Diwali is just around the corner and almost everyone in the country has started their preparations for its celebration. This festival of light is an excuse for many to indulge in binge eating especially sweets that rich in calorie.
Diwali is a time when variety of sweets, fried savories is served as a part of the rituals and it becomes harder for any individual especially a diabetic to take utmost care of his diet and blood glucose levels.
So let us know about the nutritional information of the commonly eaten Indian sweets, which will be of help to manage the diabetes.
Nutritive value per serving (1 piece)
Ways to keep your blood glucose under control
1. The first and foremost thing is to monitor your blood glucose levels before going for sweets if the levels are between 100-150 mg/dl choose either 1 piece Kaju katli /Barfi / Rasgulla/Jalebi or ½ piece of Gulab jamun (or 1 small Gulab jamun)/ Milk cake Mithai/ Mysore pak.
2. If your levels begin to go too high, keep a count of your calorie it’s important to cut down on carbohydrate rich foods like Rice/ Idly/ Pongal etc.
3. If you’re on insulin your blood glucose levels can go low as well as high and its important to be aware of the symptoms of high and low blood glucose levels. If you feel your levels are either too high or too low, do a blood glucose test and take appropriate action.
4. If your blood glucose levels are above 200 mg/dl you can choose sweets prepared with artificial sweeteners (Dezire).
Nutritive value per serving (1 piece)
5. When buying sweets choose from options that are made with natural sweeteners like dates or fig.
6. You can enjoy the traditional food varieties that are prepared during Diwali by making changes to the recipes. You can substitute the style of cooking to make dishes healthier.
Nutritive value per serving (1 cup -100 ml)
7. Choose your food options wisely and avoid fluctuations in your sugar levels. Control your portion size and choose grilled, baked or barbequed snacks instead of fried ones.
8. Diwali is a festival of giving, do not accumulate boxes of sweets or chocolates you may be tempted to binge on it. Eating sweets and fried savories can directly affect your blood glucose levels. Eating a small portion of these sweets will keep you healthy.
9. If you want to send gifts to your family and friends, try gifting fruits or juice hampers instead of the traditional sweets and savories. Spread the word of good health even during festivals.
10. Do not let festival be a reason to skip exercise. Follow your regular exercise regime to stay healthy. Look for ways to keep yourself active through the day. During festivals most individuals tend to eat calorie laden food, in such a scenario skipping exercise could strongly affect your sugar levels.
Sensible eating and exercising is not only important for diabetics but for every individual to enjoy the festival in a healthy way.
Wish you all a happy and healthy Diabetes friendly Diwali!!!!
Posted by Dr.Vimala
M.V.Hospital for Diabetes
Chennai.
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