As per World Health Organization (WHO), about 830 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries. As winters intensify, health experts have warned that cold weather triggers hormonal changes, which thereby increase insulin resistance and blood sugar levels.

Amidst this, doctors suggest eating foods that are low in glycemic index, meaning foods that rank on a scale from 0 to 100, where the low end of the scale has foods that have little effect on blood sugar levels. The high end of the scale has foods that have a big effect on blood sugar levels.

Here Are Food Items With Low Glycemic Index That You Can Incorporate In Your Diet

Pumpkin

This bright yellow and orange-coloured vegetable is loaded with fibre and antioxidants and is a great choice for blood sugar regulation. It is high in carbs known as polysaccharides that have the most potential for blood sugar regulation.

Also, pumpkin seeds are loaded with healthy fats and protein, which make them an excellent choice for blood sugar management.

Okra

Okra is a rich source of blood sugar-lowering compounds like polysaccharides and flavonoid antioxidants. Okra seeds are also super beneficial as a natural remedy for diabetes due to their potent blood sugar-lowering properties. Flavonoids like isoquercitrin and quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside in this winter delicacy help reduce blood sugar by inhibiting certain enzymes.

Flaxseeds

Rich in fibre and healthy fats, flaxseeds are a winter delight that keep you warm as well as regulate your blood sugar levels.

According to studies, those with type 2 diabetes consuming around 200 gms of yogurt with flaxseed daily would experience significant reductions in HbA1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar regulation.

Berries

Winter is the best time to spot and eat colourful berries—strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. They are a powerhouse of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—all of which make them an excellent choice for people with blood sugar management issues.

Research says consuming berries along with a high-carb meal significantly reduces postmeal insulin and blood sugar in adults with prediabetes.

Oats

One of the favourite breakfasts across the world, oats and oatmeal is a wonder food for improving your blood sugar levels. It is high in soluble fibre, and so, can significantly reduce blood sugar levels.

In winter, when it becomes difficult to manage weight, oats help in doing that as well.

Eggs

Eggs are among the best sources of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—all of which help in bettering blood sugar regulation.

According to experts, those who are overweight or obese and either prediabetic or have type 2 diabetes should eat at least one egg a day to significantly reduce fasting blood sugar by 4.4 per cent and improve their insulin sensitivity.

From the United States to India, the problem of food-borne diseases is constantly on the rise. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that 402 US foodborne disease outbreaks were caused by marine toxins in fish and shellfish over the last 23 years, and the researchers also revealed that foodborne diseases caused 1,280 illnesses, 96 hospitalizations, and one death.

The research team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education parsed data from the CDC’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (FDOSS) from 2011 to 2023. The data have been provided voluntarily by the local state and health authorities to FDOSS through the CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System since 2009.

Improper storage of fish at uncontrolled temperatures can lead to the formation of histamine, a compound that may trigger allergic reactions in people. It can also promote the production of scombroid toxins by bacteria that contain the highly active enzyme histidine carboxylase. In addition, other marine toxins may originate from algae and accumulate in fish and shellfish through the food chain, occur naturally in certain fish species, or arise from as-yet unidentified sources.

The authors of the study said that marine toxins cause most of the noninfectious outbreaks reported to FDOSS each year. They also wrote, “Marine toxins that cause foodborne illness are tasteless, odorless, resistant to cooking or freezing, and can produce a complex variety of gastrointestinal, neurologic, and neuropsychologic symptoms.” Then added, “Among persons with severe illness resulting from ingestion of marine toxins, cardiovascular and respiratory manifestations can result in hospitalization and death.”

FSSAI Introduces Stricter Quality Checks For Seafood

The contamination through seafood has also compelled the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to bring forth a stricter quality check for them. Recently, India’s food regulator has introduced new safety standards across a wide range of foods, and one of them was seafood, such as prawns.

The draft regulations by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) cover heavy metals, toxins, antibiotic residues, and quality standards for both commonly used foods and emerging edible products, the Times of India reported. The new regulations are expected to come into force on December 1.

Also Read: UK Met Office Warns of 'Pollen Bomb': What Hay Fever Patients Need to Know

Notably, the FSSAI's new safety standards will also apply to a wide range of foods, such as besan or gram flour, edible and cold-pressed seed oils.

In a separate draft notification, the FSSAI proposed quality and safety standards for lesser-used edible oils made from chilli, tomato, muskmelon, and okra seeds as demand rises for cold-pressed oils, seed-based snacks, and plant-based nutrition products.

The draft rules also cover edible seeds such as watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flaxseed sold in raw, roasted, or salted forms, requiring them to be clean and free from insects, fungus, and visible contamination before sale.

As we all know, chronic inflammation is a prolonged response that can last for months or years, leading to disorders. It can lead to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and many more conditions.

Acute inflammation is short-term and promotes healing; chronic inflammation is prolonged and systemic, and it attacks our own system and damages healthy cells.

What Is An Anti-inflammatory Diet?

An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on whole, nutrient-dense foods; fruits and vegetables should be a regular part of this diet. Berries, green leafy veggies, onion, garlic, and carrots are really good at reducing inflammation.

