Micro & Macro Nutrients Carbohydrates Glycemic Index Dietary Fibre Proteins Fats
We take food to satisfy our craving for it ( we eat when we are hungry), for the taste of it, the tastier the more we eat. We all enjoy it in some way or other; for us this is practically the only reason we take food.
Its only when we develop a problem like Diabetes , Hypertension or other medical condition (e.g pregnancy in females) which is profoundly affected by food intake that we realize the actual implication and importance of food in our daily lives
It is very important for Diabetics/ Pre-Diabetics to change there food habits, a simple moderation in what and how much they eat can make a big difference to them. Proper Diet leads to proper Bloodglucose control and may prevent the dreadful complications like Heart Attack, Paralysis, Limb Amputation, Blindness etc. The changes in diet and lifestyle should be gradual and sustainable.
Two important studies Diabetes Prevention Program ( DPP) and Dietary approach to stop hypertension ( DASH) have clearly demonstrated the benefits of controlled diet in delaying diabetes and lowering Blood pressure.
Nutrients can be divided into 2 types Macro and Micro nutrients
Macronutrients are required in large quantities and constitute a large proportion of our diet; these are
| Carbohydrates � Give us energy, these are oxidized into simpler sugars like glucose to provide energy to the basic unit of the body- the cells. Examples:- Fruits, vegetables, sugar, jaggery, honey, pulses, cereals, nuts, milk etc. |
| Proteins- form the building blocks, form cells, enzymes, secretions, hormones and also provide energy Examples:-Meat, Milk and its products, pulses, eggs, legumes like soya bean, fish etc |
| Fats - Highly concentrated forms of energy, more than double that of carbohydrates, besides giving energy they also lubricate the internal organs, form linings and padding for them, required for the transport of fat soluble vitamins, vit K, vit E etc Examples:-Oils, Nuts, Fat, Lard, Butter, Clarified butter ( Ghee) meat, fish, seeds |
Its important to note that all different food items may contain all constituents of food e.g milk contains Proteins, carbohydrates and fat, but in different proportions.Some food items predominantly have carbohydrates, others protein or fats.
| Vegetables Fruits | Potato, Beetroot, banana, apples, sweetpotatoes, mangoes, beans, Sugar, jaggery, honey |
| Cereals and pulses |
wheat, rice, red gram, bengal gram, black gram, chick peas, soya, beans |
| Meat |
Poultry products, meat, fish, eggs |
| Milk |
Milk, cheese, yoghurt |
With food we get Carbohydrates, a constituent of our regular food which primarily causes blood sugar to rise.
Diet for a Diabetic thus changes from being a mere instrument of achieving satisfaction into a medical or therapeutic advantage, which can be used by the patient to control his/her blood sugar levels.
Different sources of food contain different amount of carbohydrates. It is not only important to know how much carbohydrate is contained in which food but also how that carbohydrate is absorbed in blood. Glycemic index indicates the rate at which carbohydrate present in a particular food item is absorbed from the into the blood and causes rise of blood sugar. Glycemic index is also influenced by the processing of food, highly processed foods have higher glycemic index, the lesser processing of the same products may decrease its glycemic index, e.g partially or half cooked pasta would have a lower glycemic index than overcooked pasta.
Foods rich in oil and fat content have lower glycemic index but due to their high calory content they still may not be preferable for diabetics. For example fried potatoes have lower glycemic index than boiled or mashed potatoes, but boiled potatoes would be preferable option for a Diabetic as it would contain less amount of calories by weight.
More detailed information would be given by your doctor / nutritionist regarding local foods and their glycemic indexes.
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Low Glycemic index foods preferable for Diabetics |
High Glycemic index foods to be avoided by Diabetics |
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Whole grains,wheat dalia, couscous, sprouted pulses |
Processed ready to eat cereals |
|
Legumes, beans |
White Breads |
|
Long grains rice (Basmati rice) |
Sugar |
|
Green vegetables, fresh fruits |
Bakery products |
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Wheat flour with bran ( Atta) or a mixture of different flours like wheat, gram and soya bean |
Semolina, Fine wheat flour products (Dishes made from maida & Sooji like Halwa, Naan, Upma etc ) |
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Nuts and seeds |
Starches, starch based foods, custards |
Food Item |
Glycemic index |
Food Item |
Glycemic index |
Cereal Products |
|
Fruits |
|
|
Bread |
70 |
Apple |
39 |
|
Millets |
71 |
Banana |
69 |
|
Rice (white) |
72 |
Orange |
40 |
|
Wheat (Paratha) |
70 |
||
Breakfast Snacks |
Vegetables |
||
|
Pongal |
55 |
Brown Beans |
79 |
|
Pesarattu |
60 |
Frozen Beans |
51 |
|
Upma |
75 |
Potato |
70 |
|
Idli |
80 |
Sweet Potato |
48 |
|
Chole |
65 |
Yam |
51 |
|
Sprouted moong |
60 |
Beetroot |
64 |
|
Sundal |
80 |
||
Dairy Products |
Dried Legumes |
||
|
Milk |
33 |
Soya Beans |
43 |
|
Ice Creams |
36 |
Rajmah |
29 |
|
Curds |
36 |
Bengal Gram |
47 |
|
Green Gram |
48 | ||
|
Black Gram |
48 | ||
Miscellaneous |
Sugars |
||
|
Groundnuts |
13 |
Fructose |
20 |
|
Potato chips |
51 |
Glucose |
100 |
|
Tomato soup |
38 |
Maltose |
105 |
|
Sucrose |
59 | ||
|
Honey |
87 |
Fibres are also carbohydrates, but they are not absorbed into the blood.
