits being such crucial aspects of a lifestyle, it becomes imperative to determine the perfect diet to be followed by individuals suffering from respective types of diabetes.

What to Watch out for

While determining the diet for a diabetic, it is important to consider complications like high blood pressure or cholesterol that they may be prone to. As the doctor would advise, a simple and balanced diet, in adherence to the person’s calorie requirement, works best.
High fibre foods like dalia, green vegetables, fruits such as apple, peach and guava are very good for diabetes. Food items low on fibre content but high on carbohydrate have to be removed and fatty foods are a complete no-no.

An Ideal Diet

Planning an entire day is another important part of a diabetic’s diet and that can be done with the help of the following chart, which takes care of the diabetes type.

Diet Chart for Type-I Diabetic

Breakfast: Boiled egg, corn flakes, brown bread toast, tea or coffee (no sugar)
Brunch: Fruits, juice (without sugar)
Lunch: Two chapattis, curry, veggies (seasonal and green), bitter gourd (karela), salad, raita
Evening Tea: Sandwich, toast, or baked snacks
Dinner: Two chapattis, dal, veggies (cabbage, capsicum), salad, sugar-free dessert

Diet Chart for Type-II diabetic

Breakfast: Toast, tea or coffee (without sugar), fruit, salted dalia
Lunch: Two chapattis, veggies (beans and other greens), dal (yellow, moong), raita and salad
(People can skip Brunch when they are Type-II diabetics)
Evening Tea: Snacks preferably salted, veg. or non-veg. soup
Dinner: Two chapattis made of mixed flour (wheat, gram and soya), veggies, cottage cheese (paneer), salad
To be able to follow the above charts, as per the respective diabetic type, may be the best Indian diet plan for diabetes. Whilst temptations are never very far away, with some or the other delicacy leaving its whiff around, a bit of strictness can go a long way!