Winter diabetes diet plan: Know what diabetics must eat for their meals to control blood sugar during cold  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images
Key Highlights
- Dietary restrictions play a major role in management of diabetes
- During the winter season as well, diabetics must consume a seasonal, healthy diet to keep blood sugar levels under control
- Here is a winter seasonal diabetic diet plan that diabetics can follow
New Delhi: Diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to produce the hormone insulin, responsible for the synthesis of sugar, or is unable to use the produced hormone for its purpose. This leads to a high level of sugar levels in the blood. While it may not sound like a big deal, diabetes is a serious condition that can cause considerable damage to internal organs such as the heart and kidneys, if not controlled and managed well. Diabetics have also been put in the high-risk category for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Frequent urination is a common symptom of diabetes and is also a characteristic of high blood sugar levels. During the winter season, we tend to drink less water, but still urinate more frequently, since water is not lost through sweating. During the winter season, diabetics are recommended to keep a strict watch on their blood sugar levels. Here is a diabetes diet plan for all meals that lists winter foods that diabetics should eat, in order to keep their blood sugar levels stable and normal.
Winter diabetes diet plan: What should diabetics eat for breakfast?
A high-fibre, protein-rich breakfast is recommended for people with diabetes during the winter season. Here are some winter seasonal foods diabetics can add to their breakfast meal.
- Sweet potato salad
- Boiled eggs
- Unsweetened coffee/tea
- Fresh seasonal fruits such as orange, grapes, etc.
Winter diabetes diet plan: Here is what the lunch should look like
Including high amounts of fibre in all your meals is important for diabetics. Here are some winter special foods diabetics can add to their lunch plate.
- Green vegetables such as spinach, mustard leaves, etc
- Multi-grain chapatis
- Raw vegetable salad that includes carrots, radish, etc
Evening/ mid-day winter snacks for diabetics
Diabetics should consume small, frequent meals throughout the day, which makes snacking a very important part of their diet. Here are some winter seasonal foods they can consume as mid-day, or evening snacks.
- Roasted foxnuts
- Low-calorie fresh fruits such as apples
- Raw veggies such as carrots.
Winter dinner ideas for diabetics
For dinner, diabetics must have low-calorie, high fibre food.Â
Including foods such as green vegetables, vegetables and chicken soup, a huge bowl of salad, etc are great dinner ideas for diabetics. They can add seasonal foods to these dishes to make them more wholesome.Â
Tip: Diabetics must keep a sugary, or carb-rich midnight snack handy, as medication and diabetes management diet can often cause blood sugar levels to fall too low and cause hypoglycemia. A bar of dark chocolate or roasted nuts can help keep your blood sugar levels to rise in case of an emergency.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
