Diabetes is a chronic disease that is relatively difficult to treat. A good diet with healthy foods can do wonders in controlling the problem to a large extent. Diabetes is a condition when blood sugar levels rises at an exponential rate. It can occur if the pancreases lose their ability to release insulin or the body is unable to respond to the insulin function. Insulin is a hormone that is largely responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. A diet enriched with foods that improve insulin production and functioning may prove to be beneficial for diabetics. A little alteration in your regular meals can also do the trick. For instance, here is a healthy uttapam with a slight twist to make it diabetes-friendly. This uttapam is made with ragi and oats – two powerful foods that are considered great for combating diabetes.

Diabetics are advised to stay away from processed carbohydrates and switch to complex carbohydrates instead. Both ragi and oats contain a good amount of complex carbohydrates. They are also rich in fibre, which keeps the stomach full, eases the digestion system and makes sure that glucose is released slowly into the bloodstream.

Traditionally, uttapam is made with white rice. This recipe uses ragi, oats and brown rice instead. The addition of nutritious veggies makes this dish a star when it comes to a diabetes diet.

Here's how you can make ragi and oats uttapam –
Ingredients –

1 cup oats

1 cup ragi flour

1 cup brown rice

Half cup white urad dal

1 onion

1 tomato

1 green bell pepper

1 green chilli

Salt to taste

Method –

Step 1 - Soak rice, oats and dal in water for 4-5 hours and blend them all together into a paste. Add ragi flour to it. Add salt (as per taste) and make a smooth batter. Let it sit for at least one hour.

Step 2 – Chop onion, tomato, bell pepper and green chilli and mix them all together.

Step 3 – On a large non-stick pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil and scatter it all over the pan.

Step 4 – Pour a ladleful of the batter and spread it around the pan.

Step 5 – Sprinkle all the chopped veggies and chilli on the batter and with the help of a flat spatula, press down the veggies into the batter. Cover the pan with a lid.

Step 6 – When the top of the batter cooks, flip it over and let it cook on the other side also.

Serve this healthful uttapam with mint sauce (green chutney) and enjoy a light, delicious meal on your diabetes diet.

Diabetes management: Asparagus is an exotic vegetable that is gradually being accepted in cuisines all over the world. Asparagus shoots are usually found in Chinese foods and in some south-Indian meals as well. It is a relatively expensive vegetable, which is why it is used sparingly, mostly in gourmet meals. Apart from providing a crackling, crunchy taste, it offers a host of nutritional benefits. Among all the health benefits it provides, its ability to help combat Type-2 diabetes makes it a food with health-promoting properties. It is low in calories, high in proteins and a great source of minerals, especially potassium. Consuming asparagus regularly may lead to high urine and salt excretion that eventually helps in maintaining blood sugar level.

Asparagus has long been used for herbal healing purposes for its potent medicinal properties. Given all the advantages of eating this vegetable, it is only prudent to include it in our diet to manage diseases like diabetes. Asparagus is not commonly available in India but you can find it in gourmet stores and on online food websites. If you are not sure how to really use this vegetable for consumption, pick your cues from the following recipes.

Asparagus-Based Recipes -
1. Asparagus with Sesame and Lemon
Fresh green asparagus is sauteed in butter with garlic and toasted sesame seeds. It is then garnished with lemon juice for a sour flavour. This dish is perfect for a light low-carb dinner or party appetiser.

2. Asparagus with Creamy Mushrooms
Two nutritious foods – asparagus and chestnuts – come together to dish out a flavourful and healthy dish. Asparagus and chestnuts are sauteed with spring onions and ginger and seasoned with soya sauce. Enjoy this delicious meal with creamy mushrooms and bread croutons on the side.

3. Yellow Pepper and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Crunchy asparagus is stir-fried with yellow peppers and almonds in olive oil and spiced up with red chilli and pepper. It is perfect for a healthy evening snack before dinner.

4. Spicy Sauteed Asparagus
Here is another asparagus small meal but with an Indian twist. Asparagus is sauteed in butter with a range of Indian spices like garam masala, coriander powder, salt, turmeric and chillies. It is garnished with sesame seeds and can be enjoyed in between the meals.

Asparagus can be cooked in a number of ways. Roast it, grill it or stir-fry it; avail the benefits of this wonder ingredient by making it a part of your diabetes diet.

Diabetes management: Asparagus is an exotic vegetable that is gradually being accepted in cuisines all over the world. Asparagus shoots are usually found in Chinese foods and in some south-Indian meals as well. It is a relatively expensive vegetable, which is why it is used sparingly, mostly in gourmet meals. Apart from providing a crackling, crunchy taste, it offers a host of nutritional benefits. Among all the health benefits it provides, its ability to help combat Type-2 diabetes makes it a food with health-promoting properties. It is low in calories, high in proteins and a great source of minerals, especially potassium. Consuming asparagus regularly may lead to high urine and salt excretion that eventually helps in maintaining blood sugar level.

Asparagus has long been used for herbal healing purposes for its potent medicinal properties. Given all the advantages of eating this vegetable, it is only prudent to include it in our diet to manage diseases like diabetes. Asparagus is not commonly available in India but you can find it in gourmet stores and on online food websites. If you are not sure how to really use this vegetable for consumption, pick your cues from the following recipes.

