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Menus and their Selection
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Sample Menu - 5
A Typical Menu For Diabetics:
Some samples been charted for the diabetics, keeping in mind daily routine
and habits, rather than treating him as a patient and giving a clinically
designed menu. However, diet is only a part (an important part) of a
diabetic?s recovery routine, it has to be supplemented with suitable exercise
(regular walking itself works wonders and is safe), proper habits of sleep,
relaxation, activity and work, and a low-stress lifestyle.
Exercise should be done as per each individual?s personal requirements and abilities, taking
professional advice regarding the same if necessary. Sugar, which is
considered a nemesis for diabetics, should be avoided as much as possible.
Alternatives are there, but how effective and how safe is a question, not
confidently answered by most physicians.
There is saccharin, sorbitol,
fructose, etc. But a better alternative would be natural sugars taken in as
limited levels as possible like, gur (jaggery), honey, dates, caramelised
sugar, etc. Avoid foods that contain very high sugar levels, and even fruits
which have the same characteristic. Go in for waffled, baked or steamed, more
than fried, seasoned, spicy, etc. Eating very spicy food is also followed by
a portion of a sweet to neutralise the burning effect. So that is More sugar.
Sweets are a no-no, but if their total absence is tormenting, fix up 2 or 3
days in the month when you will allow yourself a sweetdish or dessert (in
moderate helpings!!) making this by adding sweeteners or natural Sugars where
possible.
The best diet and lifestyle routine is one which you set for
yourself, not as a punishment, but as a means to Become fitter if you love
yourself. You will then feel the ?not allowed? phrase is a caution, a helper
to a better you, than a punishing cane. If you have been ?good? or ?well
behaved? for a long time, allow yourself To be rewarded and let go a bit,
once in a way. So, the following menus are a rough outline, substitute
variety as per choice, keeping in mind what one can and cannot eat.
Breakfast:
Combination 1:
- 1 cup tea or coffee without sugar (if necessary only)
- 1 200ml. glass skimmed milk
- 1 apple or guava
- 2 wheat bread toasts (apply a bit of green chutney instead of jam, butter, etc.) ( or make a sandwich with cucumber and tomato, onion, etc.)
Combination 1:
- 1 cup tea or coffee without sugar (if necessary only)
- 1 200ml. glass skimmed milk
- 1 apple or guava
- 2 idlis with chutney powder or green coriander chutney (use as little coconut as possible)
Lunch:
Combination 1:
- 1 cup sprouts salad (without sugar, vinegar additions which can be easily deleted)
- 2 wheat flour phulkas
- 1 cup (total) one or two vegetable dishes using very low oils and sugars stirfried vegetable or hasslefree veggies or boiled and seasoned vegetables
- 1 cup porridge of wheat germ or jowar germ
- 1 cup curds
- 1 roasted (not fried) papad (if you must)
- 1 cup fruit salad
Combination 2:
- 1-1/4 cups rice (avoid the highly polished type)
- 1 cup curds or 1 glass buttermilk
- 1 cup sambhar
- 1 cup rasam or more
- 1 cup green vegetable (prepared or boiled or raw) in the form of poriyal but omit most of the coconut
- 1 cup fruit salad
- 1 roasted papad
Dinner
Combination 1:
- 1 bowl soup (preferably a clear vegetable soup)
- 2 wheatflour chappatis
- 1 cup dal
- 1 cup vegetables
- 1/3 cup rice (if necessary)
- 2-3 pieces dhokla (gramflour)
- 1 fruit
COmbination 2:
- 1 bowl soup as above
- 2 med.bhakaris
- 1 cup khichidi (moongdal type)
- 1 cup kadhi
- 1 cup lentil salad
- 1 cup vegetable of choice
- 1 fruit
Important Note: Please note that the above recommendations are made from a
general observation of Diabetic patients, rather than a professional analysis
of the same. These are rough guidelines to a daily Diet routine rather than a
clinical and caloric disclosure of what to and what not to eat.
Some Choices of Desserts:
- Cakes etc. made using either natural sugars or sweetener
- Fruit jellies, ices, salads, etc. skip the custard part if you can
- Sweets like shrikhand, carrot or other halwa, rosogolla, etc. made using
saccharin or sweetex.
- Avoid the ghee or oil fried desserts as their
cholestrol content skyrocket!!! Or if you must have them, make it once a
year.
- Try out waffles, etc. made from low or natural sugars, rather than
chocolates, cakes, fried sweets, etc.
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