Consuming only ragi will not control blood sugar in diabetes

To dispel misconceptions regarding diet for diabetes patients, diabetes expert Dr. V. Mohane has provided guidance through a video on his social media page. Rice is a staple food in Indian households, but with increasing awareness of diseases, people are now moving away from rice to use ragi or other millets. According to a report by Indian Express Gujarati, despite ragi being rich in fibre and calcium, merely eating ragi instead of rice will not ensure that diabetes is completely under control.

Dr. V. Mohane clarified that ragi, wheat, rice, and other millets are primarily carbohydrate-containing foods. Choosing one grain over another does not automatically make a dish suitable for diabetes. Although ragi is nutritious, it contains carbohydrates, which means its consumption alone will not prevent blood glucose levels from rising. Blood sugar levels depend on what food you consume and what other dishes you eat alongside it.

The doctor stated that rather than which grain is on the plate, it is more important how much of each food group is being taken. He suggested a proper ratio for diet, stating that half of the plate should consist of leafy green vegetables and non-starchy vegetables. One-fourth part should be protein-rich food such as eggs, fish, paneer, dal, or pulses, while the remaining one-fourth should be kept for ragi, bajra, chapati, or rice.

Generally, Indians fill a large portion of their plate with rice or roti and obtain 65-70 per cent of their calories from carbohydrates, which needs to be changed. According to Dr. Mohane, diabetes patients do not need to completely give up their favourite traditional foods or rice, but they must properly adjust the proportion of the food they eat.