Diabetes friendly Recipes

Indian cuisine if ideally cooked in pure indian ways can be a boon for any Diabetic. Homely indian cooking is usually vegetarian at the same time does not exclude milk and cotage cheese, thus providing essential vitamins and proteins. Indian diet provides lots of fibres - with vegetables and in traditional indian bread - Chapati or roti- it is usually made with wheat flour containing bran and fibre. It uses little oil, - desi ghee (clarified butter) toppings can be done away with easily, many of the spices used in indian dishes have shown sugar lowering properties like fenugreek. Lentils, peas, kidney beans- raise HDL lower cholesterol .

Delicious indian recipes, but not all peppery, you can always find one which suits you!..

Please do share with us your favourite recipes as well. 

Sauces, dressings and marinates can 'make' or 'break' any good dish, but if not used judisciously by Diabetics they can also worsen blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Important to decrease amount of cream in sauces or find a low fat substitute

Decrease oil , prefer olive or canola over other vegetable oils

Here we share some basic recipes which can be used for preparation of main dishes as well as snacks, like bread spreads, sauces etc. As always, we'd be very glad to have your recipes and suggestions here as well, please do write to us.

Natasha 

Continental food has lot of healthy choices. Half cooked veggies and salads can bring down Blood glucose while lowering cholesterol as well. Olive oil in salad dressings can work wonders to raise HDL cholesterol together with beans and broccoli. The trick is to avoid a lot of potatoes either mashed, fried( absolute no no!) or baked (eat only if baked without butter or ham), Still if you have to, try them with the skin. Sauces with lot of cream or oil need to be cut down or modified, see Basic recipes, In meat and poultry choose the leaner meat with less fat and moderate the quantity.

Continental recipes, Well the choice is yours!!!

Please share with us your favourites and let us all enjoy them as well.

Sweet tooth or not, sweets are an important part of our lives and cannot be discounted just like that. But sweets contain sugar and give rise to peaks of blood sugar, which is the root cause of all our troubles, not only that they also increase blood Triglycerides. We obviously do'nt eat sugar as such- it goes in the pastry together with lots of other ingredients like Refined flour (high glycemic index), Cream ( saturated fats- raise cholesterol and LDL), Vegetable shortening (Transfats- most harmful and atherogenic). Most of the sweets ( god only knows why!!!) are fried or made with lots of oil or fat. What's important for all diabetics is to change the attitude ( close to nature- away from sweet and salt as both are harmful in excess). But in the meantime try to do with some sugar friendly dishes but in moderate portions, number of Artificial zero or low calory sweeteners are now available which may even be used for baking and cooking, even though they come with their own downside.

High in taste but low calories- desserts to pamper yourself. 

Please share with us your favourites. 

Allover the world- across all cuisines breads are the 'tummy fillers ' besides they provide important Carbohydrates , Proteins in significant quantities. Choosing the right kind of bread may go a long way in controlling rise in blood glucose after meals.

Preferably choose breads made of unrefined and less starchy flours, wheat, or corn

Prefer breads with whole grains and added fibre

Here are some different types of Breads from all over the world, to go with any and all the dishes!!

Please share your favourites recipes with us.

Natasha