Fibres are very important part of our diet, they can be divided into Soluble and Insoluble Fibres
Take sufficient fibre in your daily diet
|
Soluble Fibres: Are not absorbed into the blood but they absorb water and swell into gel, this mass feeds the bacterias in the small intestine which break down the food in such a way that it helps lower blood cholesterol. |
|
Insoluble Fibres: Are also not absorbed into the blood, they irritate the intestines and thus help in forward movement of stool, they do not affect blood glucose but help stool passage and prevent constipation |
Fats are highly concentrated sources of energy.
1 gram of fat provides 9 kcal of energy as against 4 kcal provided by carbohydrates and proteins. Fats are also essential nutrients in our body, they play several vital roles
Fats can be Visible & Invisible
Visible Fats Invisible Fats
These are fats which are obvious and readily identifiable by there texture & taste e.g Oil, butter, Cream, Desi ghee, clarified butter, margarine.
These fats are contained in other foods like meat, eggs, poultry products, fish, milk and its products, nuts, vegetables, fruits, cereals and pulses. Invisible fats contribute significantly to the total fat and calory content of any diet.
Practical advise: Not only limit the intake of visible fats like oil, ghee, butter etc. but also be careful of the invisible fats that are contained in other not so obvious food items (e.g.)Milk, nuts, meat, eggs
There are different types of fats
Trans-Fats: These are artificially created forms of fats from vegetable oils, by passing hydrogen through them. Quite harmful for public health since they increase blood cholesterol and LDL (Harmful cholesterol)- increase the risk of heart attack , stroke and other complications. Since foods cooked in Hydrogenated fats have a longer shelf life and it better preserves the taste,these are very popular in the food industry.
Main source: vegetable shortening used in bakery, Dalda or other types of Vanaspathi ghee, Confectionary and bakery items, Restaurant and Halwai food
|
Polyunsaturated- May increase blood cholesterol if consumed liberally, There are two major subtypes of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (Omega-3) ω-3 and ω-6. ω-3 are beneficial for heart and blood vessels, they prevent are highly recommended for Diabetes and Heart patients |
Sources of ω-3 PUFA: Wheat, Bajra ( millet); Black gram, cowpea, Rajmah, Soya; Green leafy vegetables, Fenugreek & Mustard , Walnut, Flaxseeds; Mustard, soyabean & Canola oil
Fish is a very good source of ω-3 PUFA, specially oily fish like tuna, mackerel & salmon, single serving of fish 2-3 times a week is good for heart. |
|
Sources of ω-6 PUFA: Corn oil, Cotton seed oil, Sunflower oil, Safflower oil | |
|
Monounsaturated- These are the most beneficial of all fats- they decrease the chances of heart attacks, stroke and other complications associated with high cholesterol and LDL Sources: Olive oil, peanut oil, Canola oil, Rapeseed oil, Sesame oil | |
Saturated fats- Harmful for cardiovascular health, excess of these can cause rise in cholesterol thus increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke etc.
Examples: Full cream Milk, butter, Ghee ( Clarified butter), Cheese, Cream, Lard, Red meat, Margarine.
Blood Cholesterol � Lipids together with proteins travel in the blood stream, rise in total blood cholesterol causes atherosclerosis and increases the chances of Angina, Heart attack, stroke, renal failure etc. LDL ( Low density Lipoprotein is a part of cholesterol considered to be very harmful whereas HDL ( High density Lipoprotein) is considered to be protective for heart and blood vessels, it prevents clogging of arteries by atherosclerotic plaques.
Total fat intake affects the level of blood cholesterol
Main sources are: Animal fat products, full cream milk, cream, cheese, egg yolk
Proteins form the building blocks of the body, they are themselves made up or amino acids. Proteins are present in all the cells of the body like muscles, nerves, skin, hair, mouth, intestines , blood etc., they form the essential molecules like DNA RNA, Cell structures, Proteins help in the control Body secretions, Enzymes, Hormones. They help in repair of the body tissues due to daily wear and tear, Proteins form antibodies thus protecting and cleansing our body.
Proteins also provide energy. Each gram of protein provides about 4kcal of energy (same as carbohydrates).
There are some amino acids which cannot be made in the body, they have to be derived through external sources through food only, these are called essential amino acids.
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Sources of proteins |
Non Vegetarian or Animal sources: Meat, fish,egg and poultry products, milk and milk products- Paneer, Khoa, |
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Vegetarian sources: | |
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Cereals- Wheat, Jowar, Millet, Maize, Rice | |
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Pulses- Soya bean, Black Gram (Urad), Bengal Gram ( Chana), Green Gram (Moong), Red Gram (Arhar), Lentils (Masoor), Rajmah (Kidney Beans) | |
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Nuts & Seeds: Almon, Cashew, Mustard seeds, Groundnuts, Watermelon seeds | |
|
Vegetables: (contain proteins in Small quantities)-Amaranth (Chaulai), Chana leaves, brussel sprouts, drumstick leaves, mustard leaves, double beans, broad beans, cowpea pods, Water chestnut ( Sighadha) | |
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Spices: Fenugreek seeds ( methi), Cardamom, Coriander, Cumin seeds (jeera), Black pepper, poppy seeds, turmeric | |
|
Fruits: in small quantities- Dates, Black currants, Woodaple (Jamun) |
