A week ago we had discussed about quarantine special healthy food options for normal individuals. This week we are back with few simple, easy and healthy foods for ones with covid infection and diabetes or heart disease. While it is stressful to decide meal options during such times, but it is all the more distressing if they have comorbidities like diabetes/ high blood pressure/ heart / kidney disease/ etc.
It is not only important to make correct food choices during covid infection, but also to keep in mind the basic diet rules for the existing comorbidity. Before we head on to discussing healthy foods for ones with covid infection and diabetes; it is important to highlight a few key messages:
- AVOID sugar/ honey/ jaggery in any form, prefer fruits instead
- Prefer plenty of fluids based like vegetable soups/ dal soup/ dals and pulses in the form of aamti/ rasam
- Prefer complex (good) carbohydrates like dalia, whole wheat, oats, jowar over simple carbohydrates (maida)
- Prefer 1-2 micro meals daily
Keeping the above instructions in mind, herewith are 5 healthy food options for individuals with diabetes:
1. Jowar roti with lasooni methi: Jowar is a complex carbohydrate and helps in controlling blood sugar. It is an ideal alternative to wheat and rice. Combination of jowar with a green leafy vegetable is ideal for keeping blood sugar in control which may get disturbed during times of infection.
2. Jowar bhakhri with maharashtrain pithla: Pithla is a tasty combination of curd with besan (gram flour). It can be considered as a semisolid version of dahi ki kadi. If needed one can add boiled drumstick or sauteed onion or sauteed methi leaves to pithla. A tempering of garlic makes it a perfect quarantine recipe for diabetics when their appetite is low.
3. Oats and wheat flour roti with stuffed bhindi: Oats contains soluble fiber which is extremely beneficial for ones on a diabetic diet or low fat diet. Bhindi (ladies finger) can be cooked in several ways and one of the most widely accepted one is stuffed bhindi just to avoid to routine sauteed bhindi.
4. Jowar and onion roti with boiled moong: One can add either normal onion or spring onion to jowar flour to make rotis. Moong is a source of protein and addition of ginger, garlic to it adds to its immune boosting properties.
5. Jowar and bajra roti with laal maath (red amaranth) bhaji: All colourful vegetables are rich sources of vitamins and minerals and are extremely low in carbohydrates and fats. Hence, they are excellent sources for individuals with diabetes. Laal maath (red amaranth) is reddish variety of green amaranth and tastes just like it. One can combine it with jowar-bajra roti and buttermilk to make it a wholesome meal.
Now moving towards heart disease; herewith are key messages for covid positive individuals with heart disease:
- Prefer 5-6 small frequent mini meals rather than 2-3 large meals in a day
- If needed, split your lunch and dinner into 2 meals with gap of 1-2 hours in between (especially for elderly)
- Avoid unhealthy fats like butter/ cheese/ margarine/ cream, etc
- Prefer well cooked protein sources
5 healthy foods for ones with covid infection and heart disease:
- Whole wheat flour chapati with palak and tur dal combination: Whole wheat flour comprises of good amount of dietary fiber and vegetable and dal combinations compliments it perfectly during covid infection. This is because one may not want to eat large meals so combining vegetable with dal makes it nutritious as well as wholesome for heart patients. Additionally, one can also indulge into similar combinations like the ones mentioned below.
2. Whole wheat, oats and besan chapati with sua bhaji and moong dal: One can make a multigrain aata at home using whole wheat, oats and besan. Sua bhaji is also known as dill leaves, it has a peculiar taste which is liked by few but it has several health benefits as it too is a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
3. Whole wheat and soya chapati with lauki and chana dal: Soyabean is known to lower bad cholesterol and hence is a beneficial food item for patients with heart disease. In case it is disliked in the form of chapatis, one can add soya mini chunks to dal and gain its benefits.
4. Makke ki roti with ridge gourd and moong dal: Although one can have the famous Punjabi combination i.e. makke di roti and sarsoan da saag, but in order to add some healthy proteins to diet (as proteins are needed for recovery from infection) we suggest ridge gourd with moong dal combination as it is a low fat and high fiber combination.
5. Jowar/ bajra otis with misal: Misal is a delicious and nutritious recipe comprising of sprouts and pulses. Usually it is loaded with fried farsan but for health reasons, one should avoid farsan. Instead of pav, one can prefer jowar or bajra bhakhri with misal.
Note: The recipes and tips shared herewith are general. For specific nutrition guidance, you may seek help from a Qualified Nutritionist.
