If you’ve got diabetes or are concerned with blood sugar, what you eat for breakfast can play a big role in your health. So, if you’re looking to keep blood sugar down and manage your condition, here are some vital tips.
The first is to eat breakfast. Skipping your first meal can lead to overeating in the day—particularly snacking on high-sugar items—and cause blood sugar to get quite low before it’s sent skyrocketing by food choices.
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When meals are spread throughout the day, blood sugar stabilizes and has the potential to improve diabetes and reduce the need for insulin. Of course, that also depends on when you eat, not just what.
To stabilize blood sugar, you’ll ultimately want to make sure breakfasts are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and a variety of macronutrients. Proteins like Greek yogurt, eggs, whey, nuts, and flax seeds work well as fats, and carbohydrates like oats and fruits are optimal.
When you’re getting a variety of macros with your meal, three things are happening. The first is that you’re getting a wide variety of nutrients. The second is that you are more likely to remain full for a longer period. The last is that blood sugar will remain low.
Based on this framework, some good ideas for breakfast include:
Plain Greek yogurt with walnuts, flaxseeds, and strawberries.
Oatmeal, whey protein, blueberries, flaxseeds, nuts
Egg, egg white, pepper, avocado, and whole-wheat breakfast burrito
There is evidence to suggest that flaxseed may help delay the onset of type-2 diabetes and regulate blood sugar. Also, using non-fat yogurt or having a glass of non-fat milk, especially if it’s fortified with vitamin D, may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome.
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Avoiding fruit juice is also a nice little hack to avoid a blood sugar spike. So, instead of reaching for a glass of orange juice, opt for a whole orange instead.
Spiking your coffee or tea with cinnamon could be another way to reduce blood sugar during breakfast. Adding some ground cinnamon to your coffee grounds before brewing, or stirring your tea with a cinnamon stick, could also benefit blood sugar.
Breakfast can play a helpful role in managing diabetes and blood sugar—if you eat it and eat the right things. Give these ideas a try and you could experience lower blood sugar and more!
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
