Calcium Rich foods and their Role

Most cheeses are excellent sources of calcium. Parmesan cheese has the highest content of calcium among all cheese. As an added bonus, your body absorbs the calcium in dairy products more easily than that from plant sources.

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium. Many types of yogurt are also rich in live probiotic bacteria, which have various health benefits. One cup (245 grams) of plain yogurt contains 30% of the daily-recommended dose for calcium, as well as phosphorus, potassium and vitamins B2 and B12.

Seeds are tiny nutritional powerhouses. Some are exceptionally high in calcium, including poppy, sesame, celery and chia seeds. For instance, 1 tablespoon (9 grams) of poppy seeds has 126 mg of calcium. Seeds also deliver protein and healthy fats. For example, chia seeds are rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.

Milk and milk products are good sources of calcium. Daily consumption of milk helps in keeping our bones and teeth strong. Low – fat milk is a good option as it not only prevents the overloading of extra calories but also supplements your body with required calcium.

Tofu is an excellent source of calcium. You can simply add it to the vegetables or can stir-fry and eat. One block of tofu contains 1624 mg of calcium. Figs are also rich in calcium.

Diabetes food myths and facts

Myth: People with diabetes should never have sweets! 

Truth: Good news folks! People with diabetes can have sweets occasionally. American Diabetes Association advocates that desserts and sweets are  to be relished and consumed on special occasions and festivals albeit, your blood glucose level are under control and you are taking prescribed medicines regularly.

Myth: People with diabetes cannot have juices.

Truth: People with diabetes can very much enjoy fresh juices, but they definitely need to avoid canned and packed juices because of its added sugar content and high glycaemic values.

Myth: People with diabetes cannot have fruits.

Truth: People with diabetes should offcourse have fruits keeping in mind the glycaemic indexes.  According to National Institute of health, USA fruits are a very good source of fibres and vitamin C “ascorbic acid”. All citrus fruits are rich source of vitamin C which boosts our immune system to fight against common diseases.

Myth: A big NO-NO to potatoes

Truth: People with diabetes may have potatoes (baked, grilled or steamed) in meals. Potatoes are to be ideally consumed, along with non-starchy vegetables and salads.

Myth: Diabetes diet is a very strict diet

Truth: A Diabetes diet is one of the healthiest diets, and has no hard and fast rule. Diabetes diet can be even followed by people without diabetes. You may select from a variety of options like the Mediterranean, flexitarian, vegan, Ornish to know more refer to Diet options in Famhealth.

Myth: Say no to all carbohydrates and yes to proteins

Truth: Yes carbohydrates do turn into sugars, but having overload of proteins and no carbs may lead to fatigue and cardiovascular diseases. Having more of proteins eventually leads to accumulation of fats in the body leading to cardiovascular diseases. ADA suggests, making a smart choice of having low carbohydrates will keep you energetic and prevent you from feeling low and tired.

Myth: Diabetes diet does not contain eggs, as they contribute to high cholesterol levels in the body

Truth: People with diabetes may have eggs, as eggs are a good source of protein and vitamin D. ADA says, “What really matters is the way it is cooked”. Boiled eggs with yolks removed can be consumed, to ensure that it does not aid to cardiovascular complications.

Myth: You can eat whatever you want if you are taking medications

Truth: This is one of the major myths associated with diabetes. Medications only help you to convert sugar to energy, but if you supplement your body with more than required amount of food then, it will lead to spiking of blood glucose levels and poor diabetes management.

To read more on Diabetes, click on the link below.

Diabetes Types & symptoms

Diabetes Diet Options curated by Famhealth

Diabetes Diet Options

diabetes diet

Hello everyone! Here’s introducing everybody, to absolutely amazing diet options you may wish to choose.  We all require a break from the monotony of the diet plans we are currently following, so read on to pick your option this month. Remember before you switch to any plan or diet options, it’s always wise to check with your doctor/dietician and be doubly sure if this plan will work effectively for you.

DASH Diet

Did you know along with diabetes you can keep your blood pressure under control?

