If you have diabetes or someone in your family has it, you know the problem. Every meal feels like a maths problem. You think – will this food raise my sugar? Can I eat this roti? Is rice completely bad? This worry is real. But there is good news. Indian millets are here to help you. Millets are old grains. Our grandmothers used them.
Then we forgot them. Now doctors and food experts say – eat millets for diabetes. This article will give you simple Indian millet recipes for diabetes. Just real food that tastes good and keeps your sugar low.
Why Millets Are Good for Diabetes ?
Before we go to recipes, you need to know one thing. Not all grains are same. Rice and white flour raise sugar fast. Why? Because your body breaks them quickly. Sugar goes inside blood very fast. Then you feel hungry again. Millets work different. Millets have fibre. Fibre is like a slow worker. It takes time to break. So sugar goes inside blood slowly. Your sugar stays steady. You also feel full for long time. This is very important for diabetes.
Another good thing – millets have magnesium. Magnesium helps your body use its own insulin better. Many Indian people with diabetes have low magnesium. Eating millets fills that gap. Also millets do not cause sudden hunger. You eat one millet meal and you do not want to eat again after one hour. This helps control weight. And weight control is big part of diabetes control.
But one warning. Millets are not a magic medicine. You still have to eat right amount. Too much of anything is bad. Even millets. So eat in proper portion. Use these recipes as one meal of your day. Not all three meals. Talk to your doctor before big change. Now let us see the best Indian millets for diabetes.
Read More: Healthy Indian Soups for Dinner: 10 Best Vegetarian Recipes to Stay Fit
Three Best Indian Millets for Diabetes – Names You Know
You do not need to remember hard names. Just know these three. You will find them in any Indian shop.
Ragi – Also called finger millet. It is dark brown. Ragi has most calcium among all grains. Very good for bones. Many older people with diabetes also have bone pain. Ragi solves two problems. It controls sugar and makes bones strong. Ragi is also very cheap.
Jowar – White millet. Very common in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Jowar roti is famous. Jowar has high fibre. It keeps stomach clean. For diabetes, jowar is top choice because it does not change taste much. You can eat jowar roti like normal roti.
Bajra – Black or grey millet. Very common in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Bajra is heavy. It gives energy for long time. But bajra is also hot in nature. In summer, eat less. In winter, eat more. Bajra is good for people who feel hungry all the time.
Now you know the grains. Let us make actual food. I will give you four easy Indian millet recipes for diabetes. Each recipe is tested. Each recipe is simple. No need for special kitchen tools.
Recipe One – Ragi Dosa for Diabetes
Dosa is favourite food of India. But normal dosa is made from rice and urad dal. Rice raises sugar. So we change it. We make ragi dosa. Ragi dosa is dark brown. It tastes little different. But after two times, you will like it.
Ingredients you need
- Ragi flour – one big cup
- Urad dal – half small cup
- Fenugreek seeds (methi) – one small spoon
- Salt – as per taste
- Water – as needed
- Oil – little bit for making dosa
How to make ragi dosa?
- First step – soak urad dal and methi seeds in water for four hours. Do not soak ragi flour. Ragi flour is ready flour. If you soak ragi flour, it becomes very hard.
- Second step – after four hours, put urad dal and methi in mixer. Make smooth paste. Use little water. Do not make too watery.
- Third step – take a big bowl. Put ragi flour. Add urad dal paste. Add salt. Mix with your hand. Now add water slowly. Make batter like normal dosa batter. Not too thick. Not too thin.
- Fourth step – keep this batter in warm place for six to seven hours. Cover with lid. The batter will ferment. Fermentation is good. It makes dosa soft and easy to digest.
- Fifth step – after fermentation, stir batter once. Heat a tawa. Put one small spoon oil. Spread oil. Now take one ladle batter. Pour on tawa. Spread in circle. Make dosa thin.
- Sixth step – put few drops oil on sides. Cook until bottom side becomes brown. Then flip. Cook other side for one minute. Your ragi dosa is ready.
Eat this dosa with fresh coconut chutney. Do not eat with potato filling. Potato is not good for diabetes. This dosa will not raise your sugar fast. You can eat two dosas for breakfast.
