Planning A South Indian Diabetic Friendly Diet

November 27 09:00 2017 Print This Article

Indians with diabetes have a harder time dealing with the illness because of our cuisine. Many of our staple foods like rice and potatoes are high in starch.

But you can personalize your South Indian meals and make diabetes friendly food choices.

Diabetes Friendly Food Choices

When you wake up…

Have a couple of digestive biscuits
A cup of coffee or tea without sugar
A glass of warm water with lime and ginger is healthy

Step 2

At breakfast, have…

Steamed idlis with chutney
Soft dosa cooked with minimum oil
Upma made with cracked wheat, quinoa or poha
Pongal made with brown rice
Ragidosas and idiyappams

Step 2

Diabetes friendly lunch options

Brown rice, diabetes rice, quinoa, broken millets
Kootu with water based vegetables
Porials with vegetables like carrot, beans, cabbage etc
Greens blended with dhal or plain
Sambhar with non tuber vegetables

Step 2

Healthy dinner options

Have a clear vegetable soup before dinner
Make a bowl of salad
Wheat chappathis with dhal and vegetables
Adai made with dhal, and chutney
Oats porridge with vegetables

Step 2

Tips for meat eaters

Grill your meat instead of deep frying
Make it into a curry instead of dry frying
Have more lean meats like chicken and fish
Add vegetables to the meat dish

Step 2

When you wake up…

• Have a couple of digestive biscuits
• A cup of coffee or tea without sugar
• A glass of warm water with lime and ginger is healthy

At breakfast, have…

• Steamed idlis with chutney
• Soft dosa cooked with minimum oil
• Upma made with cracked wheat, quinoa or poha
• Pongal made with brown rice
• Ragi dosas and idiyappams

For a mid morning snack have…

• A glass of buttermilk
• Avoid tender coconut water or juices(high sugar content)
• Low sugar content fruit
• Handful of unsalted nuts

Diabetes friendly lunch options

• Brown rice, diabetes rice, quinoa, broken millets
• Kootu with water based vegetables
• Porials with vegetables like carrot, beans, cabbage etc
• Greens blended with dhal or plain
• Sambhar with non tuber vegetables

Evening tea can include…

• A cup of tea or coffee with no sugar
• Digestive biscuits
• A small healthy snack like upma or adai

Healthy dinner options

• Have a clear vegetable soup before dinner
• Make a bowl of salad
• Wheat chappathis with dhal and vegetables
• Adai made with dhal, and chutney
• Oats porridge with vegetables

Good snack options (when you just need to binge)

• Vegetable salads
• Fruit salads (with fruits low in sugar)
• Steamed or boiled vegetables
• Steamed dhal vadas
• Microwave papads with vegetables on top

Tips for meat eaters

• Grill your meat instead of deep frying
• Make it into a curry instead of dry frying
• Have more lean meats like chicken and fish
• Add vegetables to the meat dish

Tips to manage your diabetic diet

• Eat a snack when you wake up
• Drink two glasses of water before a meal
• Have small meals every two hours
• Eat dinner early
• Carry a small snack at all times

What you should avoid

• Deep fried foods
• Coconut based curries and chutneys
• Curries with excess oil like kara kuzhambu
• Biriyanis and pulaus that have excess oil and rice

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Updated on 22^nd Jan 2024