Asparagus-Based Recipes -
1. Asparagus with Sesame and Lemon
Fresh green asparagus is sauteed in butter with garlic and toasted sesame seeds. It is then garnished with lemon juice for a sour flavour. This dish is perfect for a light low-carb dinner or party appetiser.

2. Asparagus with Creamy Mushrooms
Two nutritious foods – asparagus and chestnuts – come together to dish out a flavourful and healthy dish. Asparagus and chestnuts are sauteed with spring onions and ginger and seasoned with soya sauce. Enjoy this delicious meal with creamy mushrooms and bread croutons on the side.

3. Yellow Pepper and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Crunchy asparagus is stir-fried with yellow peppers and almonds in olive oil and spiced up with red chilli and pepper. It is perfect for a healthy evening snack before dinner.

4. Spicy Sauteed Asparagus
Here is another asparagus small meal but with an Indian twist. Asparagus is sauteed in butter with a range of Indian spices like garam masala, coriander powder, salt, turmeric and chillies. It is garnished with sesame seeds and can be enjoyed in between the meals.

Asparagus can be cooked in a number of ways. Roast it, grill it or stir-fry it; avail the benefits of this wonder ingredient by making it a part of your diabetes diet.

Walnuts are said to be healthy for daily consumption. The nuts are said to be loaded with healthy fats in the form of omega 3 fatty acids as well as fibre. A new study has said that consuming walnuts can be particularly beneficial for those suffering from metabolic syndrome and may potentially bring down the risk of developing diabetes in such people. This is because walnuts may increase the levels of good cholesterol or High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) in the body and may even decrease fasting glucose level. Diabetes is a condition where the levels of blood glucose are persistently elevated. People suffering from metabolic syndrome have an elevate risk of developing Type-2 diabetes, stroke and heart diseases. This study's results may lead to a potential novel dietary method for bringing down risk of diabetes in metabolic syndrome patients.

The results of the study were published in the journal Nutrition Research and Practice. For the study, researchers divided 119 Korean males and females with metabolic syndrome into two separate control groups randomly. While the first group was asked to consume 45 gm of walnuts everyday for 16 weeks, the second group was asked to consume iso-caloric white bread as snacks. Both the groups had a six-week rest period, at the end of the 16 weeks, after which walnuts and white bread were cross-overly distributed to the two groups for a period of 16 weeks again. During the trial, the lipid profile, Hb1Ac levels, levels of adiponectin as well as leptin, apolipoprotein B were measured four times along with anthropometric and bioimpedance data.

Five markers of metabolic syndromes- blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglycerides and abdominal fat- were also mapped. It was reported that a little over half (51.2 per cent) of the participants with metabolic syndrome at baseline had reverted to normal status after 16 weeks of consuming walnuts. The levels of HDL, fasting glucose, Hb1Ac and adiponectin were observed to have improved significantly. The researchers concluded that consuming walnuts are snacking alternatives for high-carbohydrate foods may be a good idea for improvement in patients of metabolic syndrome.

Ayurveda is a treasure trove of numerous herbal treatments. The ancient medical science is said to possess herbal therapies and medicines that help manage and treat various health conditions. Nowadays, the modern and globalised science integrates a lot of Ayurvedic practises in general wellness applications and, in some cases, in medical uses. One of the most common health conditions is diabetes, and Ayurveda has a number of herbal medicines that helps manage blood sugar. According to the book, 'The Complete Book Of Ayurvedic Remedies', by Dr. Vasant Lad, diabetes (or madhumeh) is a metabolic kapha type of disorder in which diminished functioning of agni (digestive fire) leads to a tendency towards high blood sugar.In order to control the spikes in blood sugar, Ayurveda suggests having sadabahar herb, which is also known as periwinkle and vinca rosea. Here's what you need to know about this herb.

What Is Sadabahar?
Sadabahar, or periwinkle, is a commonly found plant in India and is said to be native to Madagascar. It is an evergreen shrub that works as an ornamental plant and for medicinal purposes. The smooth, glossy and dark green coloured leaves along with flowers are said to act as natural medicine for type-2 diabetes. According to Ayurvedic expert Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, "sadabahar flowers and leaves are used to control blood sugar levels. One can have herbal tea made from flowers and leaves in the morning or you can also chew some three to four leaves to get effective results."

Health Benefits Of Sadabahar For Diabetes
Sadabahar has long been used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicines and is said to be a time-tested herbal treatment for managing conditions like diabetes, malaria, sore throats and leukaemia. Vinca rosea contains two active compounds, the alkaloids and the tannins. It is believed that the plant has more than 100 alkaloids, of which vincristine and vinblastine are most notable for their medicinal benefits.

How To Use Sadabahar For Diabetes?
1. The fresh leaves of sadabahar can be dried, powdered and stored in an air-tight container. Consume one teaspoon of this dried leaf powder with a cupful of fresh fruit juice or water daily. The powder may taste bitter.

2. Take not more than three to four leaves of the plant and chew them to manage blood sugar levels through the day.

3. Take the pink coloured flowers of the sadabahar plant and boil them in a cupful of water. Strain the water and drink it every morning on an empty stomach.