Recipe Two – Jowar Roti for Diabetes
Roti is everyday food in north India. Normal roti is made from wheat. Wheat is better than rice. But jowar is even better than wheat. Jowar roti is little hard to make. But with practice, you will learn. This roti keeps sugar very low.
Ingredients you need
- Jowar flour – two big cups
- Warm water – one cup
- Salt – one small spoon
- Oil – one small spoon
How to make jowar roti
- First step – take jowar flour in a big plate. Add salt. Mix well.
- Second step – add warm water little by little. Keep mixing with your fingers. The dough will come together. Jowar dough is different from wheat dough. It is more soft and little sticky.
- Third step – add one small spoon oil to dough. Knead for five minutes. Then cover with wet cloth. Let it rest for fifteen minutes.
- Fourth step – now take a plastic sheet or banana leaf. Put on your rolling board. Take small ball of dough. Put on plastic sheet. Put another plastic sheet on top. Now press with your hand. Slowly make round shape. Do not use rolling pin. Jowar roti breaks with rolling pin. Use your hand only.
- Fifth step – remove top sheet. Lift roti carefully. Put on hot tawa. Cook one side for one minute. Then flip. Cook other side. Then put roti directly on flame. Use tongs. Roti will puff. Cook for few seconds.
Your jowar roti is ready. Eat with green vegetable or dal. Do not eat with aloo sabzi. One or two rotis are enough for one meal.
Recipe Three – Bajra Khichdi for Diabetes
Khichdi is comfort food of India. Normal khichdi uses rice. Rice is not good. So we use bajra. Bajra khichdi is thick and heavy. You will feel full for four to five hours. This is very good for diabetes because you will not eat snacks in between.
Ingredients you need
- Bajra – half cup
- Moong dal (without skin) – half cup
- Onion – one small (chopped)
- Tomato – one small (chopped)
- Ginger – one small piece
- Turmeric powder – half small spoon
- Cumin seeds – one small spoon
- Green chilli – one or two
- Salt – as per taste
- Ghee – one small spoon
- Water – four cups
How to make bajra khichdi?
- First step – wash bajra and moong dal together. Wash two times. Then soak in water for two hours. This is very important. Bajra is hard grain. Without soaking, it will not cook well.
- Second step – after two hours, throw the water. Keep bajra and dal aside.
- Third step – take a pressure cooker. Put ghee. Heat it. Add cumin seeds. When cumin cracks, add chopped onion. Fry until onion becomes soft.
- Fourth step – add ginger and green chilli. Fry for one minute. Add tomato. Fry until tomato becomes soft.
- Fifth step – add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
- Sixth step – add soaked bajra and moong dal. Mix everything. Add four cups water. Close pressure cooker lid.
- Seventh step – cook on medium flame. Wait for three whistles. Then lower the flame. Cook for five more minutes. Then turn off gas. Let pressure go down by itself.
Open lid. Your bajra khichdi is ready. It will look thick like porridge. Eat hot. You can add one spoon ghee on top. This khichdi is a full meal. Do not eat anything else with it. Very good for dinner time.
Recipe Four – Ragi and Jowar Mixed Upma
Upma is south Indian breakfast. Normal upma is made from sooji. Sooji is not very bad. But millet upma is better. This mixed upma uses ragi and jowar both. You get benefits of two millets together.
Ingredients you need
- Ragi flour – half cup
- Jowar flour – half cup
- Onion – one small (chopped)
- Mustard seeds – half small spoon
- Curry leaves – few
- Green chilli – one
- Peanuts – one small spoon
- Carrot – one small (chopped small)
- Beans – two (chopped small)
- Water – two cups
- Salt – as per taste
- Oil – one small spoon
How to make mixed millet upma?
- First step – mix ragi flour and jowar flour in a bowl. Dry mix is fine.
- Second step – heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When mustard pops, add peanuts. Fry until peanuts become light brown.
- Third step – add curry leaves, green chilli, onion. Fry until onion becomes soft.
- Fourth step – add carrot and beans. Fry for two minutes.
- Fifth step – add water and salt. Bring water to boil.
