Diabetes, or high blood sugar, is a condition wherein the glucose levels in blood are persistently elevated. The condition has two types - type-1 diabetes and type-2 diabetes. In type-1 diabetes, the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Whereas, in type-2 diabetes, the body in unable to process blood sugar effectively due to insulin resistance. Diabetes is a condition that affects millions of people around the globe. Increasingly erratic lifestyle, poor sleep quality and poor dietary habits are some of the factors that may be blamed for the growth in the number of diabetics. Diabetics have to be very careful about what they eat, lest their meals lead to sudden rise in blood sugar levels and lead to other complications. Diabetics usually have to follow a strict diet have to monitor their blood sugar levels regularly to keep a check on sudden fluctuations.

Diabetes Diet

Diabetics are generally advised to stay away from processed and junk foods as these may trigger spikes in blood glucose levels. However, there are some ways that diabetics may also be able to consume their favourite junk food, without compromising on health or leading to rise in blood sugar. Small modifications and ingredient swaps can go a long way in improving the glycaemic indexes of a number of dishes. Pizza, for instance, is a dish that diabetics have to swear off of, because it is extremely harmful for people suffering from the condition. Regular pizzas may be everything that diabetics are not allowed to consume: calorie-rich, high in salt and processed foods like cheese and refined flour. But there are some ways in which pizzas can be adjusted to fit the requirements of a diabetes diet.

How To Eat Healthy Pizza On A Diabetes Diet
It's important to have a strict meal plan, complete with precise meals timings that must be adhered to, as much as is possible. Regular check-ups of levels of glycated haemoglobin are also important. So if you have been following a largely healthy diet loyally and not indulging in unhealthy foods, you may be able to adjust a few helpings of pizza in your diabetes diet.

Consultant nutritionist Dr. Rupali Datta suggests some ways that pizza-loving diabetics can include it in their diet, in a healthy manner:
1. While Ordering Pizza At A Restaurant: "Order a whole wheat pizza, with a side of salad and make sure to share it with a friend," says Dr. Datta. Basically, exercise portion control and make sure you consume enough fibre-rich foods in the form of veggies and salads with the pizza.

2. While Preparing Diabetic-Friendly Pizza At Home: "At home, use a whole wheat base or multigrain pizza base, lots of veggies and less cheese." Cheese is high in calories and no matter how healthy the variety of your cheese is, it is bound to add a lot of calories to your meals.

3. Ideal Timings To Consume Pizza: Dr. Datta says, "Ideally, it is a whole meal by itself and can replace your regular meal. If you have it as a snack, just take one or two slices."

4. What To Avoid And What To Include In Your Pizza: "Use fresh ingredients instead of frozen and processed ones. Go easy on the cheese, use fresh cheese." Obviously then, whole frozen pizzas are a big no for diabetics and must be avoided at all costs.

Dr. Datta stresses on the fact that diabetics must treat pizzas as full-fledged meals and not as snacks. Make sure you consult your nutritionist before adding or eliminating anything from your diabetes diet.

Weight loss diets are a dime a dozen and it can be very confusing for someone wanting to shed those extra kilos, to process all that information and settle for a diet plan that actually works. Diet is crucial for weight loss and is known to be even more important than exercise, if you want to shed a few pounds fast. A number of so-called health influencers and celebrities will try to convince you that the diet they follow or the weight loss products they consume really work, but it's difficult to ascertain whether their claims are truthful or not. Certain diets can be quite distressing as they tend to be quite restrictive in nature. However, the dopamine diet for weight loss is one that promises not just slimmer body, but also a happier mind.

It may sound like an oxymoron, but the dopamine diet is based around the principle of consuming foods that boost the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. The diet is therefore, also known as the 'happy diet'. The diet is also called the Tom Kerridge Diet, after the Michelin-starred chef who claimed to have lost almost 70 Kgs in three years by following the diet! Most diets seem to be very hard to follow in the long term, as they restrict the consumption of healthy carbohydrates or eliminate entire food groups from your meals. But the dopamine diet seems to be different as it doesn't eliminate carbs, proteins or fats, but instead just bans the consumption of alcohol and starchy carbs. The dopamine diet includes working around recipes that include a lot of fresh produce including fruits, vegetables, as well as plenty of protein.

Dopamine Diet For Weight Loss
So what are the main foods that dopamine dieters should consume more of? Chef Kerridge believes that his 'dopamine heroes' are foods like dairy products including yogurt, good quality meat products like beef, chicken and turkey, and even chocolate! The diet seems to be based around the growing research evidence that suggests that certain foods are capable of triggering happy hormones in the body. Some studies have even suggested a link between body weight and the production of dopamine in the body. The studies have suggested that an exposure to excessively sugary and fatty foods may impair dopamine release pathways in overweight people. This may lead to depressive symptoms and low feelings, as well as habits of overeating in people with a high weight.

