If you really love rice, try having brown rice instead of white and reap its many health benefits. It is a perfect alternative to white rice, and its low glycaemic index makes it an ideal food for diabetes patients in India. White rice is a staple food in India and used as an ingredient in various dishes, making it an essential part of the Indian cuisine. However, the high amount of starch and carbohydrates in rice makes it unsuitable to be included in a diabetic's diet. Its intake can cause a significant increase in the patient's blood sugar levels and hence, it is not recommended.

Whole grains in the form of bread, oats, and quinoa are easily available in India and can be included in an Indian diabetic diet chart. We have a wide range of healthy grains in our country like, whole wheat aata, black gram aata, bajra aata, kuttu aata , makka aata etc. They are rich in protein and fibre with low simple sugar content, making it suitable for diabetic patients. While including whole grains in the diet plan, make sure that it forms a small part of your meal and the rest comprises vegetables, fruits, curd, etc. as discussed in the diet plan above.
Please make a note that whole grains are not recommended for those allergic to gluten.

Fibrous food forms an essential part of an Indian diet chart for diabetic patients. Besides helping to maintain healthy bowel movements, it keeps the stomach full longer. Further, it helps to control blood sugar and cholesterol levels. As far as the options are concerned, one should include spinach, beans, peas, and other seasonal leafy vegetables. Karela or bitter-gourd is particularly beneficial in diabetes. Since there is no dearth of vegetables in India, you have a wide variety to choose from.

All the nuts, especially almonds, are a rich source of protein, fibre and omega-3s. These qualities make it ideal to be included in the diet chart for diabetes patients. Whenever you feel hungry your grandparents ask for quick snacks between meals, give them a handful of almonds mixed with walnuts, peanuts and pistachios to curb their hunger. Having these nuts can help to control blood sugar levels and prevent heart problems because of diabetes. All this makes them an ideal food item to include in a food chart for diabetic patients in India.

Yet another rich source of protein and fibre, pulses and legumes are a part of every regular Indian diet. That makes it even easier to consume even when you have a specific Indian diabetic diet plan to follow. The low glycaemic index of pulses packed with various nutrients adds onto the benefits they offer.

If you are a non-vegetarian and bored with eating as per your regular vegetarian Diabetic diet plan for Indian food, here is a taste changer for you. You can include lean meats like fish (sardines, mackerel, tunas, and salmon) and chicken in your meals. But avoid red meat as it is high in harmful fats and can spike your cholesterol levels. Also, do not deep fry the meat and grill or roast instead, to make a healthy addition to an Indian Diabetic diet plan.

Fruits are a delicious way to curb hunger between meals. They have high nutritional values and their high fibre content is good for bowel movements. However, some fruits have high sugar content, which raises questions about them being fit for diabetic patients. Sugar content in fruits like mangoes is on the higher end, but can be included in a diabetes food chart comprising Indian food in moderate amounts. The recommended list of fruits in diabetes includes peaches, pears, kiwi, apple, avocado, apricot, and berries.