Latest news with #NationalDiabetes
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Is dal good for weight loss? Why we shouldn't worry about its carbs
Should the good old bowl of dal, that's a staple of a balanced Indian meal, be now questioned for its carbohydrate content? Fitness-conscious youngsters, while choosing protein-rich plant foods, are crossing out dal for its carbohydrate content. 'This is the greatest myth going around. Of course, dal has carbs but they are very negligible compared to the larger carbohydrate intake we have daily. The key aspect of weight loss is to keep to your daily calorie allowance and cut pure carbohydrates rather than eliminate a source of protein,' says Dr Seema Gulati of the National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (NDOC) Centre for Nutrition Research, Delhi. Dr Gulati says that the accepted reference of any kind of dal is 30 g, which when cooked would amount to a small katori (bowl). 'A 30 g serving of dal (lentils) typically contains around 6-7 grams of protein. The exact amount can vary slightly based on the type of dal and how it's cooked. For example, toor dal (pigeon peas) and moong dal (green gram) both offer around 6.5-6.7 grams of protein per 30 g serving,' she says. Now 30 g of dal, depending on the type used, can contain anything between 10 to 14 gm of carbohydrates when cooked. 'Cereals have more carbs, and that is what we need to reduce, not the bowl of dal, whose carb load is unlikely to make a significant difference to your calorie intake and which has more nutrients that your body needs,' she says. Scientific meta analyses have shown how pulses and legumes are associated with a lower risk of obesity and diabetes, according to Dr Gulati. She lists several pluses of dal. On carbohydrates, she explains, 'Dal is rich in complex carbohydrates, which are digested slower than simple carbohydrates, leading to a more stable and sustained release of blood sugar and energy. When consumed as part of a balanced meal with vegetables and other foods, the carbohydrates in dal are less likely to cause issues.' Dr Gulati feels that most overlook the fact that dal is a very good source of dietary fibre, which helps with digestion, promotes satiety, eliminates hunger pangs and can help regulate blood sugar levels. 'Besides proteins and carbohydrates, dal is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Dals are particularly rich in folate, iron, potassium and magnesium, as well as B vitamins like thiamine. They also contain smaller amounts of other minerals like phosphorus and zinc. It is low in fat,' says Dr Gulati. No it's not. 'It does not have all nine essential amino acids which the body needs. Which is why in a plant-based diet, it has to be combined with other protein sources, be it quinoa, nuts and seeds,' says Mukta Vashist, consultant dietician at Sir Gangaram Hospital, Delhi. There is a reason why dal and rice are often combined; they provide complementary protein sources, meaning they provide a more complete set of amino acids than either would alone. 'A cup of cooked rice has around 3 grams of protein. While dal is rich in the amino acid lysine, it's often deficient in methionine and cysteine, while rice is deficient in lysine. Combining them helps the body synthesize proteins more effectively,' explains Vashist. A balanced meal thali was created for a reason.
Hans India
03-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Holistic approach to type-2 diabetes management and the role of lifestyle factors
As a country, we are dining out and ordering in like never before. Convenience aside, the salty snacks and sugary desserts that get delivered to our doorstep in less than 30 minutes, come with consequences. Sheela Krishnaswamy, Wellness & Nutrition Consultant shares that an exhaustive, decade-long study published in Lancet in 2023, found that 101 million people in India are living with diabetes and another 136 million people could be living with pre-diabetes. Some people in India are genetically predisposed to developing type 2 diabetes, which is exacerbated by lifestyle factors including lack of exercise and eating an unhealthy diet. Healthy dietary habits, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting adequate exercise, are some of the factors that can help to prevent type 2 diabetes. In most people with Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin (a hormone critical for transporting blood sugar into cells) and cells respond poorly to insulin and take in less sugar (insulin resistance). Eating a healthy diet is an important strategy to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes. Even small changes in dietary habits can lead to significant, long-term health benefits. In India, eating almonds every day has been a time-honoured tradition. The wisdom of this practice is supported by a wealth of recent scientific studies. The latest Dietary Guidelines released by the ICMR-NIN, recommended the regular consumption of nuts like almonds as part of a balanced diet. Almonds are recognized not only as an excellent source of natural plant-based protein but also as a nutritious, healthy snack that contributes to overall well-being. Two studie s by the National Diabetes, Obesity, and Cholesterol Foundation (NDOC), designed to ascertain the impact of simple changes to an individual's diet, found that consumption of 20 grams of almonds before each major meal benefited blood sugar control both in the short-term (over three days) and in the long term (over three months) among Asian Indians with overweight/obesity and prediabetes. The three-month intervention reversed prediabetes in nearly one-quarter of the participants. The study results must be viewed in the context of the overwhelming array of associated risks and complications—heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, limb amputation, blindness, and nerve damage—that diabetes brings with it. More than 60% of people with pre-diabetes are likely to convert to diabetes in a span of five years. Moreover, 50% of people are unaware of their diabetic status, further increasing chances of these complications. There's yet another pertinent reason for caution. Asian Indians—characterized by tendency for abdominal adiposity, higher waist circumference, lower BMI, and greater insulin resistance—are more prone to developing diabetes. It is also well documented that obesity increases diabetes risk. A seminal study conducted on overweight and obese Asian Indian adults found that eating 43 grams of almonds daily for 12 weeks reduced insulin resistance, improved insulin sensitivity, and helped control blood glucose levels. The people eating almonds achieved significant reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference over the intervention period and lowered their total cholesterol. Overtime, these changes could reduce the risk of diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases. Rich in natural sources of some of the essential nutrients, almonds are a smart and satisfying food not only for blood glucose control but also to boost intake of key nutrients. A typical 28 grams serving has 13 grams of unsaturated fat and just 1 gram of saturated fat. They make for a good snacking choice as they are also a rich and natural source of plant protein, dietary fiber, monounsaturated (good) fat, Vitamin E, magnesium, and phosphorus. Their daily consumption is known to decrease the intake of carbohydrate calories and even help in lowering the blood sugar impact of carbohydrate foods, which affects fasting insulin levels.
Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Protein deficiency? How to get 60 gm daily from natural food and not depend on supplements
When a 32-year-old patient with protein deficiency came to meet Bhakti Samant, chief dietician at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, he had thought she would prescribe a protein supplement. But he was surprised when she told him he did not need any supplement at all and gave him a diet chart that had whole food sources of protein spread across meals and snacks. He is now fit and energetic. 'All he needed was to balance his diet with protein in every meal to meet his daily requirement. This is the myth that everybody falls for, that protein from natural foods is not enough to meet your nutritional requirement. The body needs 0.8 gm-1gm of protein per kg of body weight to avoid deficiencies. Unless one is an athlete or recovering from illness, any normal, healthy person can easily get between 60 gm to 65 gm of protein from natural food sources. Regular people do not need supplements, just practical meal plans,' says Samant. WHY INDIA LAGS BEHIND PROTEIN TARGETS? All nutritional guidelines suggest that 10-35% of our daily calories should come from protein-rich foods. 'Estimates show that only 10 to 11 per cent of the Indian diet is protein, compared to 12 to 15 per cent in the US. We are stuck at a consumption level of 0.5 gm per kg of body weight. That's because we are largely vegetarians, with plant proteins not quite matching up to animal ones. But the bigger problem is behavioural. Our diets are carbohydrate-heavy. By not having enough protein (a quarter of your plate in every meal), you are creating a protein vacuum which you fill up with more carbohydrates, the root cause of blood sugar, inflammation and other problems,' says Dr Seema Gulati of the National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (NDOC) Centre for Nutrition Research, Delhi. Myths around having protein-rich diets pose another challenge, according to Ritika Samaddar, regional head, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Max Healthcare. 'While animal protein is easier to incorporate, even plant proteins, in the right variety and combinations, can easily meet your daily protein requirement. Some plant-based sources like soy (tofu, soy milk), quinoa and chia seeds offer all nine essential amino acids. Plus they don't have saturated fat,' she says. WHAT ARE THE MYTHS AROUND DIETARY PROTEIN? Most of Samaddar's patients feel that a protein-rich diet is only for athletes and bodybuilders. 'Apart from building muscle, repairing tissues and producing hormones, proteins lend satiety, prevent quick breakdown of sugar and keep hunger pangs at bay, managing both weight and calories,' she says. Many believe high protein diets harm the kidneys. Yet a moderate protein intake with hydration is safe for most people. 'What many don't know is that even patients of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), not on dialysis, need 0.6 gm of protein per kg of body weight per day. Those on dialysis need 1.0-1.2 gm per kg of body weight per day, and that too from whole food sources. Yet such patients don't have more than 0.2 per gm per kg of body weight,' says Samant. The elderly, too, require 1 to 1.2 gm per kg body weight to avoid sarcopenia, a progressive wasting of muscle and skeletal mass. HOW EASY IS IT TO GET DAILY PROTEIN QUOTA FROM DIETARY SOURCES Dr Gulati has a chart ready. 'Let's assume you need between 60 to 65 gm of protein per day. Let's begin with pre-breakfast, where you can have 10 nuts, soaked or raw, all yielding between 3 gm to 26 gm, depending on the portion. You can even split them into two parts. For breakfast you can have moong dal chila, which yields 9 gm of protein per serving, so two would be 18 gm with chutney. Have a tofu salad which can give you 20 gm straight per 100 gram or a cup. Have a glass (200 ml) of buttermilk which amounts to 15 gm of protein,' she says. For lunch, she recommends multigrain millet rotis (4 to 7 gm from two diskettes) a cup of dal (12 to 20 gm), sauteed vegetables (between 2 to 4 gm per 100 g), which should be half your plate, and a bowl of curd (15 gm). Round it off with a cup of warm milk (3 to 4 gm). Snacks can be about roasted chickpeas (15 gm), a cup of grilled paneer (46 gm) cubes or sprouts (3 to 6 gm per 100 gm). For dinner, Dr Gulati recommends besan roti (a 30 gm roti contains around 6.6 gm of protein) or soybean flour roti (4.6 gm per roti), paneer, vegetables and curd (as listed above). For beverages, one can have a sattu drink (7 to 8 gm). 'There are enough high value plant proteins that can more than make up for your quota,' she says. For those used to animal protein, eggs (6 gm per egg), fish (a large piece or two small pieces contain 20 g protein) and chicken (24 to 32 gm per 100 gm, which is a biggish piece) are good sources. 'These in combination with plant proteins provide a rich bioavailable source. Who needs supplements then?' asks Dr Gulati. WHAT IS THE BIG MISTAKE THAT WE MAKE? Samant says most of us load up on protein in one or two meals and think we are done for the day. 'Remember the body can absorb only 20 to 25 gm of protein at a time. So if you have extra protein in a single meal, the surplus will go into storage as fat. That's why you need to evenly distribute protein intake through the day for the best results,' she adds. That way you can keep your normal protein range between 6.0 and 8.3 g/dL.
