Help needed on Low Carb Indian dishes

[deliad]

Hello and Happy New Year to all,

I have been a type 2 diabetic for the last 5 years or so. My blood sugars have always been on the higher side even with the medication and portion control.

Came acress Dr. Bernstein's book on the web a couple months ago and learned that carbs were the main culprit.

For about a month now, I have been experimenting with low carb meals. By the good grace of God and knowledge from Dr. Bernstein's book, I have been able to bring down my blood sugar levels to a respectable range and have been able to come off the medication with a go ahead from my physician.

Now the big question is how to sustain this...

I have been primarily a roti/chapati/parontha eater for carbs and with this diet, no more breads now. I dont miss rice that much since I was eating rice only once a week or so. There is no restrictions on veggies (at least most of the ones that I like) and meats. More opportunity for me to have chicken and mutton. The main problem is breads.

In the last 4 weeks, I have experimented with the following as a substitute for regular Atta:

- Besan (chick pea flour)

- Makki ka atta (Yellow Corn flour)

- Kotu ka atta (Buckwheat flour)

- Low carb readymade breads (many are available in US grocery stores now)

I am going to try soyabean flour and a few others (like gluten free flour) in the next few days.

I have also tried mixed besan & buckwheat. Came out very good as missi rotis. Most of results so far have been acceptable.

I would appreciate any knowledge / experience on meal planning or menus from other eGulleteers focussed of primarily low carb Indian dishes.

I remember Monica had started a thread a few weeks ago on some Atkins diet plans but could not find anything further when I searched for it.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers,

[Suvir Saran]

Monica and Atkins Edited January 2, 2004 by Suvir Saran (log)

[Katherine]

In the last 4 weeks, I have experimented with the following as a substitute for regular Atta:

- Besan (chick pea flour)

- Makki ka atta (Yellow Corn flour)

- Kotu ka atta (Buckwheat flour)

- Low carb readymade breads (many are available in US grocery stores now)

I am going to try soyabean flour and a few others (like gluten free flour) in the next few days.

I have also tried mixed besan & buckwheat. Came out very good as missi rotis. Most of results so far have been acceptable.

I'm curious.

Have you been monitoring your blood sugar while you've tried these things, and if so, what impact did they have?

[Monica Bhide]

Hello and Happy New Year to all,

I have been a type 2 diabetic for the last 5 years or so. My blood sugars have always been on the higher side even with the medication and portion control.

Came acress Dr. Bernstein's book on the web a couple months ago and learned that carbs were the main culprit.

For about a month now, I have been experimenting with low carb meals. By the good grace of God and knowledge from Dr. Bernstein's book, I have been able to bring down my blood sugar levels to a respectable range and have been able to come off the medication with a go ahead from my physician.

Now the big question is how to sustain this...

I have been primarily a roti/chapati/parontha eater for carbs and with this diet, no more breads now. I dont miss rice that much since I was eating rice only once a week or so. There is no restrictions on veggies (at least most of the ones that I like) and meats. More opportunity for me to have chicken and mutton. The main problem is breads.

In the last 4 weeks, I have experimented with the following as a substitute for regular Atta:

- Besan (chick pea flour)

- Makki ka atta (Yellow Corn flour)

- Kotu ka atta (Buckwheat flour)

- Low carb readymade breads (many are available in US grocery stores now)

I am going to try soyabean flour and a few others (like gluten free flour) in the next few days.

I have also tried mixed besan & buckwheat. Came out very good as missi rotis. Most of results so far have been acceptable.

I would appreciate any knowledge / experience on meal planning or menus from other eGulleteers focussed of primarily low carb Indian dishes.

I remember Monica had started a thread a few weeks ago on some Atkins diet plans but could not find anything further when I searched for it.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers,

I can surely help. My hubby has lost 40 pounds and i have lost 20 pounds with low carb Indian meals (His cholestrol also dropped by a whopping 30%)!

[deliad]

I'm curious.

Have you been monitoring your blood sugar while you've tried these things, and if so, what impact did they have?

Yes, I have been monitoring my blood sugars. In some cases (besan + buckwheat), the effect was acceptable (but I was still taking my medications during that time). In others, it was not (Corn flour).

I have only stopped taking my medication from last week and yes, I am keeping a record of my BS and will post it here once I get into a routine with this diet so that results of any change are visible

Thanks

[Suvir Saran]

I can surely help. My hubby has lost 40 pounds and i have lost 20 pounds with low carb Indian meals (His cholestrol also dropped by a whopping 30%)!

