Diabetic Breakfast: Start Your Day Right

Healthful Vitality | 08/20/2021 | By NP Team | Diabetic Breakfast: Start Your Day Right

An adequate level of glucose level is essential to stay energetic during the day. However, it is lowest in the morning due to night-long fasting. Thus, a diabetic breakfast is a right time to pack a body with calories and eat complex carbs that provide consistent energy during the day.

Studies show that high-energy breakfast, and low-energy dinner are the right way forward for diabetic people. Such kind of approach helps prevent episodes of upsurges in blood glucose levels after food.

Choose low glycemic index foods

Choose food items that are high in energy and yet do not cause glucose spikes is challenging for those living with diabetes. One of the reliable approaches is to consume complex carbs. These are food items that contain an adequate number of carbs that release glucose slowly. These are foods with a low glycemic index.

To make food choices straightforward for diabetics, researchers recommend referring glycemic index of foods. Food items with a glycemic index below 55 are good. One should avoid foods with a score of above 70.

Here are some helpful diabetic breakfast tips:

Eggs:

Eggs are low in carbs, with a good number of proteins. Generally, two eggs a day are adequate. One can eat them boiled or even fried. Preparing an omelet by adding lots of veggies to it may be an excellent idea.

Dairy products:

A glass of skimmed or even whole milk is fine. Eating Greek yogurt with added nuts is a good idea. However, avoid commonly available flavored yogurts, as most of them have added sugars.

Choose cereals carefully:

Most cereals are moderately high in the glycemic index; thus, they are fit for consumption in small amounts. However, processed grains are a big no. So, avoid white bread. But sweet corn, tortilla, some types of pasta may be good. Oats and barley also can keep blood glucose low.

Most fruits are good to consume:

Apples, citrus fruits like oranges, are all good as they are low in glycemic index. However, some high glycemic index fruits are also fine to eat, as they are low in total carb content (glycemic load). Additionally, fruits are rich in other phytocompounds.

Prepare low carb beverages:

Milk-based smoothies or those using Greek yogurt are good, so are fresh juices. However, packed juices are a big no, as most of them have fast-absorbing sugars. Drinking your regular cup of coffee or tea without sugar or with sugar substitutes is fine.

Include a whole lot of nuts:

Nuts are not just good for healthy snacking, but good for breakfast, too. Most nuts are amazingly low in glycemic index, high in proteins, high-quality fats, and omega-3 fatty acids.

More berries:

As berries are not just a good source of nutrition, they are abundant in beneficial phytocompounds, vitamins, antioxidants. Regular consumption of berries may help prevent diabetic complications.

Veggies and lean meat:

Though most do not enjoy veggies or lean meat (chicken, turkey) in breakfast, they are good to consume. Seafood is also fit for diabetic breakfast.

When living with diabetes, the goal is not just to keep blood glucose low. One also has to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications like vascular diseases, neuropathies. Thus, food has to be wholesome and yet low in fast-absorbing carbs.