Diabetes UK has launched a new healthy eating guide available in combined English, Urdu, Bengali and Gujarati.

The Enjoy Food guide will help South Asian families with diabetes shop, cook and eat well and take the uncertainty out of cooking with diabetes.

It offers nutritional advice and recipes, as well as suggesting ways to make traditional dishes healthier, such as sprinkling finely chopped coriander seeds on top of lassi for extra flavour. Practical tips on shopping for food, meal planning and healthy swaps are also included.

Eating a healthy balanced diet is key to managing both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, but often traditional Asian recipes are high in fat, salt and sugar, which can mean that blood glucose levels can become unstable.

People from the South Asian community are up to six times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, and are at risk of the condition from an earlier age than the white European community.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you should miss out. By making small changes you can live a healthier lifestyle without even noticing and this can help improve your diabetes management while still allowing you to enjoy your favourite foods.

To find out more about Enjoy Food and request your copy of the guide, visit www.diabetes.org.uk/ enjoyfood

Juliet O’Brien

Diverse communities officer, Diabetes UK