Dieteric management of Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction:
“Diabetes is a not a disease, uncontrolled diabetes is a disease”. One need not become panicky if he is detected with accidental high blood sugar levels. If someone is in the early stage of Diabetes (otherwise called Prediabetes or potential diabetes), specially non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus only strict control of diet, physical exercise and stress management are sufficient.

There are some specific guidelines in the dieteric management of Diabetes. some principles in the diabetic diet are as follows.
1. Fragmented meals/snacks than 3 heavy meals.
2. Foods sufficient to provide calories for reasonable body weight.
3. Foods that maintain optimum blood lipid levels like cholesterol, tryglycerides.
4. Foods that contain fibre which are capable of delaying glucose absorption in the intestines.
5. Foods with low glycemic index- GI, which is a measure of blood glucose response of a particular food. The lower the GI, lower is the blood glucose response.

MORNING :BREAKFAST
7-8 AM Coffee / Tea without sugar and cream- 1 cup.
Chapathi or wheat and ragi mix dosa – 3 no.
Vegetable curry without much oil- half cup.
(Wheat Upma with less oil. Bread slices- 2-3 can also be tried as alternative to chapathi.)
( Non vegetarians- egg, only white portion- one in no)

MID MORNING
10.30-11 AM 2 Marie biscuits.
Salads like sliced cucumbers- can take plenty.
Thin butter milk- one glass.

LUCH
1-2 PM One cup rice. ( medium size)
2 dry chapathi, without oil.
Dhal / pulses – half cup- 25 gms.
Green lefy vegetables- salads of tomato, onion, cucumber- plenty.
Butter milk – one cup.
( For non vegans- fish or chicken- 1-2 pieces)

TEA TIME
4-5 PM Coffee or tea without sugar and cream.
Marie / arrowroot biscuits- 2 numbers.
Wheat bread- 2 numbers.

DINNER
8-9 PM Ragi dosa or Wheat dosa- 2
Vegetable curry- one cup.
Sprouted grams- half cup.( Green gram)
Salads – plenty.
Butter milk- half cup.

BED TIME
10 PM Milk without sugar and cream.

OILS AND FATS
Butter, ghee, dalda, palm oil, vanaspathi- avoid
Sunflower oil, Safola, Groundnut oil, Gingely oil – moderation.
Dont use only one type of oil for cooking.

MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS
Cheese, ice cream, khoa, pannier, condensed milk avoid
Milk, curds- moderate
Butter milk – liberally consume.

SUGAR AND SUGAR PRODUCT
Jaggery, Honey, chocolates, Halwa- avoid

AMONG VEGETABLES.
Tapioca, Yam and all underground tubers- avoid
Potato and beet root- moderate
Sprouted grams, dhals, green leafy vegetables, Onions, carrots, raddish- liberally consume.

FOR NON VEGETARIANS
Pork, fatty cut of meats, organ meats like liver, kidney, heart and brain- moderate.
Lean meat, chicken
Fish ( avoid frying)

AMONG FRUITS
Mango, custard apple, sapota, jackfruit, butterfruit- avoid
Guava, Apples, banana – moderate
Water melons, black grapes, oranges. Dry fruits- moderate.

Totally avoid the following food items:
Pickle containing much oil
Carbonated drinks
Fried foods and snacks
Sweet biscuits, puddings, squash, Jam,
alcoholic drinks, tender coconut water.

Other instructions:
1. foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as fish, fish liver oil, soya bean, green leafy vegetables, mustard, wheat, Rajma, ragi, Black gram, should be included in the diet as these will improve the quality of fat that is consumed.
2. Fruits can be consumed in moderation, only 100 gms of fruits per day is permitted. Among the fruits guava, apple, orange, banana are allowed.
3. A low salt diet is ideal.
4. More fiber intake in the diet like grams and pulses, whole cereals, most fruits, leafy vegetables should be consumed generously.