Garden Eggs And Cucumber, Best Snacks For Diabetics, Says Dietician

Hajiya Jummai Abdul, a dietician with Wuse Hospital, Abuja, said on Friday that garden eggs and cucumbers were the best snacks for diabetics. Abdul told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that diabetic patients suffered because they were ignorant and as such, did not know the exact diet to take. Patients should take all classes of nutrients including carbohydrate, protein, mineral, vitamins and vegetables such as green, pumpkin leaf, spinach, and steamed cabbage. ’’She, however, warned that it was important to apply limitation in the consumption of the items. The quantity of food to be taken by a patient depends on the Body Mass Index (IBM) of an individual and the blood sugar level. In most cases, the ratio of meal is 2:1; two portions of vegetable and one portion of food is ideal for patients,’’ she said. Abdul advised that food and vegetables should be measured with standard peak milk container after cooking to obtain adequate quantity. She also said that there should be an interval of four to five hours between each meal. If the patient is hungry, he should go for garden egg and cucumber which serve as the best snacks for him. Patients should have their breakfast at least by 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 a. m., lunch at 1.00 p.m. and dinner at 7.00 p.m,’’ she said. Abdul warned patients against the consumption of pastries, alcoholic and soft drinks, as well as fatty, sugary and fried foods. She also said that other prohibited meals for diabetics include sweet fruits, sweet confectioneries and pepper soup. Abdul recommended a little quantity of unripe paw-paw and grape which, she noted, cannot increase patient’s blood sugar level. She stressed that treatment duration varied from individual to individual, saying that it was necessary for patients to understand what, how, when and why they should eat certain food. `In most cases, when the sugar level of a patient drops, he must have understood the doctor well and adhered to instructions on what to do,'' the dietician said. Abdul, however, said that the patients’ health condition would improve at least in six months, if properly managed. (NAN)