How to limit rice and wheat to one-fifth of your plate? Here’s a guide

How to manage rice and wheat

Rice: Limit rice to 1-2 servings per day. One serving is approximately half a cup of cooked rice. This portion control helps keep your carbohydrate intake in check while allowing room for other nutrients.

Wheat: Wheat is commonly consumed as chapati or bread, so limit your intake to 1-2 chapatis per meal. Each chapati is roughly equivalent to half a cup of cooked rice in carbohydrate content.

How to reduce over-consumption

If you find that rice and wheat dominate your diet, here are steps to reduce their intake.

1. Measure portions: Start by measuring your usual portion sizes and gradually reduce them. Use smaller plates to make portions look larger.

2. Increase vegetable intake: Fill one-third of your plate with non-starchy vegetables like spinach, broccoli and carrots. These vegetables are low in calories and starch and high in fibre, making them an excellent choice for maintaining a healthy weight and managing blood sugar levels. This helps reduce the space for carbs from grains while boosting fibre and nutrient intake.

3. Choose wholegrains: Opt for brown rice or whole wheat as they have more fibre and nutrients, helping you feel full longer.

Building the Habit

Forming new dietary habits takes time and consistency. Here’s how to make the transition smoother.

1. Plan meals in advance: This ensures a balanced intake of all food groups.

2. Cook at home: This allows you to control ingredients, portions and experiment with different recipes that emphasise vegetables and lean proteins.

3. Mindful eating: Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues. Eat slowly and savour each bite, which can help prevent overeating.

Alternatives to Rice and Wheat

Millets are a nutritious alternative and incorporating them into your diet is easier than you might think. They are high in fibre, protein, and essential minerals.

1. Start gradually: Introduce millets like pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi) and foxtail millet (kangni) slowly. Replace one meal a day with a millet-based dish.

2. Millet Recipes: Experiment with recipes like millet khichdi, upma, and dosa. These dishes can be both tasty and satisfying.

3. Millet Flour: Use millet flour to make bhakri roti or mix it with wheat flour to gradually reduce wheat consumption.

Reducing and Replacing Rice and Wheat

Just follow these strategies:

1. Blend grains: Mix millets with rice or wheat initially. For example, cook rice with equal parts of foxtail millet to create a balanced dish.

2. Millet-based breakfasts: Start your day with a ragi porridge or bajra roti. This sets a healthy tone for the rest of the day.

3. Snack smart: Choose millet-based snacks such as puffed millet, millet-based energy bars or millet cookies instead of rice or wheat-based snacks.