On the other hand, it has been found that eating protein-rich meals may curb your appetite, whilst also increasing the production of dopamine in your body. This is because proteins are made up of amino acids, which are important for release of dopamine. The dopamine diet may work, as it doesn't deprive you of any particular food, although it does encourage reducing the consumption of carbohydrates.

Does The Dopamine Diet Work?
Any diet that promotes the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables over starchy carbohydrates may work by making you eat healthy and cleaning up your meals. Most health experts will advise you to include more fresh produce and proteins in your diet and eliminate alcohol, and sugary and fatty foods. But there is limited evidence to suggest that the diet will surely leave you with feelings of happiness. The dopamine diet is based on the fact that the amino acid tyrosine converts to dopamine in the body, but there is not enough scientific evidence to suggest that eating more proteins will definitely result in more release of dopamine in the brain.

Daily exercise and a generally healthy diet including less sugar and less fat is said to be better for your overall health, whether a celebrity chef condones it or not!

Who would have thought that fats are good, right? Fats can certainly be qualified as 'good' or ' bad'. Healthy fats, in fact, could make a great diet. A lot has been said about fad diets or quick weight-loss diets like Keto that propagates a high fat and low carb diet. You will find enough people on both sides of the argument. Some believe these diets work, while others disagree. It is a common notion that if you load up on fats, it may up the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or diabetes. However, this may not be the case. High fat diets like ketogenic diet promise to maintain weight and overall health by putting the body in the state of ketosis. When the body has the ability to burn fat as fuel, the liver naturally creates fats called ketones. It is said that ketones burn fat more efficiently than the carbs can, which in turn may create an environment for weight loss.As the name suggests, high fat diet is a diet loaded with fats and is low on carbs and has turned out to be one of the most popular diets nowadays. According to Delhi based Nutritionist Dr. Rupali Datta, "high fat diet is beneficial for improving the gut flora and it also helps regulate your sugar levels."

What you need to consider is the 'type' of fat you are going for. When aiming for weight-loss with this way of eating, be mindful of consuming only 'good' fats which are basically unrefined animal fats, fat from fish and fats from plants like avocado, nuts and some oils.

Here is a list of benefits that you could derive from eating good fats:

1. High fat diet is extremely satiating and also keeps your blood sugar level stable. When you embark on low fat diet in an attempt to lose weight, you may end up hungry and dissatisfied, thus ending up craving for sugary snacks.

2. Increased fat intake promotes a healthy gut too. Healthy fats work with your gut bacteria to protect the gut barrier that works hard to regulate your immune response and flush out all the toxins and chemicals.

3. Good fats are good for brain health; our brain is composed of omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). A deficiency of fats can lead to stress, anxiety and other mood disorders. So, feel good about adding good fats to your diet and vice versa!

4. Eating good fats will not make you fat. If you choose to eat healthier fats, in controlled portions, your body will eventually learn to burn fat, instead of energy, further inducing weight loss. A high-fat diet can also curb hunger and cravings that mostly leads to overeating.

5. Fat is a crucial element for your body's absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins. Adding fats to your diet will help boost the absorption of vitamins that further help in strengthening your bones, boosting your immune system and protecting your heart health.

6. High fat diet benefit includes boosting energy levels. Good fats keep you on your toes throughout the day without having to feel hungry. If you eat a diet centered on carbohydrates, one experiences raises in insulin levels. This rise in insulin levels will make you feel tired and lethargic.

7. Finally high fat diets can boost eye and skin health. Dry skin and eyes are generally caused due to the deficiency in fatty acids, therefore, getting adequate omega-3 fats and saturated fats in your diet may help keep your skin and eyes healthy.

A high fat diet could help lower the risk of developing various diseases, increases your energy levels and helps you stay focused and productive during the day. It also helps to choose your fats wisely and exercise portion control. So, if you are thinking of switching to a high fat diet, make sure you consult a dietitian who can help you build a proper plan to gain maximum results.

The keto diet has been rising in popularity around the world. The high-fat, low carb diet that was created to help relieve symptoms of epileptic seizures, has been popularised as a quick weight loss solution for those looking to overcome a plateau in their health journey. The diet is basically a fat-rich diet that alters your body metabolism to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. Dieters who follow the keto diet derive over 70 per cent of their daily calories from fatty foods like ghee, egg yolk, avocado, cheese etc. But there are a number of different spins to ketogenic diet that are now gaining popularity. These variations to the keto diet were born because the diet itself is incredibly difficult to follow, due to the extreme restriction on carbohydrate intake.