They are a large supply of antioxidants and polyphenols. These antioxidants help in reducing oxidative stress, which is caused by free radicals.

How To Make Meals Healthy

Adding a healthy fat to our everyday diet in moderate quantities. Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseed, walnuts, and salmon, are a good source of good fat. Using unrefined oil can help reduce inflammation.

Consuming whole grains like millets and brown rice. They are rich in dietary fiber, and phytochemicals may have the potential to act in an anti-inflammatory manner. A healthy gut can produce short-chain fatty acids by gut microbiomes, which positively impact inflammation.

Mother Nature has given many spices. Turmeric is the most commonly used spice, and curcumin has been used for a long time because of its active components. Adding them to our meals can make the food even healthier.

Foods That Cause Inflammation

Many foods can also lead to inflammation, such as sugars, refined carbs, processed food, and deep-fried foods, which can increase the inflammation and lead to damage to healthy cells.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Lifestyle Choice

Drinking water and eating regular food can also help. Eating healthy food and at the right time can help us.

In conclusion, eating an anti-inflammatory diet is not about following a lot of rules. It is about making choices that we can stick to. By taking foods that are full of nutrients, we can reduce chronic inflammation and stay healthy for a long time. Anti-Inflammatory eating is a lifestyle choice that can help us feel better and live longer.

Studies have found that fermented foods directly increase the diversity of the gut microbiome, improve blood sugar control, and lower systemic inflammation.

From yogurt to sauerkraut to kimchi and kefir, almost every culture on earth has fermented foods in its traditional cuisines. Fermentation originated naturally, long before human civilization, when wild yeasts and bacteria accidentally encountered sugars, spontaneously triggering chemical transformations.

Now, fermented foods are re-emerging as research is demonstrating their nutritional pros. They are preserved using an age-old process that not only boosts the food's shelf life and nutritional value, but can give your body a dose of healthy probiotics, which are live microorganisms crucial to healthy digestion, according to Dr. David S. Ludwig, a professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Fermented foods are packed with probiotics that serve a plethora of purposes. Other benefits include:

1. Improves immune function
2. Protects against hostile bacteria
3. Improves digestion and absorption of food and nutrients.
4. Produce essential nutrients like vitamins K and B
5. Synthesize short-chain fatty acids
6. Increase bioavailability of iron, zinc, and other minerals

Also read: AI Cannot Replace Doctors, It Can Only Complement, Says Dr Santosh Sivaranjani

What Are Fermented Foods?

Fermented foods are defined as foods or beverages produced through controlled microbial growth and the conversion of food through enzymatic action. These foods are transformed by microbes intentionally, unlike spoiled foods that are altered unintentionally by microbes.

A lot of fermented foods are produced across the globe, including dairy, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Some of the popular ones that are consumed are sourdough bread, kimchi, curd, miso, etc.

When we eat fermented foods, the bacteria survive the digestion and make their way to the small and large intestines, where they secrete beneficial compounds, inhibit intestinal pathogens, and influence the composition of the gut microbiome.

Not all fermented foods contain live microorganisms. Major examples of this are chocolate and coffee.

1. Chocolate is made by fermenting cacao beans with natural yeasts and bacteria, which are killed off when the beans are heated and roasted.
2. Coffee is considered a fermented food because beans typically undergo a fermentation process. The microbes are destroyed when coffee beans are roasted.

The flavor profiles of both chocolate and coffee are influenced by fermentation, leading to the creation of that unique and rich flavour loved by everyone.

“A big part of the reason that chocolate or coffee tastes different is because of the way that it’s fermented in that region and the microbes that are present in that region,” said Chris Damman, a microbiome and nutrition expert and gastroenterologist at the digestive health center at the University of Washington Medical Center.

How To Eat Fermented Foods

Ideally, one or two servings of fermented food should be eaten daily, and new varieties should be tried to gain the full benefits of consuming different types of polyphenols, probiotics, and their by-products.

Fermented foods like kimchi, pickles, and sauerkraut can be relatively high in sodium, so avoid them when on low-sodium diets or with hypertension. Eating too many fermented foods can create problems for those who have a compromised immune system.

For those who are well, look for ways to incorporate fermented foods in your favorite dishes. Here's how:

• While having a burger or stir fry, add a topping of kimchi;
• While eating salad, top it up with sauerkraut sauce;
• If granola or cereal is being eaten, replace milk with kefir.
• Craving a snack? Have a bowl of plain Greek yogurt topped off with fruits instead of junk items.

How to Add Fermented Foods To Your Daily Meals

1. Add kimchi to everyday meals. Kimchi can be used as a side dish in sandwiches, wraps, burgers, rice bowls, or even on a toast for that spicy probiotic boost.
2. Swap regular yogurt with Greek yogurt. There is a wide variety of yogurt available that can be enjoyed by garnishing with fruits and granola.
3. Instead of sugary soft drinks, drink Kombucha- a fermented tea that offers a tangy flavor and refreshing feel.
4. Incorporate fermented soy products like Tempeh and Miso in stir fries, soups, salads, and gain bowls.

Bonus tip: Start with small portions and gradually increase the intake to allow your digestive system to adapt.