Diabetic Diet – 15 Foods to Help Control Diabetes

“Diabetes is not the end of  the life, I treat it as just like I am putting spectacles on my eyes” It’s there, I know it and I can control, manage and yet live the life to the fullest – Says Neeru Srikanth, Who has Type 2 Diabetes.

Please don’t give sympathy to her after reading this article because she doesn’t need it. In fact, she is the true inspiration as she is diabetic from a very early age due to genetics but she is not depressed about it.

She decided to fight against it by following a diabetic diet, along with Yoga, stress-free lifestyle (Yes, She left her hefty paying corporate job – but that’s where she found her passion for blogging about diabetic friendly food), and now she doesn’t need insulin and with just 1 medicine a day she is ready to run around her 1 little monster whole day.

All the traditional and lost ingredients of our grandma kitchen have the power to fight diabetes without worrying and gulping medicines.

“If someone in your family or friend circle has Diabetes, don’t sympathize. Support them by including these recipes in their diabetic diet.”

Best food for diabetes control

Moringa Tea

Latest superfood in everyone’s dictionary but Moringa or drumstick leaves have been used in India for various recipes and medicinal uses since ages. Sundry or microwave moringa leaves and store them in a dry container to make a hot cup of tea to  kick-off your day.

Diabetic Snacks

Who says that you have to be on a bland diet and you should say no to all the savories which are prepared during festive seasons. Try this WeetBix mixture and enjoy your tea.

Sweet Potato Curry

Not always anything which has a name as sweet is harmful to Diabetic person. Sweet potato is high in fiber content and when the same is added with fresh neem leaves, the overriding flavor gives a different taste and needless to say is a must have in the diabetic diet plan.

TurkeyBerry Yogurt

Turkey berry or Pea Eggplant in English, Sundakkai in Tamil or call it with its botanical name Solanum Torvum. This berry has proved to help in diabetes. Check out the report here.

Mix Turkey Berries to make tasty and healthy Raita or Yogurt mixture and enjoy it with Rice (Include Red Rice, Black Rice or Bamboo Rice or rice which is high in Fibre and Low glycemic index ) or Rotis (wheat Phulka) in moderation.

Plantain Stem Buttermilk

Keep yourself dehydrated in summer while you drink this highly fibrous drink which is very good for diabetes and also for Kidney stones and Urinary tract infections.

Wheat Grass Rasam

Wheatgrass has chlorophyll which neutralizes toxins, controls blood sugar related problems and helps to purify the liver but taking wheat grass juice directly is difficult to taste So add wheat grass into your rasam.

Turmeric Ginger Pickle

Yes you can have pickle too. If you have diabetes. This pickle is made from fresh turmeric whose medicinal properties are known across the world and it’s an age old pickle made in India after Pongal festival as this is the time when fresh turmeric in the market.

Kaffir leaves Pickle

Kaffir leaves are used in abundance in Thai cuisine, Indian version of it is lime leaves. They would taste bitter but when made as pickle and added with curd while serving they taste yum and needless to say are comes under diabetic meal plan.

Betal leaves Soup

Here is a diabetic friendly soup which you can make during winters and rainy season as it is made from Betal and Holy Basil leaves(Tulsi). It is also good during cold, cough and for new mothers as it generates lots of heat and keeps one warm.

Black Rice Soup

This soup or congee is a combination of black rice, barley, flax seeds roasted and powdered coarsely and cooked along with tossed garlic & spinach.

Black rice Spaghetti

If you are diabetic that doesn’t mean that you will have to eat bland food and compromise on taste. All that is required is to switch to healthier options. Black rice is good, add a few ladies finger and enjoy this unique dish to combat Sugar levels.

Broccoli Stir Fry

Crunchy & light yet extremely healthy, it is easy to make and can be enjoyed by any age group. Take firm Tofu pieces when you are making this stir fry.

Dessert for Diabetes

Yes, that’s a surprise, a diabetic person should not be banned from eating dessert because not all desserts have sugar or jaggery. This Indian Traditional dessert is made from dry fruits & nuts dipped in black rice batter is perfect for any occasion. And is diabetic friendly too.

Vegetable Oats Mix

All the above recipes can be made fresh at home but what happens when you want to travel with someone who has diabetes. You would not stop traveling and seeing the world just because someone is diabetic. Here is a healthy option to carry while you travel.

Neem Flower Powder

This is a medicinal food which when consumed after the festive season is a boon as it helps you to clean your system. Bitter in taste but when eaten with rice, it would taste yum because not all bitter things taste bad.

“These Diabetic Recipes, when included in the meal plan will not only bring a smile on the face of the person who is suffering from this disorder but also would provide a healthy diet which would help them to combat and keep it under the bay but all these food mentioned above are healthy and should be included in normal person’s diet too.” – Says Neeru who runs her blog named NeesKitchen.

If you want to touch base with her follow her on Plattershare, FaceBook or her blog NeesKitchen to find more Diabetic friendly recipes.

Change in lifestyle and food habits can combat Diabetes. 

A big Thank You to Neeru Srikanth for sharing all the recipes, pictures and helping us feature this story.

Also Read:

• How Many Calories Does A Tablespoon Of Brown Sugar Have? [INFOGRAPHIC]
• Do I Really Need To Quit Sugar?
• Is Peanut Butter Good For You? Nutritional Content Of Peanut Butter