Ketogenic diet followers are only allowed to consume 10 per cent or less of their daily calories from carbs like grains, breads etc. It takes some time and consistent efforts to follow the ketogenic diet. People experience a number of symptoms in the starting that make following ketogenic diet extremely difficult. This is why some people now follow cyclical keto diet, where they load up on carbohydrates on some days of the week, instead of going cold turkey all the days of the week. Now another variation of ketogenic diet called the lazy keto is also gaining traction. So what's lazy keto all about? Will it be as effective as the original ketogenic diet, in helping you lose weight? Let's find out!

What Is Lazy Keto? How Does It Work?
Lazy keto diet is basically a low carb diet, wherein dieters just focus on reducing their carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grams per day. It sounds very difficult, but dieters following the lazy keto don't have to count their calories or keep a track of the amounts of the rest of the two macronutrients, fats and proteins. This extremely low amount of daily carbohydrate intake is said to help the body achieve ketosis and stay in that state. Ketosis is the state where the body starts utilising fat for energy, in the place of glucose or carbs, as it normally happens. This diet has got a lot of people on board, as the idea of counting every single calorie consumed and monitoring the nutrition of every single bite can be quite taxing and sometimes, even practically impossible.

While following lazy keto, it's important to eat whenever one is hungry and to keep your satiated. Dieters typically only consume keto-approved foods that are now abundantly available in the markets. The single most important goal of lazy keto diet is said to be to make sure the body stays in ketosis, to burn fat quicker.

Does The Lazy Keto Diet Lead To Weight Loss?
Now let's come to the most important aspect of the diet- does it give results? The lazy keto diet being extremely low in carbohydrates may actually work for you in the short term and lead to weight loss. But experts have argued that the lazy keto diet loses out to the original ketogenic diet, when it comes to sending your body into ketosis. This is because just restricting your carb intake may not be enough to jumpstart ketosis- you also need adequate amounts of healthy fats and proteins to burn fat. Moreover, the amount of protein and fats in your daily diet also needs to be carefully calibrated to ensure that once the body gets into ketosis, it remains so. This is where the lazy keto diet may fail, despite its obvious benefits of convenience.

Whichever diet you follow for weight loss, it is important to remember that you should not do so at the expense of your long term health. Consult a certified nutritionist or a dietitian to help you with a scientific and balanced diet plan, before starting on any weight loss journey.

When it comes to dietary sources of protein, there is always a lot of curiosity. This is because it's not just the supply of this essential macro-nutrient that matters for you, but the packaging or the nutritional profile of the source food also impacts your health. This is why red meats, despite being rich in protein, may not be considered good sources of protein, because they're also rich in saturated fat. Any good and healthy source of protein should not just have good amounts of it, but it should also have a wide range of healthy and beneficial nutrients. Additionally, healthy sources of protein must have low levels of cholesterol and saturated fats. This is why there has been a lot of talk about the need to switch from animal to plant-based sources of protein.

Protein-Rich Fruits
Fruits are rich in a rainbow of nutrients, right from all the essential vitamins that play a part in maintaining the health of various body functions, to energising natural sugars and satiating fibre. Fruits are not traditionally rich in protein and they're generally not expected to be- they have higher levels of other important nutrients including fibre and carbohydrates. But they still offer some amounts of protein and when paired with other healthier sources of lean proteins, may still be included in a healthy diet. However, you cannot rely on consumption of even these protein-rich fruits to fulfil your daily Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for protein.

Here are some protein-rich fruits for you to consider:

1. Raisins: This humble dried fruit is a fixture in all the festive offerings and is also added to a whole range of desserts. The golden raisins are nothing but de-hydrated or dried grapes. A 100 gram portion of raisins contains 3 grams of proteins, as per the data by United States Department of Agriculture.

2. Guava: This Vitamin C-rich fruit is savoured raw or in salads, and is even added to juices and drinks for a flavourful punch. Guava is rich in fibre as a 100 gram portion of the fruit contains 5 grams of it, according to USDA, and the same portion contains 2.6 grams of proteins.

3. Dates: This sugary sweet fruit has been consumed in Middle-eastern countries as a staple for centuries now. Pitted dates are stuffed with a variety of ingredients and are even consumed in the form of a sweetening paste for milkshakes and baked goods as well. A 100 gram portion of dates contains 2.45 grams of protein, along with 8 grams of fibre, as per data by the United States Department of Agriculture.

4. Prunes: Another dried fruit that is relatively rich in protein is the prune. These are made by de-hydrating ripened plums and it contains a wide-range of essential minerals and vitamins, along with some important macro-nutrients. This includes 2.18 grams of protein per 100 grams, along with 7 grams of dietary fibre.

You may consider adding these fruits to your diet, more for deriving other benefits from them, rather than looking at them as reliable sources of protein. Consult a certified dietitian or a nutritionist for a diet chart that helps you meet your dietary protein requirements.