What Are the Best Singapore Hawker Food Options for Diabetes?
Takeaways
Not all hawker food in Singapore is bad for diabetes.
The "best" hawker food options for diabetes are high in fiber and protein.
The “worst” hawker food options for diabetes tend to be loaded with 3 things: refined carbohydrates, saturated fat, and sodium.
Eliminating the “worst” hawker foods for diabetes from your diet may not be the most sustainable thing to do. Thankfully, you could make a few tweaks to make them a little better for blood sugar control.
While scoring high on the taste factor, our hawker foods are also notorious 'over-achievers' in their calories, carbohydrates, fat and sodium.
That's terrible news when you have diabetes, but does it mean you should axe out Singapore hawker foods? Thankfully, no.
Not all local food is bad for diabetes.
Continue reading to find out some of the best Singapore hawker food options you can tuck into if you have diabetes.
By the way… while eliminating 'dangerous' foods is always ideal, here at NOVI, we believe that sustainability is the priority for long-term diabetes management. Therefore, there are no absolute 'no-nos' when it comes to foods you can eat.
That’s why we’ve also included tips on how you can modify some of these foods to make them a little better for blood sugar control.
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Best hawker foods in Singapore for diabetes
Thunder Tea Rice
Packed with plenty of vegetables, thunder tea rice provides an exceptionally good amount of dietary fibre.
According to the data from the Health Promotion Board, this dish provides as many as 15 grams of fibre which is more than half of the daily requirement (20-26 grams) for a normal adult!
Dietary fibre plays a critical role in our post-meal blood sugar control. First, it makes you feel fuller, helping to control your carbs intake. Second, it can help to slow down digestion and absorption of glucose.
Better yet, the bright green soup features ground tea leaves and herbs such as mugwort, basil and mint, and nuts.
All these are high in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients known to support our health and immunity.
There is also a good portion of heart-healthy proteins like tofu and peanuts.
You may choose to enjoy this hawker fare with brown rice, which is excellent for individuals with diabetes – thanks to its lower glycemic index (GI).
Glycemic index is a measure of the extent that a specific food raises blood sugar levels after eating. The lower the GI, the smaller the increase in your blood glucose.
Additional tips:
Watch your rice portion, as that can also have a direct effect on your blood sugar. Keep to one fistful each time.
Limit your intake of preserved radish and ikan bilis as they’re high in sodium (ask for less or none).
Sliced Fish Soup (Non-fried)
Fish is a great source of protein. The importance of protein to blood sugar control is often overlooked, and that’s unfortunate.
Apart from being highly satiating, high-protein foods can also help slow down the breakdown of carbohydrates and keep your blood sugar levels more stable post-meal.
Typically, fish soup also comes with quite a generous serving of vegetables (i.e. fibre).
This dish is also lower in carbs and calories than many other noodle dishes (think laksa or mee rebus), making it a suitable choice for individuals who need to control their weight.
What's more, some hawkers also provide the options of brown rice and brown rice bee hoon.
Additional tips:
Ask for less or half rice/noodles.
Top up for extra vegetables and fish if the servings are tiny.
Refrain from consuming the soup, which can be high in sodium.
Yong Tau Foo
With Yong Tau Foo, you can choose from a wide selection of fibre-rich vegetables.
Plus, true to its name, you’ll find plenty of ingredients featuring tofu. As a complete, plant-based protein, tofu (or other soy products) is an excellent source of essential amino acids that are particularly important for vegetarians and vegans.
Besides, tofu is generally lower in saturated fat but higher in fibre than animal proteins. When used to replace animal proteins in your diet, it can help to improve cholesterol levels and promote heart health.
Additional tips:
Choose high-quality protein sources such as egg, tofu and fish paste. Minimise highly processed meats like hotdogs, crab sticks and fish balls.
Limit deep-fried items to only 1 or 2.
Opt for lower GI carbs choices like brown rice, brown rice noodles, and meesua whenever possible.
Have it in clear broth instead of thick gravy as that contains extra starch and sugar, fat and calories.
Economy Rice/ Nasi Padang
This ubiquitous local dish is suitable for people with diabetes because you're in the driver's seat – and can choose healthier options for the side dishes.
To make your meal balanced, choose at least 2 vegetable items, pick 1 to 2 protein sources (meat, seafood, egg, or tofu), and keep the rice portion to about one-quarter of your plate (or one fistful).
Additional tips:
Be mindful of ‘hidden carbs’ in some of those dishes – such as potatoes in the curry, batter coatings for deep-fried foods or even the sweet and sour sauce!
Select dishes that are prepared with healthier cooking methods such as steaming, grilling, or stir-frying. Avoid those with a higher fat content like fried chicken, pork belly, or even eggplants which are usually deep-fried.
Include vegetables of different colours to optimise nutrient intake (e.g. cauliflower, tomatoes, onions).
Ask for less gravy since that contains extra sugar, fat, and sodium.
Chapati
Chapati boasts a higher fibre content as it's made from wholemeal flour, making it also a lower glycemic food.
Another benefit of whole grains is that they retain more important nutrients like vitamins and minerals than refined grains.
It’s also less oily compared to roti prata – this significantly cuts down its saturated fats content. This also means you’ll end up consuming fewer calories.
Additional tips:
Keep to 2 medium pieces at one time.
Pair the chapati with dahl, a curry made of lentils, tomatoes, and chillies. This boosts your meal's fibre and protein content.
If you’d like to receive personalized support and guidance from NOVI’s dietitians and fitness coaches, you may want to check out NOVI Magnum, our comprehensive program to help you take control of diabetes.
Watch out for these hawker foods
Fried Hor Fun
Unsurprisingly, fried hor fun is high in fat – and, therefore, calories.
