General Instructions

1. Following a proper diabetic diet is essential in the management of diabetes.
2. Diabetic diet has to be individualized. There is nothing like a ‘Standard Diabetic Diet’. Follow the diet that has been individually prescribed for you and get it checked at regular intervals.
3. The aims of diabetic diet are two fold, achieving ideal body weight and maintaining normal level of glucose and lipids (fat) in your blood.
4. Age, occupation, physical needs, activity and accompanying illness determine the diet best suited to you.

1. Following a diabetic diet does not mean starving yourself.
2. Your diet need not be rigid and monotonous. You can easily have variety and taste in your diet.
3. Your diet should be balanced, quantified, easy to cook and identical to your usual diet. For this, you need to know food exchanges.
4. Divide your daily diet into 4–6 parts according to the caloric and carbohydrate content. Be very regular in your meal timings. This is especially important for those diabetics on oral tablets and insulin injections.
5. Diet in children, pregnant and lactating women as well as during acute or chronic illnesses, travel, parties, ‘Fasts’ should be fixed in consultation with us.
6. Use standard household measures instead of weighing foodstuffs each time.
7. As far as possible, use non–stick utensils. Use oil/ghee to the minimum. Baking (e.g. rice), roasting (e.g. papad), boiling, grilling and shallow frying should be employed wherever possible instead of deep frying. These measures can significantly lower the fat content of your diet.
8. List of permissible and prohibited foodstuffs with regard to their carbohydrate content:
   • Prohibited
     Sugar, jaggery (gur), honey, jams, marmalades, chocolates, sweetmeats, etc.
   • Permissible in limited quantities
     Rice, bhakri, chapatti, bread, biscuits, poha, cornflakes, rava, maida, vari, sago, rajgira, pulses, legumes, fruits (majority), onions, potato, carrot, peas, sweet potato, dry fruits, cold drinks (majority) etc.
   • Permissible in unlimited quantities
     Green leafy vegetables, red pumpkin, dudhi, ladyfinger, tomato, brinjal, cabbage, cauliflower, ghosala, khol–khol, bitter gourd, celery, cucumber, drumstick, giant chillies, parwar, tinda, snake gourd, watermelon, ‘Safed jam’, buttermilk (without butter), soups, soda water, ‘Nimbu–pani’, flavors (e.g. vanilla), spices etc.
9. To make your diet palatable, following may be used in unlimited quantities:
   • Spices
     Pepper, cloves, cardamom etc. However, til, khuskhus, dry coconut to be limited.
     coriander, chillies, celery, ginger, garlic etc.
   • Souring agents
     lemon, vinegar, citric acid etc.
   • Flavoring agents
     Saffron, vanilla, essence of almond etc.
     Baking soda (prohibited if coexisting hypertension), baking powder, yeast. Preservatives like potassium metabisulfite, permitted colors.
10. Non–caloric sweetening agents like saccharin or aspartame. (except in pregnancy and lactation), limited amount of fresh fruits, dates, raisins can be used to sweeten food.
11. Food exchanges (all measures level)
    • 4 teaspoons sugar=1 wati cooked rice=11/2 phulka=11/4roti=1/2 medium sized bhakri=2 small slices of bread=2 tablespoons sago=21/2 tablespoon vari=1/2 wati thick poha (1 wati thin poha)=6 teaspoon cornflower/custard powder=4 Marie biscuits=2 idlis=1 wati medium sized potato pieces=3 watis cut onions=1/4 wati pulses or legumes=20 grams carbohydrates approx.
    • 1 medium sized apple=1 medium sized orange=1 medium sized sweet lime=1 ‘Safed velchi’ banana=1/2 green, banana=1/2 mango=2 watis sliced watermelon=12 grapes=1 small chikku=1 piece pineapple=10 gram carbohydrates approx.
    • 1 cup milk/curd=21/2 tablespoons grated cheese=1 medium sized egg (white)=1/2 leg chicken=2 lemon sized mutton pieces (with bone)=2/3 piece 1.5 cm thick pomfret=5 gm proteins approx.
    • 11/4 cup milk/curd (without cream) =21/2 tablespoon grated cheese=1 medium sized egg yellow)=11/4 tablespoon grated tender coconut=11/2 tablespoon groundnut powder=1 teaspoon oil/ghee=5 gm fat approx.