If your target is to lose weight or control blood sugar levels then read ahead. Lot of people take without sugar tea and a biscuit along to satisfy sugar caving.
But is it really effective when it comes to weight loss as 1 tsp of sugar gives 20kcal while a biscuit would give 70kcal? One needs to control the over all diet pattern. Everything we eat finally gets converted into glucose and other nutrients. So, there is no such diet as carbohydrate free.
Quitting Sugar Will Help in Losing Weight
Now, let us know how can one lose weight and maintain sugar level.
Whole Grain:
Ideally have whole grains like jowar, bajra, wheat, oats, etc. Try to avoid corn as it is a starchy grain. One must observe the kind of effect a new grain or millet has on digestion. Some grains are easy on your digestion as compared to others. Best way to inculcate them is have them in cycle. You may follow weekly or 10 day cycle. Take a grain of your choice for 10 days and then shift to other. Make salads, soups, wrap, chapati and porridge.
Vegetables:
Add vegetable to everything you eat during the day rather than having a big portion in one go. Include lot of variety especially seasonal. For weight loss and diabetes, it is advisable to reduce consumption of tubers like potato, colocasia, yam etc
Sugar:
It can be in lot of forms like jaggery, dates, table sugar, maple syrup etc. It must be noted here that all these have same number of calories i.e., 20 kcal per 5gm. There is a growing tendency of shifting to natural sugar and abstinence from refines sugar. Fact is that these also have same calories. Add a small amount in your tea or coffee. There is no recommended daily allowance for the same. As rule of thumb keep it low!
Fruits:
A rich source of natural sugar sucrose and fructose. It is good to have them. Say 3- per day. As we know it is better to avoid them in juice form. Whole fruits are beneficial as they have fibre which acts like a buffer in absorption of calories.
Fibre:
It plays a vital role in losing some kgs and bringing the sugar levels down. They slow down calorie uptake. Hinder reabsorption of digestive enzyme which leads to improvement in lipid profile.
Make above changes in your day-to-day meal and note the difference it makes to your health.