Breakfast options for diabetic patients

Skipping breakfast in the morning isn’t in the charts for diabetic patients. It doesn’t just prevent overeating but also regulates blood sugar levels. A quick breakfast is usually highly processed and packaged, containing high sugar content but this doesn’t work in favour for diabetics. For all the mornings when you’re running late for work, there are quick and healthy breakfasts for diabetics with a low glycemic index. 

What to eat for breakfast when you have diabetes?

Boosting energy, preventing overeating, reducing chances of insulin resistance and regulating blood sugar levels is exactly what a good breakfast for a diabetic does. 

Here, are some ingredients that you could incorporate in your breakfast - 

1. Eggs
2. Moong Dal 
3. Finger millet (ragi)
4. Fenugreek (methi)
5. Tofu or cottage cheese
6. Plain greek yoghurt
7. Sprouts 
8. Herbs and spices like turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, oregano and cloves
9. Flaxseeds and chia seeds
10. Berries 
11. Avocado
12. Fatty fish

Tips for a diabetes-friendly breakfast

For your next morning’s breakfast, these tips will help you make it diabetes approved  -

1. Choose lean protein - For a healthy breakfast for diabetics, choose lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs and tofu while avoiding red meats.
2. Moderation - Regardless of where your meal rests on the health charts, moderate eating is the key because too much of anything has counter effects on the body.
3. Add in veggies - Non-starchy veggies like tomatoes, onions, peppers and leafy greens have a multitude of nutrients to add to your breakfast. 
4. Seek for fibre - Fibre plays multiple roles when it comes to diabetic breakfast options, like satiety, regulating blood sugar levels and slowing digestion. Whole grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds are great sources of fibre. 
5. Include healthy fats - Although, we tend to push out fats from our diet, healthy fats like avocado, canola oil, olive oil, nuts, seeds and fatty fish are essential to complete our diet. 
6. Avoid processed food - Sugary cereals, white bread, candies, packaged snacks and sugary beverages lead to a hike in blood sugar levels and must be avoided at every cost for a healthy breakfast for diabetics. 
7. Portion out - Use the classic portion method of filling ½ of the plate with non-starchy vegetables, ¼ with carbohydrates and other ¼ with lean protein. You can incorporate a teaspoon of healthy fats. 

Health diabetes-friendly recipes

Finally, these are choices of breakfast for a diabetic that can be easily made at home: 

1. Smoothies - These include berry and banana smoothies, avocado smoothies and green smoothies with kale and spinach. To add a twist of flavour and nutrition, you can add oats, greek yoghurt, nuts, seeds, ginger and cinnamon to them. 
2. Moong dal chilla - Using moong dal makes up a healthy breakfast for diabetic individuals because it regulates digestion, reduces cholesterol levels and maintains blood sugar levels. Add in your favourite bunch of spices to the chilla batter and cook it to perfection.
3. Veggie Omelette - Chop in veggies like peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach to add to your omelette mix for a fibrous and high-protein meal. 
4. Greek yoghurt - Top low-fat greek yoghurt with berries, nuts and seeds to refresh your body as it lowers your blood sugar levels.
5. Toasts - Avocado and egg toasts are highly nutritious and add up a lot of protein to your diet, keeping you full for long. You can switch the eggs with grilled tofu as well. 
6. Quinoa bowl - If you’re a fruit lover, chop your favourite slices and rest them on top of cooked quinoa with a garnish of cinnamon powder, nuts and seeds. 

Nutritional needs of diabetic patients

It is important to understand glycemic index when it comes to diabetic meals. Glycemic index is basically how quickly a food item can make your blood sugar rise. Hence, for diabetic individuals, a low glycemic index is recommended so that the food takes longer to digest, gradually raising blood sugar levels. 

The best breakfast for diabetics always contains a low content of carbohydrates, sugar and salt. High-content of non-starchy vegetables, protein and fibre keeps you satiated for longer and maintains blood sugar levels too. Healthy fats and carbs with low-glycemic content should be moderately consumed. Eating nutrient-dense foods with minimal processed content usually does the job. 

Customising breakfast options

According to the type of diet you’re pursuing, breakfast for a diabetic can be customised into - 

1. Low-carb diet - Green smoothie with kale and spinach, veggie omelette, greek yoghurt with berries, keto upma and moong dal chilla 
2. Low-fat diet - Oatmeal, egg white omelette, low-fat breakfast burritos, vegetable upma and poha
3. Plant-based diet - Tofu scramble, chia seed pudding, quinoa breakfast bowl, avocado toasts, vegetable dalia and methi thepla 
4. Gluten-free diet - Vegetable frittata, smoothie bowl, quinoa dosa and masala oats
5. Mediterranean diet - Mediterranean breakfast salad, mediterranean breakfast wrap, mediterranean veggie omelette, whole grain toast and greek yoghurt parfait

Monitoring and adjusting

Once you’ve regulated your breakfast selection according to your diabetic condition, there are certain monitoring and adjusting techniques you should consider - 

1. Blood sugar monitoring - Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly and see how your lifestyle and dietary changes are affecting it. 
2. Balanced meal planning - Most of us don’t attend to our meals as we should because of the increasingly daily lifestyle. It is better if we plan meals beforehand so that every nutrient finds its place in the diet. 
3. Carbohydrate counting - If your blood sugar levels are heightened, it is carbs that are probably responsible for it. So, calculating your carbohydrate intake and managing their portion size can maintain healthy blood sugar levels. 
4. Physical activity - Low-glycemic diet can’t work single handedly until exercise and fitness are prioritised alongside. 
5. Coping with stress - Find your own strategies for stress reduction from a range of techniques like yoga, mindfulness, journaling and meditation to control your blood sugar levels from increasing. 
6. Regular medication - A good breakfast food for diabetics is as important as the prescribed medication to control diabetes. 

Conclusion

Make living with diabetes a little easier for yourself with quick recipes of smoothies, chillas, omelettes and toasts. Regularly monitor what goes in your body and how it affects your blood sugar levels. Nutrient-dense foods with low-glycemic index are the way to go for a healthy breakfast for diabetics! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be the ideal carbohydrate content in a diabetic-friendly breakfast?

Usually, lowering your carbohydrate intake in any amount helps with diabetes. Diabetic adults consume 45-60 grams of carbohydrates per meal.

How can I add more fibre to my breakfast?

You can add more fibre to your breakfast by incorporating whole grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Any quick and easy diabetic breakfast ideas?

Quick and easy diabetic breakfast ideas include moong dal chillas, green smoothie with kale and spinach, avocado and egg toasts, veggie omelettes, poha, upma and greek yoghurt. 

Are eggs a good choice for diabetic breakfasts?

Eggs are low in carbs, high in protein and help to lower blood sugar levels which makes them a good choice for diabetic breakfasts.