Can adding almonds to your curd rice lower your blood sugar?

But nuts have this incredible ability to put the brakes on that whole process. They slow down how fast your body processes all those carbs, taming your sugar spike.

How Do Nuts Work?

Let’s say you’re having curd rice for lunch. Within 30 minutes, you’d feel energetic but by the 90-minute mark, you’d be ready for a nap. Now add a handful of mixed nuts to that same meal. Your blood sugar rises much more gently and stays steady for hours. The nuts are literally slowing down how fast your body breaks down the rice. The healthy fats are telling your brain, “You’re satisfied, no need to look for more food yet.”

Which Nuts Should You Choose?

Almonds are superstars. Just a handful eaten with your meal can cut your blood sugar spike by almost 30%. They’re loaded with magnesium, which helps your body use insulin better. Walnuts don’t just help you with your current meal – they actually make your next meal easier on your blood sugar too. So, if you have walnuts with lunch, even your evening snack won’t hit you as hard.

Pistachios might be small but they’re incredibly powerful. Studies show they can take something like white bread and completely change how your body reacts to it.

Cashews and peanuts (technically a legume but works the same way) are easily available and affordable. They’ve got that perfect mix of protein and healthy fats that slows everything down.

Which Nuts Go With What Foods

For breakfast, when you’re having upma, poha, or parathas, almonds are your best friend because they’re mild enough not to overpower your morning flavors and that magnesium really helps kickstart your metabolism. Lunch is when you want the heavy hitters – go for a mix of almonds and pistachios. For dinner, when you’re typically having lighter carbs like khichdi, curd rice, or roti with sabzi, walnuts are ideal. They will make even your late-night snack cravings much more manageable, plus they have compounds that can help with sleep quality. Peanuts are versatile, work with everything and won’t break the bank.

How Much and When to Have Them

The sweet spot is about a small handful of nuts, roughly what fits in your palm. That’s around 20-30 grams. You can either have them 10-15 minutes before your meal or just eat them along with your food. Both work great. Having them with your meal is probably easier to remember and just as effective.

Even though nuts are calorie-dense, people who do this consistently often find it easier to maintain their weight. Why? Because when your blood sugar stays steady, you’re not constantly fighting cravings or overeating at your next meal.

(Dr Khamesra is clinical dietician)