Living with diabetes does not forbid you from enjoying your food. It does however require that you stick to the healthy eating principles of a diet high in fiber, low in harmful fat and highly processed carbohydrates

Carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels directly. They are found in foods from plant sources (as below) in addition to milk and yoghurt:

• grains like wheat, barley, oats, rye and rice
• grain products like flour, pasta, and all dough- based food (pizza, fatayer, tarts, pastries),starchy vegetables like potato, corn, peas and pumpkins
• legumes such as lentils beans chickpeas
• fruits and fruit juices

In order to manage your carb intake, monitor your blood sugar levels before and after the meals and keep an eye on the amount of carb you eat using measuring cups and scale if needed

Visit your dietitians to discuss your blood glucose readings and your food diary. Together you can determine the right amount of carb for you at each meal and snack

Once you establish these amounts the frequency of blood glucose reading decreases

With practice you will be able to estimate the carbohydrate amount of your meals and can go back to enjoy healthy meals outside home

Remember to include fresh and/or cooked vegetables in your daily diet. They provide you with a lot of nutrients, make you feel full with minimal impact on your blood sugar

It is also advisable to reduce your intake of saturated fat (fatty meat and full fat dairy and cheese, butter, ghee, coconut oil and palm oil) and trans fat (biscuits, baked snacks, pastries).