A perfect diet for diabetes control! Let's learn about (Consistent Carbohydrate Diet - CCHO)

Do you have diabetes? Then you probably know very well that you need to be very careful about what you eat. Especially about the carbohydrates we eat, that is, foods containing starch and sugar. Sometimes we think that the best thing for diabetes is to completely eliminate carbohydrates from our diet. But in fact, carbohydrates are indispensable for giving our body energy. The most important thing is to control them. Today we are talking about a special diet that is very important for people with diabetes, especially Type 2 Diabetes, and helps keep blood sugar levels at the same level. This is called the 'Consistent Carbohydrate Diet' or the CCHO Diet for short.

Simply put, what is this CCHO?

This name may sound like a big, complicated thing. But it's a very simple concept. Your doctor may have called it a 'constant carbohydrate' or 'controlled carbohydrate' diet.

Simply put, CCHO means keeping the amount of carbohydrates in your main meals as constant as possible, every day.

Imagine, if you ate 60 grams of carbohydrates this morning, you would try to eat the same amount tomorrow morning and the next morning. You would also keep the amount you eat at lunch the same day. The main goal of this is to keep your blood sugar, or glucose, level stable and at the same level, without sudden spikes and drops. When blood sugar is controlled in this way, many of the side effects of diabetes can be prevented.

What types of carbohydrates do we eat?

When we think of carbohydrates, we often think of things like rice and bread, but there are three main types of carbohydrates. It is important to have a little understanding of these.

How many carbohydrates per day?

This is the most important question. Under the CCHO method, you should talk to your doctor or nutritionist/dietitian to determine exactly how many carbohydrates you need per day. It depends on many factors, such as your age, weight, physical activity, and diabetes status.

For example, let's say your doctor has advised you to eat about 185 grams of carbohydrates per day. We can divide that into three main meals like this:

• Breakfast: 65 grams of carbohydrates
• Lunch: 60 grams of carbohydrates
• Dinner: 60 grams of carbohydrates

This way, when you eat close to these amounts every day, it becomes much easier to control your blood sugar levels.

What are the advantages of this CCHO system?

You will gain several benefits by following this diet.

1. Stabilizes blood sugar levels: This is the biggest benefit. Since blood sugar does not go up and down suddenly, things like discomfort and fatigue are reduced.

2. Reduced need for medication: Research has found that one of the best ways to control blood sugar in people with diabetes is to limit carbohydrates. By controlling your diet in this way, you may be able to reduce the amount of insulin you need. With the advice of your doctor, some people may be able to stop taking insulin altogether over time.

3. No side effects: Some medications for diabetes can have minor side effects. But since this is a natural diet, if you do it the way it suits you, there will be no side effects.

Shall we look at some example recipes?

These recipes are just to give you an idea. You can adapt them to your taste and what is easily available in Sri Lanka.

Breakfast: Oats with strawberries and almonds

This is a great nutritious meal to start the day.

• Rolled Oats - 1 cup (not quick cooking)
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
• A few strawberries (chopped)
• Slivered almonds - 1 ounce (slightly toasted)
• Total carbohydrate amount: about 33 grams

How to make:

Bring water, oats, and salt to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 2 minutes. Now place the oats in a bowl and top with the chopped strawberries and toasted almonds.

Lunch: A lettuce roll

This is an easy, healthy meal to take to the office or to work.

• Low-sodium deli ham - 1.5 ounces
• Low-salt cheese - 1/2 ounce
• Mashed avocado - 1/4
• Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
• A large lettuce leaf (Bibb lettuce)
• Boiled egg whites - 2
• Unsalted roasted almonds - 12
• A green apple
• 3 baby carrots
• Total carbohydrate amount: about 35 grams

How to make:

Place the ham, cheese, and mashed avocado on top of the lettuce leaf and roll it up tightly. Serve this roll with boiled egg whites, almonds, apple, and carrots.

Dinner: Chicken and mushrooms with balsamic vinegar

This is a delicious meal for four people.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast - 450 grams (1 pound)
• Olive oil - a tablespoon
• Bread flour - 1/4 cup
• Margarine (trans fat-free) - 1 tablespoon
• Chopped button mushrooms (white mushrooms) - 280 grams
• Pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Balsamic vinegar - 1/3 cup
• Low-salt chicken broth - 1/2 cup
• Carbohydrate amount per person: about 12 grams

How to make:

Place the chicken breast pieces in a polythene bag and pound them lightly with a mallet to make them a little thinner. Now coat the chicken pieces on both sides with breadcrumbs. Heat a little olive oil in a pan, add the chicken pieces and fry for 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Now add the margarine to the same pan and melt it. Add the mushrooms and pepper powder to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes. Now add the balsamic vinegar and boil until the liquid has evaporated. Then add the chicken broth and cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add the previously fried chicken pieces to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes.

Diabetes, carbohydrates, CCHO diet, food control, blood sugar, Consistent Carbohydrate Diet, food for diabetes