Nutrition tips for managing diabetes during summer

The average person should consume two litres of fluid of water per day. For people with diabetes, this is particularly important because dehydration can cause false high blood sugar readings.

Unlike a person without diabetes, it is not advisable to drink fruit juices, tender coconut water etc. However, other

than the plain drinking water you can take

v Diluted skimmed buttermilk
v Lemon / Tomato juice (without sugar)
v Iced tea (without sugar)
v Drinking water with Pudina / Tulsi leaves/ Jeera

Include plenty of high fibre green leafy vegetables like cabbage, greens, plantain stem, bitter gourd etc.
During summer certain food items are available in market which can help you to handle summer heat such as–
Watermelon/Muskmelon: When the normal blood sugar level range is well under control, a small portion (100 gms/ serving) of these fruits can be consumed as whole fruit and not as a juice.

Raw Mangoes: Raw mangoes can be taken as juice along with pudina leaves or it can be prepared as a soup
Cucumber: Cucumber is a low calorie vegetable which can be included in form of salad or raitha or as a minted cucumber lassi (without sugar).

Gourd family (watery) vegetables: You can include gourd family vegetables like ash gourd, snake gourd, bottle gourd, bitter gourd on daily basis.

When you are on vacation you may not be able to get exactly the same food items which are recommended by the dietitian, so it is always better to travel with snacks like whole wheat bread,/multi grain bread/ rice flakes/puffed rice etc in pre-measured serving sizes.

It is better to restrict fried foods and avoid foods with heavy black charring from the grill. It may add flavour, but these black marks may be carcinogenic

Include whole grains and colour your plate with rainbow colour low calorie vegetables.