- Sixth step – when water boils, lower the flame. Now slowly add mixed flour into water. Keep stirring with one hand. Do not stop stirring. Otherwise lumps will form.
- Seventh step – keep stirring until water is soaked and mixture becomes thick like upma. This takes three to four minutes.
- Eighth step – cover pan with lid. Cook on very low flame for two minutes.
Your millet upma is ready. Eat warm. This upma is very filling. Eat for breakfast or evening snack.
What to Eat With These Millets – Simple Sides
You cannot eat dry roti or dosa. You need something on side. Here are diabetes friendly sides.
- Coconut chutney – Take fresh coconut, green chilli, ginger, salt. Grind with little water. No need for tamarind or dal.
- Tomato chutney – Take two tomatoes. Cut. Put in pan with one green chilli. Cook until soft. Grind with salt.
- Green vegetable – Cook lauki, tori, bhindi, or cabbage. Use less oil. No potato. No sweet corn.
- Dal – Simple moong dal or masoor dal. Do not put sugar or jaggery.
You May Also Read: High Protein Vegetarian Meals for Gym: Indian Recipes and Plans
Important Tips for Eating Millets in Diabetes
Do not make these mistakes. Many people start eating millets but do not see benefit. Here is why.
First tip – Do not eat millets three times a day. Even good food becomes bad if you eat too much. Eat millets once a day. Other meals can have normal roti or salad.
Second tip – Do not add sugar or jaggery to millet recipes. Some people make ragi sweet porridge. That is bad for diabetes. Sweet is sweet. Even natural sweet is not good.
Third tip – Drink enough water when eating millets. Millets have high fibre. Without water, fibre can cause stomach blockage. Drink two glasses of water after millet meal.
Fourth tip – Check your sugar after eating millets. Every body is different. Some people see good control. Some see little change. Check after one hour and two hours. Write in a diary.
Fifth tip – Start with small amount. First week, eat only half roti or half bowl khichdi. See how your body reacts. Then increase slowly.
One Week Plan to Start Millets
Do not change everything in one day. Here is simple plan.
- Monday – Ragi dosa for breakfast
- Tuesday – Jowar roti for lunch
- Wednesday – Bajra khichdi for dinner
- Thursday – Mixed millet upma for breakfast
- Friday – Jowar roti for lunch
- Saturday – Ragi dosa for breakfast
Sunday – Bajra khichdi for dinner
Keep other meals same as before. After one month, you will see change. Your sugar spikes will be less. Your hunger will be less. Your weight may also come down little bit.
Final Words
You do not need expensive food. You do not need foreign grains. Indian millets are sitting in shops. They are cheap. They are healthy. Our grandparents ate millets and lived long. Then we switched to rice and white flour. Now we have diabetes problem. It is time to go back.
Do not try to make perfect millet dish on first day. Your first roti may break. Your first dosa may stick. That is okay. Keep trying. After one week, you will learn. Your sugar will thank you.
Talk to your family doctor. Show him this article. Ask him if millets are good for you. Most doctors will say yes. Then start with one recipe. Eat it for three days. See how you feel. If you feel good, add second recipe.
Remember one thing – diabetes is not a small problem. But it is also not a curse. You can live normal life. You can eat tasty food. You just need to choose right food. Millets are right food. Start today. Make ragi dosa tomorrow morning. Your body will feel the difference.
Common Questions People Ask
Can I eat millets every day?
Yes. But one time per day is enough. Rotate between ragi, jowar and bajra. Do not eat same millet every day.
Are millets better than wheat?
For diabetes, yes. Millets have more fibre and lower glycemic index than wheat. But wheat is also okay. Do not completely stop wheat. Mix both.
Can I make millet rice?
Some people make millet rice using foxtail millet or little millet. But those are not common in every shop. Stick to ragi, jowar, bajra. They are easy to find.
Will millets reduce my diabetes medicine?
Do not stop medicine without doctor. Millets help control sugar. But they are food, not medicine. Keep taking your medicine. Tell your doctor that you started eating millets.
My family does not like millet taste. What to do?
Mix millet flour with wheat flour. Start with 20 percent millet and 80 percent wheat. Slowly increase millet to 50 percent. Taste changes slowly. Family will accept.