Worse still, it’s loaded with refined carbohydrates (thanks to its noodles and starchy gravy). One full plate of hor fun has almost double the amount of carbs as a bowl of rice. No wonder it can cause your blood sugar to soar.
Hor fun is also high in sodium.
Excess sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure. Studies(1) show that individuals with diabetes are more likely to be affected by high blood pressure – facing an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Here are a few tweaks that’ll make fried hor fun a bit healthier for those with diabetes:
Pair this dish with an extra plate of vegetables to boost the meal’s fibre content.
Try to scrape off as much gravy as possible before eating.
Share your hor fun with your buddy and only eat half of it.
Satay with Ketupat
The accompanying peanut sauce is quite high in calories and sodium. Then, of course, let's not forget about the ketupat, which is made from steamed white rice.
Steamed white rice has a medium-to-high glycemic index(2); it can cause blood sugar to spike after consumption.
Char-grilled, burnt meats are typically high in advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
Excessive AGEs in our diet intake can cause oxidative stress and damage to cells. Over time, this may be related to the development(3) of insulin resistance, diabetes, and complications associated with diabetes.
Here are a few tips that’ll make this satay with ketupat a little healthier – and more suitable for those with diabetes:
Go easy on the peanut sauce and ketupat.
Remove the burnt part of the meat before eating.
Ask for more cucumbers and onions – or add a plate of vegetables – to make up a more balanced meal.
Nasi Lemak
Nasi Lemak has got to be one of Singapore's most popular foods. But, unfortunately, this local favourite happens to be one of the worst foods for you if you have diabetes.
It features white rice – refined carbohydrates.
Worse still, the rice is cooked with coconut milk, which is high in saturated fat that can raise LDL levels (‘bad’) cholesterol. This, in turn, increases the risk of clogged arteries and heart attacks.
Importantly, saturated fat can also contribute to insulin resistance, a situation where your body is not responding properly to insulin to move the sugar into the cells. As a result, it takes longer for raised blood sugar to come down.
Fried egg, chicken wings, cutlets… these are the usual side-dishes you'd get when ordering nasi lemak. But, unfortunately, they're all packed with saturated fat and calories.
What can you do if you can't imagine life with nasi lemak then? Here are a few tips:
Request for more cucumbers to increase the meal’s fibre content.
Pass on the fried foods and replace them with slightly healthier options such as rendang chicken, boiled egg, petai or cabbage.
Skip or reduce the sambal chilli, which contains extra fat and sodium.
Ask for a smaller portion of rice.
Roti Prata
Roti prata is fried in animal fat (ghee). It’s thus high in saturated fat – which can worsen insulin resistance. Even worse, this oily, crispy fare is also often paired with curry and/or sugar.
Curry adds to the intake of fat, sodium and calorie. Sugar, on the other hand, is a simple carbohydrate source that spikes blood glucose levels.
If you can’t bear to say goodbye to roti prata, here’s how to make it a little healthier:
Use curry and sugar sparingly.
Pair your prata with dahl or fish curry without coconut milk to make your meal more balanced.
Alternatively, instead of plain prata, choose egg or cheese prata to boost your meal’s protein content.
Chicken Rice
Chicken rice contains white rice – a refined carbohydrate.
Very often, it also comes in too massive a portion, translating into excess carbs. It’s also cooked in chicken fat, adding to the saturated fat and calorie count.
Depending on the broth used, the rice can also be worryingly high in sodium. The same concern applies to the accompanying soup.
Also, while the majority of the fats found in chicken skin are saturated fats, eating your chicken with the skin on still adds to the total number of calories you’re consuming.
Make the following adjustments for a ‘healthier’ meal:
Remove some (if you can’t do all) of the chicken skins and visible fat to help save some calories and fat.
Ask for a smaller portion of rice (roughly ¼ of the plate). Better yet, request for steamed rice instead of flavoured rice.
Ask for additional cucumber slices.
Avoid drizzling dark soya sauce over the rice as that adds even more sodium to the meal.
Find out how local fare affects your sugar levels easily
Of course, this article can't cover all the hawker foods good and bad for diabetes.
Although … that begs the question: how can you find out which foods you should eat more of – and which you should avoid, then?
This is where a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), like the Abbott FreeStyle Libre Sensor or Dexcom G6 CGM, come in. A CGM helps you monitor your sugar levels in more-or-less real-time, right as you chomp away on your favourite foods. Read this article if you need help choosing the right CGM for you.
On top of choosing healthier hawker food alternatives, you should not lose sight of the bigger picture of achieving a healthier lifestyle (e.g. becoming more physically active, making wiser nutritional choices, and seeking appropriate treatment) overall.
Need some help with that?
Here’s good news:
You can get expert, personalized guidance and support from NOVI’s dietitians and fitness coaches. From eating and exercise to medication and supplements, our team will develop a holistic treatment plan just for you. You get digital access to your health team via NOVIFY, our mobile app, to make it easier for you to keep on track, tweak your program as you progress, and help you stay motivated.
References
Provenzano, L. F., Stark, S., Steenkiste, A., Piraino, B., & Sevick, M. A. (2014). Dietary Sodium Intake in Type 2 Diabetes. Clinical Diabetes : A Publication of the American Diabetes Association, 32(3), 106–112. https://doi.org/10.2337/diaclin.32.3.106
Henry, J., Quek, R., Kaur, B., Shyam, S., & Kaur, H. (2021). A glycaemic index compendium of non-western foods. Nutrition & Diabetes, 11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-020-00145-w
Vlassara, H., & Uribarri, J. (2014). Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE) and Diabetes: Cause, Effect, or Both? Current Diabetes Reports, 14(1), 453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-013-0453-1
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