Try the DASH diet, best known for keeping high blood pressure in check; Dash diet has been one of the favourites of people with diabetes, research reveals majority of people have come on top of their condition following a blend of Dash Diet, workouts and lifestyle changes.

Diet Composition:

“It’s a plant-focused diet that’s rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, as well as low-fat dairy, lean meat, fish, poultry, whole grains, and heart-healthy fats,” says Sonya Angelone, RD, a consulting nutritionist and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “It’s easy to follow, healthy for the whole family, and great for weight loss.”

The Mediterranean Diet

Cholesterol problem? Now no problem, follow the Mediterranean diet.

One of the favourite healthy diets followed globally by people with Diabetes and without diabetes. Mediterranean diet comprises of cooking meals with the goodness of “olive oil” to keep cholesterol at bay.

Lots of fresh, seasonal food, plenty of produce, heart-healthy olive oil, and a little wine make the Mediterranean Diet an enjoyable choice for people with diabetes, says Constance Brown-Riggs, RD, a certified diabetes educator and author of The African American Guide to Living Well With Diabetes.

This style of eating can help with blood sugar control, as well as heart disease risk, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Studies show that people are more likely to stick to this plan, “so it may help you avoid yo-yo dieting,” Smithson says.

Vegan Diet

Tried eating meals minus dairy products and meat?

The theory behind vegan diet is simple and healthy. You can cook a healthy meal without adding dairy products such as milk, cream, butter, yogurt, cottage cheese. Vegan diet also does not comprise of any kind of animal products a no-no for any meat. Research suggests, vegan diet aids in weight loss, reduces the risk of heart diseases, diabetes and cancer.

The Flexitarian Diet

Do you want to try some flexible option? Here you go

Flexitarian as the word suggests, is a concoction of two words: “flexible and vegetarian”. Wait! there’s more to eat …….Along with eating veggies one can easily flip to eating lean meat and eggs as and when required by the salivary juices in our stomach.

The term was coined more than a decade ago, “The Flexitarian Diet: Research is on our side as this diet mostly aids in losing weight, keeping healthy, building immunity  and Adding years to our lives.

Dietician Dawn Jackson Blatner says you don’t have to eliminate meat completely to reap the health benefits associated with vegetarianism – you can be a vegetarian most of the time, but still chow down on a burger or steak when the urge hits.

Vegetarian Diet

People with diabetes “Old is Gold”……..but its Famhealth we will make this extra interesting

This diet as the name suggests, comprises of vegetables, dairy products, legumes, pulses but no meat. This Diet helps in checking in blood glucose levels, obesity and keeps cardiovascular diseases at bay.

We shall share some interesting, amazing mouth-watering vegetarian recipes with you on Famhealth recipe corner. We bet you cannot resist Do check out!

Mayo Clinic Diet

“Watch your calories” and eat smartly!

This diet has been specially designed for diabetes and people with a risk of cardiovascular diseases and obesity.

We recalibrate our eating habits, breaking bad ones and replacing them with good ones with the help of the Mayo Clinic’s unique food pyramid.

The pyramid emphasizes fruits, veggies and whole grains. In general, these foods have low energy density, meaning you can eat more but take in fewer calories. Think of it this way: For about the same amount of calories you could have a quarter of a Snicker’s bar or about 2 cups of broccoli.

American Diabetes Association Carbohydrate Counting

This is not a Diet! Its traditional sense!

The famous American Diabetes Association advocates, that nothing can go wrong if you count carbohydrates you are consuming. The main purpose isn’t weight loss but consuming only the amount of low carbs which is required by the body to convert into energy form.

Carb counting is a great way to manage your blood glucose levels. Many high-carb foods also tend to be high in calories, so cutting back on them often leads to shedding pounds resulting in weight loss.

If you choose this approach, remember to ask your doctor or a diabetes educator how many carbs to eat at each meal (for example 45-60 grams per meal is an average, but your number could be different because body types and conditions are always not the same for everyone.) A lot depends on the physical activities and body requirement of the person.  “An exclusive individualized meal plan must be designed based on your nutritional requirements, caloric needs, medications, and exercise routine.

