Diabetes Diet: Diabetics, Here's How You Can Manage Blood Sugar Levels During The Festive Season

Diabetes diet: Manage your blood sugar during the festive season by avoiding maida and white sugar

A festival is the time when people gather to celebrate a particular day or group of days. India is also called a land of festivals amongst which Diwali is very important one. Diwali means festival of lights and sweets. Diwali time can also be a very difficult time for those who have diabetes or are diet conscious. But diabetics need not worry... In this article, we are going to discuss how diabetics can handle their diet and keep their blood sugar levels under control during the festive season.

Diabetes diet: here's how you can manage your blood sugar levels during the festive season

Some diet tips that diabetics can follow during Diwali

1. You can prepare chiwda made up of brown rice poha.
2. Chakali and kadboli can be dal-based. Taste of dal-based sev could be enhanced by adding garlic or palak as well.
3. You can make namkeen shakarpare by adding salt to it instead of sugar. You can also add palak or methi to add flavour to it.
4. You can serve faral with salad like tomato, onion, chillies, lime and rock/black salt to enhance its taste.
5. Try to avoid refined products like maida and sugar.
6. Make it healthier by preparing it with whole grain flours (some of the whole grains like jowar atta and khapli gehu atta can be used).
7. You can prepare besan laddu using khajur or honey for sweetness.
8. Laddus can also be prepared from groundnut and dry fruits and they should be prepared in coconut/groundnut oil instead of ghee.

These tips can enable you to enjoy sweets during Diwali while also not compromising on your blood sugar levels. You can also add healthy items like almonds, walnuts, dates or black currents in the sweets to make it delicious and diabetes-friendly. They taste good and help your sweets get a perfect look also.

Also read: Weight Loss Can Help With Type 2 Diabetes Remission: Study; Know The Most Effective Tips To Lose Weight

How much to eat?

Remember one thing you can have sweets, namkeen and faral but in a limited quantity. In case of sweets, a piece or two would be enough. In case of faral (chiwda, shev, chakali, shankarpale) one serving is enough. Consuming a high quantity may lead in increasing your blood sugar levels.

When to eat?

Try to eat faral with salad in breakfast. This will not only enhance its taste but will also fill you up quickly. Do not eat sweets on an empty stomach as you may end up eating more quantity at a time. Always have your meals before you have sweets.

How to store?

Store Diwali sweets in an opaque container. The logic is pretty simple... If you can't see the sweets clearly, your craving for sweets may is likely to be lesser.

Also read: Diabetes: Turmeric Can Help You Control Blood Sugar Levels; Here's Is The Right Method To Use It

Time to eat?

Avoid sweets after 6 pm. Usually, metabolic rate of our body slows down during the evening or at night, which results in less or no calorie burning. Hence, try and avoid having sweets after 6 pm. Ideally, diabetics should have sweets only if blood sugar is normal (fasting below 100 and PP below 140) or at least close to normal.

So eat limited, exercise and celebrate Diwali guilt-free with these simple tips.

Also read: People With Diabetes, Sugarcane Juice Can Be Your Best Friend- Here's How

(Dr Pramod Tripathi, an MBBS from BJ Medical College, Pune, is founder of Freedom from Diabetes)

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