8/15/2021 Eating Well with Diabetes: South Indian and Sri Lankan Diets - Unlock Food

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Articles Diabetes Diabetes and Healthy Eating Eating Well with
A RTDiabetes:
I C L E South Indian and Sri Lankan Diets

Eating Well with Diabetes: South Indian

and Sri Lankan Diets

Many staple foods in the South Indian diet are good for your health. From fresh guava to lentils to
vegetarian cuisine, there are lots of nutrient-rich choices. However, deep fried items, high-fat foods and
refined flour are also common and should be limited.

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If you have diabetes, you can work with your dietitian and healthcare team to develop a plan that is right
for you. It will likely include exercise, a meal plan, blood sugar monitoring and perhaps medication. This
article will focus on the dietary changes that you can make. The information in this article will tell you
which of your favourite traditional foods fit into a healthy diet and which ones to have in moderation to
help manage your diabetes.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body does not
respond to insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas.

When the body is working well, insulin helps carry sugar (glucose) from your blood to your cells where it is
used for energy. If you have diabetes, your body's cells do not receive enough glucose, so it stays in your
blood. High blood glucose (or high blood sugar) can lead to heart, kidney, vision and blood vessel
problems.

Who has a higher risk of diabetes?

Some ethnic groups in Canada have a higher risk of getting diabetes. People of South Asian descent are
more likely to develop type 2 diabetes due to a combination of diet, lifestyle and genetics.

You can read about the risk factors for diabetes here. 

What to eat and when if you have diabetes

If you have diabetes, it is important to eat every 4 to 6 hours to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Try to
have three daily meals at regular times and have healthy snacks when you are hungry. A balanced meal
has foods that include plenty of vegetables and fruits, high protein foods and whole grains. 

You can work with a dietitian to make a personal meal plan. An example of a healthy meal plan may look
like this:

Breakfast:

2 small whole wheat dosas

¼ cup of savoury chutney (try dhal chutney, coriander mint chutney or onion tomato chutney instead
of coconut chutney)

1 cup of sambhar

½ cup of papaya

Tea, coffee or water (without sugar/honey)

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Snack: 

1 small orange

½ cup of milk

 Lunch:

½ cup of mung dal (pacha payiru)

½ cup of rasam

1 cup of cauliflower or broccoli

½ cup of rice (try brown rice)

1 orange

¾ cup of yogurt

 Snack:

2 tsp of peanut butter on 1 whole wheat roti

½ cup of berries

 Dinner:

¾ cup of vegetable pilau

½ cup of masoor dal (paasi paruppu)

1 cup of poriyal with minimal oil (use non-starchy vegetables such as green beans, plantain
stem/flower, cabbage, snake gourd, okra, eggplant or bitter gourd)

1 small whole wheat roti/chappati

Snack:

¾ cup of yogurt

1 apple

Choose healthy fats to help manage diabetes

In addition to eating a variety of foods, it is also important to include healthy fats in your diet.  People with
diabetes are at higher risk for heart disease so choosing better fats is important. Healthy fats are found in:

oils (olive, canola, sunflower)

nuts

seeds

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avocado

oily fish such as salmon, trout and mackerel

Try to limit saturated fats such as ghee, butter, cream, lard, shortening or coconut oil. Use healthier oils
such as vegetable oil, canola oil and grapeseed oil instead. You can also lower saturated fat by choosing
lean meat, skinless poultry and low-fat milk products. Use less fat in your cooking or choose lower fat
cooking methods such as steaming, grilling, stir-frying or roasting.

Limit deep fried foods  that are high in fat or make lower fat versions of the following (brushing with oil
and baking instead):

Pakoras

Samosas

Bhaji

Medu vada

Chips: banana, plantain, potato, jackfruit or tapioca

Murukku

Grill or microwave pappadums instead of frying

Reserve sweets such as ladoo, jalebi, adhirasam and gulab jamoon for special occasions

Choosing carbohydrates to help manage diabetes

Carbohydrate is a word for foods that have starch, sugar and fibre. The type and amount of carbohydrate
you eat and when you eat it is important. Having too much carbohydrate in a meal can cause your blood
sugar to go too high. Your personal meal plan will have the right levels of carbohydrate for you. 

If you have diabetes, choose more high-fibre foods. A type of fibre called soluble fibre may help control
blood sugar levels. Try these high-fibre foods:

Vegetables: snake gourd, plantain, cauliflower, spinach, corn, sweet potato, green beans, broccoli,
mustard greens, carrots

Fruits: plantain, apple, banana, berries, mango, papaya, pineapple, guava, melon, pomegranate

Grains: whole grains such as whole wheat, besan, brown rice, millet or sorghum. Their flours can be
used to make roti, dosa and appam. Brown rice can be used to make puttu and venpongal.

Legumes: Lentils, dried beans and peas

Nuts and seeds: almonds, cashews, pistachios

Limit foods that have a lot of fat and sugar such as:

Jam, sugar, jaggery and honey

Ice cream

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Chocolate

Candy

Baked goods

Payasam

Halwa, ladoo, jilebi, and other sweets

They can make your blood sugar levels go too high. Talk to your dietitian about the type and amount of
sweet foods that can fit into your meal plan.

Bottom line

By making small changes to traditional recipes, you can still enjoy your favourite foods. To help manage
your blood sugar levels, eat a variety of foods according to Canada’s Food Guide and your personal meal
plan. Choose more high fibre foods and healthier types of fat.

You may also be interested in:

Eating well with Diabetes: North India and Pakistan diets

Tips for healthy snacking for people with diabetes

Diabetes and Healthy Meal Planning

Facts on Fat

Last Update – September 16, 2019

Dietitians look beyond fads to deliver reliable, life-changing advice. Want to unlock the

potential of food? Connect with a dietitian.

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