The Fertility Diet

As the name suggests, fertility diet enhances the strength of reproductive organs in the human body and increases the chances of becoming parents of offspring to manifolds.

Research is on our side, a health study conducted in USA from the Nurses which began in1976 and grew to include 238,000 female nurse participants aged 30 to 55 has shown that tweaking aspects of your diet, from fats to beverages, can increase ovulation and improve your chances of getting pregnant.

In “The Fertility Diet: Ground breaking Research Reveals Natural Ways to Boost Ovulation and Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant,” Drs. Jorge Chavarro and Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health created a diet plan based on the study, which showed that women who consumed “good” fats, whole grains and plant protein improved their egg supply, while those who ate “bad” fats, refined carbohydrates and red meat may make fewer eggs, thereby increasing the risk for ovulatory infertility.

Fertility diet also hints that full-fat dairy products are good for fertility compared with skim milk and sugary sodas.

Ornish Diet

Want to reverse your condition? Good news follow Ornish Diet.

Research is on our side, studies have revealed that people who followed the Ornish Diet (which is essentially a vegetarian diet) for a year lost an average of 5-7 kgs, and many of them specially Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes were able to lower their dosage of diabetes medication or switch from insulin to an oral drug.

The catch, however, is that this diet may be a little too restrictive for some people, which means it could be difficult to maintain if you’re not used to eating only plant-based foods.

“Most people aren’t able to make a 180-degree turn,” Brown-Riggs says. A more flexible version, called The Ornish Spectrum, might be easier to follow.

MIND Diet

Sharpen your brains!

The MIND diet takes two proven diets – DASH and Mediterranean – and zeroes in on the foods in each that specifically affect brain health.

The emphasis is on eating from 10 brain-healthy food groups: green leafy vegetables in particular, all other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine. Meanwhile, MIND adherents avoid foods from the five unhealthy groups: red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheeses, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food.

Keto Diet

As per NCBI Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Keto diet emphasizes weight loss through fat-burning. The goal is to quickly lose weight and ultimately feel fuller with fewer cravings, while boosting your mood, mental focus and energy. According to Keto proponents, by slashing the carbs you consume and instead filling up on fats, you safely enter a state of ketosis. That’s when the body breaks down both dietary and stored body fat into substances called ketones. Your fat-burning system now relies mainly on fat – instead of sugar – for energy. 

While similar in some ways to familiar low-carb diets, the Keto diet’s extreme carb restrictions – about 20 net carbs a day or less, depending on the version – and the deliberate shift into ketosis are what set this increasingly popular diet apart.

The Keto diet has its roots in the decades-old therapeutic ketogenic diet. Clinically, the ketogenic diet is used in neurologic medicine, most notably to reduce hard-to-control seizures in children. Studies also suggest possible benefits in other brain conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

To read more on Diabetes, click on the link below.

Diabetes Types & symptoms

Diabetes Recipe – Mediterranean Veggie Wrap

Diabetes Recipe - Mediterranean Veggie Wrap
Preparation :10 Minutes
Cooking :10 Minutes
Serves :4

Ingredients

  • 4 cups mixed green leaves (cabbage/lettuce/spinach)
  • ½ large cucumber
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • ½ thinly sliced red onion
  • ½ cup crumbled cheese
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 light tomato-flavour oval multigrain wraps
  • 2/3 cup hummus

Directions

  • In a large bowl combine all the greens, cucumber, tomato, and red onion and cheese. In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, olive oil, garlic and black pepper. Pour dressing mixture over greens mixture. Toss to combine
  • Spread each wrap about 2 & ½ tablespoon of Hummus. Top each with 1/4th of dressed greens mixture roll up and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Make 4 servings (Amount per serving)
Calories (Kcal)269
Protein (g)16
Carbohydrates (g)35
Total Sugars (g)3
Cholesterol(mg)3
Total fat (g)12
Sodium (mg)574

Note

Remember to manage your portion sizes. Recommended portion size should not exceed 2 servings/helpings. Consuming diabetes friendly recipes in inappropriate portion sizes may lead to spiking of your blood glucose levels.

For more related recipes, click the link below.

Diabetes