Eat right, live right

Learning to control your hunger can be a task when you just had breakfast and your stomach is already growling for lunch. But if you eat more, your health will go for a toss.

Blood sugar fluctuating and low energy plus weight gain will be a common occurrence if you indulge in this. So let’s add food that will help prevent this.

The Roman gladiators ate barley before a fight as it gave energy for a longer time. The oldest known grain mentioned in the Ayurvedas is “Jav” and it is low on the glycemic index and has the highest fibre content of all the whole grains.

Eating cooked pearled barley is as good as having six grams of fibre per cup. Serve it as a side dish or as in ingredient in a salad or soup or simply make your rotis with it to feel full for a longer time.

For those of us, who use coconut consistently one of the most noticeable changes is the ability to go for several hours without eating and to feel hungry without having symptoms of hypoglycemia and erratic blood sugar swings.

Consuming coconut regularly restores thyroid function, relieving hypothyroidism and actually increases the metabolic rate leading to weight loss. Include it in your diet whether it is in the form of soups, chutneys, stews or just a garnish.

A dollop of ghee keeps you satisfied for a longer time so cook your food in it, pour it on your rice and spread it on your roti.

A carrot, in addition to filling you up, is an excellent source of beta-carotene. They are not high in sugar because their glycemic load is low and have a little impact on blood glucose levels.

The fibre in it keeps you full for a very long time. Carrots can be chopped and added to your salads, grated and served as a garnish or simply munched on with a dash of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and chilli powder.

A serving of beans, lentils or chickpeas delivers the right feel-full combo of lean protein, complex carbs and good fats.

Eating these legumes can keep blood sugar stable and this means getting a full feeling and keeping it like that.

Good quality carbohydrates like brown basmati rice, pearl millet (Bajri), are the way to go to keep you full for a longer time. So change the quality and quantity of your rice or grain.

Small will go a long way instead of heaps thus cutting out your calories and sugar due to the low glycemic index.

Peanuts are the go-to snack to munch on when you are bored as they have heart-healthy fats, which keeps you satiated.

Eating about 30 grammes of peanuts, which is a small handful, between lunch and dinner can stave off that 5 pm energy dip, helping you avoid any sugar cravings.

Pomegranate and strawberries are fruits that are rich in antioxidants and should be consumed as they help satisfy your sugar cravings and control your hunger pangs.

I always tell people that water provides an instant energy. If you are feeling tired or lethargic, a glass of water will often bring you back to life.

So lots of times it’s not hunger but a thirst that confuses you into binge eating. If you think of water this way, you’ll want to drink it all day.

So let us prevent any binge eating episodes and learn to control your weight and blood sugar levels by eating smart and super foods that are produced locally.