Breakfast to dinner: Dr Anoop Misra's daily meal plan for people with diabetes

On the podcast Doctor vs The Internet, India's top diabetologist Dr. Anoop Misra said people with diabetes do not need to give up rotis or rice. He said changing food quality, quantity and eating sequence can curb post-meal sugar spikes.

In Short

• Protein and fibre at breakfast can improve morning blood sugar control
• Vegetarians can choose oats, besan cheela, sprouts and almonds for breakfast
• Mixed-flour rotis and salad preloading may reduce post-meal glucose spikes

Many Indians with diabetes believe they have to give up rotis, rice and everything they enjoy. But according to India's top diabetologist Dr. Anoop Misra, managing blood sugar is often less about starving oneself and more about changing the quality, sequence and composition of meals.

Speaking on the podcast Doctor vs The Internet, Dr. Misra said diet manipulation alone can lower post-meal sugar levels by 30 to 50 points in many patients, sometimes without changing medications.

START THE DAY WITH PROTEIN

According to Dr Misra, breakfast should ideally contain protein and fibre.

"The best thing you can eat for breakfast is eggs. Eggs are the best protein," he said, adding that people should eat the whole egg and not avoid the yolk unless advised by their doctor.

For vegetarians, he recommends oats because of their high fibre content and besan cheela as a healthier alternative to bread.

"If you can add sprouts or almonds, it becomes a very good breakfast. A little milk is also fine. Everyone can eat this, not just diabetics," he said.

Dr. Misra also dismissed the trend of drinking various herbal concoctions first thing in the morning.

"If you want to have something, have tea with a little milk and a little sugar. Tea with a few almonds is the best opening sequence in the morning," he said.

DON'T STOP EATING ROTIS, CHANGE THE FLOUR

One of the biggest myths, according to Dr. Misra, is that people with diabetes must eliminate rotis.

"You can eat roti, but change it," he said.

Instead of using only wheat flour, he advises mixing besan, jowar and bajra with wheat to increase protein and complex carbohydrates.

Before lunch, he suggests an unusual strategy known as "preloading".

"But 20 minutes before eating roti and sabzi, eat two bowls of salad with cucumber, tomato, carrot, radish or cabbage," he said.

This, he explained, slows down sugar absorption and reduces post-meal spikes.

For vegetables, Dr Misra recommends including bhindi three times a week, brinjal twice a week and jackfruit whenever available, citing studies that show these foods may help improve blood sugar control.

When it comes to dals, rajma and chickpeas are among his preferred choices because they provide both protein and fibre.

He also advises against avoiding curd.

"People stop eating curd after diabetes. Don't stop it at all. Just keep the fat content low," he said.

RICE LOVERS DON'T HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE

For dinner, Dr. Misra says rotis can continue, but rice can also be included in moderation.

He prefers brown rice or parboiled rice, which has a lower glycaemic effect.

People who notice sugar spikes after eating rice should eat protein first.

"Take three to four spoons of dal or rajma before eating rice. This is a double preload," he explained.

The concept, based on Japanese research, involves eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates.

According to him, simply changing the sequence of food can significantly reduce blood sugar spikes without forcing people to give up their favourite foods.

"If you are eating he same food, the same quantity and the same calories, but eat them in a different sequence, your body will react differently," he said.

TEA-TIME SNACKS MATTER TOO

For evening snacks, Dr. Misra recommends roasted makhana, roasted chana, almonds and pistachios instead of biscuits.

Although oat biscuits are available, he says he prefers natural snacks because packaged biscuits may contain trans fats.

FOOD SHOULD REMAIN A PLEASURE

Dr. Misra emphasised that diabetes management should not feel like punishment.

"Food is a pleasure of life and we can't deny that pleasure," he said.

Even sweets can occasionally fit into the diet when diabetes is well controlled. His preference is homemade besan or wheat laddus paired with curd and reserved for weekends.

The key, he says, is not to completely eliminate traditional foods, but to improve their quality, quantity and timing.

"We don't need extreme diets. We don't need to starve ourselves. We only need to change the way we eat," he said.

- Ends