11 Diabetes Management Strategies That Work for Indian Families

2. Choose millets and whole grains instead of white rice

Rice is part of many tiffins and thalis, yet swapping some white rice for millets like bajra, jowar, ragi, or even brown rice can cut post-meal sugar spikes. Recent Indian research highlights traditional grains that slow glucose absorption and add fibre and micronutrients (Economic Times coverage of Pune research). Millets cook differently but lend themselves to rotis, upma, and khichdi. Start small: make a half-and-half mix of rice and millet for dinner or serve millet idli so the taste stays familiar to everyone. Portion control still matters—measure cups rather than freehand serving. Action steps this week: replace one weekly rice meal with a millet-based dish. Teach one tiffin recipe (ragi mudde, bajra rotla, or millet khichdi) to a family member so it becomes part of the regular rotation.