Diet plays an important role in the treatment of diabetes. The diet may be used alone or in combination with drugs such as insulin injections or oral hypoglycaemic drugs. The diet plan of an individual is based on height, weight, age, sex, physical activity and nature of the disease conditions.

Eat small, frequent meals to maintain even glycaemic status. Divide your whole day into 5 to 6 small meals, rather than having 2 to 3 major meals.

Do not miss meals. A bed-time snack is very important to avoid hypoglycaemia in sleep.

Feasts and fasts should be avoided

Eat whole grain cereals such as those present in wheat, jowar, bajra, ragi.

Avoid simple sugars like sucrose, glucose and fructose present in table sugar, honey, fruit candy, sweets, fruit juices, etc.

Use a variety of pulses like chana, rajma, soyabean, lobia urad, split pulses and lentils dals.

Flours of soyabean, gram, barley and bajra can beincorporated into the atta and chappatis made out of it, thus increasing the protein and fibre content of the chapatti. This improves the glycaemic response of the meal.

Green leafy vegetables and all types of raw vegetables such as cucumber, carrot, cauliflower,cabbage, lettuce, onion and tomato can be eaten in plenty to provide a feeling of satiety (fullness).

Choose cooking methods which require minimum amounts of fat. So eat stir fried, boiled, steamed and grilled food instead of fried food. Using non-stick pans and oil sprays reduces the fat consumption.

Fibre rich foods such as whole grains, pulses and vegetables and fresh and dry fruits should be preferred to refined ones like maida, polished rice and fruit juices.