My brother has lost 74 pounds. And it has now been 3 months since he lost that... in fact he has lost 5 more pounds since. But now he has no extra pounds to lose. He is happy with his weight and looks like he did when he was 18 and the sports captain of our high school.

His waist has gone from 44 inches to 31.5 inches. Blood cholestrol and blood pressure for which he needed medication are both under control without pills now.

He was born vegetarian and unlike me, is totally vegetarian still.

He eats some Indian chinese food... but for the most part, 99.9 % eats only Indian vegetarian meals.

Atkins... nope.... low carb? Nope. He ate moderate quantities of things he enjoyed. Did not let his greed overtake his bodies minimal nutrition needs...and did daily and sweat inducing exercise.

My father has been diabetic for a very long time. The drugs they gave him for his blood sugar did the damage to his liver that resulted in need for a liver transplant. But while he was maintaining his blood sugar through diet and excercise, which he did for close to a decade, he ate Indian vegetarian food and again, hardly worried about low carb, but ate no rice, but moderate amounts of all things he enjoyed. He lost the discipline he had shown for a little over a decade, had to start taking pills to control blood sugar, then came the insulin shots...and then liver failure.

In retrospect, he wishes he had kept himself going with the discipline of eating moderate amounts of all things other than rice that he enjoyed and his regiment of exercise. He may have had different issues to deal with today.

My brother on the other hand has shown tremendous discipline and gallant weight loss efforts and seems to have done it just by reaching a great balance between diet and a strictly followed exercise regiment.

[deliad]

My father has been diabetic for a very long time. The drugs they gave him for his blood sugar did the damage to his liver that resulted in need for a liver transplant. But while he was maintaining his blood sugar through diet and excercise, which he did for close to a decade, he ate Indian vegetarian food and again, hardly worried about low carb, but ate no rice, but moderate amounts of all things he enjoyed. He lost the discipline he had shown for a little over a decade, had to start taking pills to control blood sugar, then came the insulin shots...and then liver failure.

In retrospect, he wishes he had kept himself going with the discipline of eating moderate amounts of all things other than rice that he enjoyed and his regiment of exercise. He may have had different issues to deal with today.

My brother on the other hand has shown tremendous discipline and gallant weight loss efforts and seems to have done it just by reaching a great balance between diet and a strictly followed exercise regiment.

Suvir,

It is always good to hear these success stories. What I am gathering however is that your brother did not any blood sugar issues, so controlling carb was not needed. In your father's case it was probably required.

However, for diabetics it is the main problem. Loosing weight and controlling blood sugars are 2 very different things. Some diabetics may be able to shed the excess pounds by controlled carb intake but I consider that as an added bonus. The priority is to bring blood sugars under control.

I have been convinced of this theory after reading Dr. Bernstein's book. You may visit his website at http://www.diabetes-book.com/

Cheers,

[easyguru]

CONQUEST OF DIABETES BY DIET AND EXERCISE

by Dr. H.B. Chandalia and Ms. Sonal Modi

Is one of the best book on diet planning for Indians with diabetes. Dr Chandalia is one of the acknowledged expert in the field of diabetes in India. He has a clinic in Mumbai where they advise on diet. The book also gives substitutes for many commonly consumed foods.

You can find lot of information here

http://www.diabetes-india.com/template.php...html&title=Home

http://www.diabetes.org.in/

[Suvir Saran]

You are very correct. For my father, when he was trying to work on his blood sugar, through diet, it was not about losing weight, but to avoid having to take pills for blood sugar. He did that successfully for a long time. It was through a regiment that was in equal part about diet and daily exercise. His were the days of no popular diet plans, but still having to worry about having a plan. He did very well, until that one moment when he gave up on exercise and diet, and then had to start taking pills and later insulin.

You are smart to give your attention to diet. I shall look at the link you share. Thanks for posting it.

[deliad]

I can surely help. My hubby has lost 40 pounds and i have lost 20 pounds with low carb Indian meals (His cholestrol also dropped by a whopping 30%)!

Monica,

Please do not forget to help...

[Monica Bhide]

Not at all. I have tons of stuff for you to look at! I will PM you shortly

[tanabutler]

Monica, any chance you could post the material for public viewing? I am curious, as well.

Thank you!

[Monica Bhide]

I did an article on this for LowCarb Energy magazine for October 2004. Its in B&N and Borders so you can see it there.

I hope that helps! I think the mag should be posting the article online in a few weeks as well.