New Delhi: Living with diabetes requires more than just avoiding sugar—it’s about making proactive, strategic food choices. While general guidelines can be helpful, here are six advanced meal-planning strategies from a dietitian to help you manage diabetes confidently and effectively.
On World Diabetes Day, sharing with News9Live, Dr Riddhima Khamesra, Nutritionist and Health Coach, created the ideal diabetes-friendly meal.
Start with fibre and protein: Not all foods impact blood sugar equally, and the order you eat can make a difference. Studies reveal that starting a meal with fiber and protein can significantly reduce blood sugar spikes compared to starting with carbs. This happens because fiber and protein slow gastric emptying and reduce the sugar release rate into the bloodstream.
How to Implement:
Begin with a Salad or Veggie Plate: Start each meal with high-fiber veggies like spinach, broccoli, or bell peppers. Follow up with protein before moving to carb-rich foods.
Try It with Snacks: For example, eat a handful of nuts before having fruit. This simple change can lower post-meal glucose by up to 30%.
Utilise “carb cycling” to increase insulin sensitivity: Carb cycling isn’t just for athletes—it can also help diabetics improve insulin sensitivity. By varying your carbohydrate intake on different days, your body is challenged to adapt, which may lead to better glucose control over time. On low-carb days, focus on fats and proteins while incorporating whole grains and legumes on moderate-carb days.
How to Implement:
Plan Low- and Moderate-Carb Days: For instance, aim for 50 grams of carbs on low-carb days and 100-120 grams on moderate-carb days.
Test Responsiveness: Track your blood sugar on each type of day to see how carb cycling affects you.
Leverage the power of resistant starch for stable blood sugar: Resistant starches, found in foods like rice, potatoes, and green bananas, resist digestion in the small intestine, acting more like fiber. They feed beneficial gut bacteria, help reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes, and improve insulin sensitivity.
How to Implement:
Cook and Cool Your Carbs: Prepare rice or potatoes in advance and refrigerate them overnight. The cooling process increases resistant starch, so when you reheat and eat it, the impact on blood sugar is lower.
Embrace “culinary medicine” by using blood-sugar-lowering herbs: Certain herbs and spices can actively help control blood sugar. Research shows that berberine, often used in traditional Chinese medicine, has effects similar to metformin, helping to lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. Other helpful spices include cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger.
How to Implement:
Add Turmeric and Ginger to Meals: These spices have anti-inflammatory properties and can also aid in glucose control when consumed regularly.
Activate the “incretin effect” with small, frequent meals: The “incretin effect” refers to hormones that help lower blood sugar and are stimulated by eating small, frequent meals. Unlike large meals, small meals stimulate these hormones more effectively, which can prevent sharp blood sugar spikes and crashes throughout the day.
How to Implement:
Aim for 5-6 Smaller Meals: Divide your daily intake into multiple small meals instead of three large ones. This approach can improve insulin sensitivity and keep you energised.
Include Protein in Each Meal: Foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, and boiled eggs are ideal for small, protein-rich meals that support steady glucose.
Boost post-meal glucose control with “activity breaks”: Not many people know that light activity, like a 10-15 minute walk, can make a big impact on blood sugar control when done shortly after meals. Known as “activity breaks,” these short sessions help lower post-meal glucose levels by stimulating glucose uptake in muscles.
How to Implement:
Take a Brisk Walk After Meals: If a full workout isn’t feasible, a short walk right after eating can still help. Aim for 10 minutes, focusing on moderate pace rather than intensity.
Try Standing or Light Movement: Even light activities like standing up or pacing around the room for 10 minutes can contribute to better glucose control if a walk isn’t possible.
By integrating these advanced meal-planning strategies, you can manage your blood sugar more effectively and confidently. These tips go beyond the basics to give you an edge in diabetes management, empowering you to make smart, sustainable food choices that support your health every day.
World Diabetes Day 2024: By integrating these advanced meal-planning strategies, you can manage your blood sugar more effectively and confidently. These tips go beyond the basics to give you an edge in diabetes management, empowering you to make smart, sustainable food choices that support your health every day. Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
