Vegetable Dalia Upma - A Diabetic Awareness Post

Swathi had invited me to write a post on diabetic awareness. Unfortunately, I had some internet issues and then my son went down with viral fever..  Sorry for the delay Swathi Iyer. Hence, I dedicate this post to raising diabetic awareness and trying to make a difference for those living with diabetes.

Diabetes is a never-ending condition.  This means that it lasts for a long time, often for someone's whole life. For our bodies to work properly we need to convert glucose (sugar) from food into energy. A hormone called insulin is important for the conversion of glucose into energy. There are two major types of diabetes called type 1 and type 2. Diabetes that occurs temporarily during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes.  Most common symptoms include- a history of blurred vision, itchiness, nerve damage, repeated vaginal infections, and tiredness.

My Father-In-Law and Father had diabetes and my Mother-In-Law is also diabetic. My father-in-law used to take 1 tsp fenugreek seeds soaked overnight in a cup of water to keep his diabetes in control. My Mother-in-law eats less rice, more vegetables, moderate fat food, black tea without sugar and includes greens and bitter gourds a lot in her diet.

The most important thing you should do is to lose weight which can help you lower your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels very much.  Small lifestyle changes such as a well –balanced diet and a regular exercise can help manage the blood glucose levels without further complications. Before you plan a fitness regime for yourself, it is a must to get your doctor’s approval on it, especially if you’ve been inactive for long. Measure your blood glucose levels more frequently. Avoid eating sweet foods. Eat more of low-carb foods. Eat more frequent meals with smaller quantities to beat hunger. Also drink lots of water because the best way of getting rid of excess sugar is through urine.

Some people believe that eating fruit is healthy for diabetes. Of course, fruit is a healthy food as it contains fiber and lots of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. But you should consult your doctor about which fruits are right for you, the quantity to be eaten and also how often can you eat them.

Dalia or broken wheat is a healthy choice if you are on a diabetes diet. It is an excellent source of fiber and low in fat which is why it is mostly recommended food by dieticians too. This upma is definitely tasty, flavorful and nutritious for an early morning breakfast. 

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup broken wheat / dalia
• 1 carrot (peeled and chopped)
• 7-8 french beans (stringed and chopped)
• 2 green chillies (finely chopped)
• handful of green peas
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 inch piece ginger (shredded)
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp split & skinned black gram / urad dal
• 1 tsp split Bengal gram / chana dal
• few curry leaves
• pinch of asafoetida
• salt to taste

Method:-

• Heat oil in a wok.
• Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal, chana dal and asafoetida.
• Add onions, green chillies, ginger, carrot and french beans. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Add 3 cups water, green peas and salt.
• When water starts boiling, add the dalia. Mix well and simmer.
• After 5 minutes, mix lightly and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Notes:-

• You may avoid adding vegetables and make the upma plain if you want. 

Happy Cooking!!

Sending this to :- Arthy Shama's Healthy Snacking and WTML & Gayathri’s Announcement Page