“If there’s a diabetic in the family, it’s time for the entire family to pay at- tention to their own diet as there’s a 30 to 50% risk of children suffering from it later on in life,” says Dr Jayaprakash P, consultant endocrinologist, Medical Trust Hospital, Cochin.
So, instead of cooking healthier food for the diabetic member (while the others gorge on junk), it makes perfect sense to save time and effort and modify the family’s overall eating habits. Jayaprakash shares a few ideas:
1. Stock up on fruits:
Prefer locally grown and organic. Leave the over-ripe fruits as in the process of ripening, the fruit loses fibre and the natural sugars in it get con- verted to simple sugars, which raise the
blood sugar level. Also, go easy on fruits that are too sweet, such as grapes, chikoo, banana, mango, and so on. Apples, pears, plums are good options.
2. Go easy on oil:
As a rule, avoid frying and use the least amount of oil possible.
3. Switch to wholegrains:
Compared to polished and refined grains, wholegrains are digested more slowly and raise the blood sugar level gradually (this is meas- ured in terms of its Glycaemic Index or GI; low GI foods are healthier).
4. Cut down on packaged foods and snacks:
Not keeping store-bought snacks is the best way to stop temptation. Or choose ones with healthier ingredients. Better still, snack on fruits or nuts.
