Type 2 diabetes: The 5 best ways to help lower blood sugar levels at breakfast
TYPE 2 diabetes can sometimes feel like an overwhelming condition to manage.
Often keeping on top of the condition comes down to small diet tweaks here and there - including at breakfast.
Some say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
That’s certainly true for the millions of people with type 2 diabetes in the UK and globally.
Research shows eating a balanced meal in the morning may help to promote more stable blood glucose levels the rest of the day.
And anyone with the common condition will know that keeping blood sugar in the desired range is key to avoid any short or long term problems.
Here we explain some of the best options for the first meal of the day for someone with type 2 diabetes.
Cereal and milk
If you already enjoy a bowl of cereal with milk for breakfast, you’ll be glad to know you’re on the right track.
Scientists found in 2018 that starting the day with a high-protein milk meal could help keep type 2 diabetes at bay, and even help you to lose weight.
A team from the universities of Guelph and Toronto found that having milk with breakfast cereal reduces blood glucose levels more than having water.
“Being overweight can make it difficult to manage your diabetes and increase your risk of getting serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke in the future,” Diabetes UK says.
“Too much sugar is bad for your teeth too.”
The charity recommends buying unsweetened Greek or natural yogurt, or fromage frais, and sweetening it yourself with fresh fruit.
What about those with type 1 diabetes?
People with type 1 diabetes can be more flexible with their eating.
Both types of diabetes cause too much glucose in the blood stream. But what causes them, and how they are managed, are different.
If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin (the hormone that takes sugar in the blood to cells where it is used).
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin does not work as it should.
Type 1 diabetes patients need to take insulin to control their blood sugar levels, while type 2 diabetes patients need to manage their diet and exercise while sometimes taking medication.
But as for any adult, type 1 diabetics can make the effort to eat healthy, chosing foods low in sugar, salt and saturated fat.
One thing for type 1 diabetes patients to remember is that without carbohydrate, insulin may cause blood glucose levels to drop too low.
The NHS says: "Knowing how many carbohydrates (carbs) you're eating and drinking helps you manage your blood glucose levels by matching your insulin dose to the amount of carbs in your meals and snacks.
"This means you do not have to inject and eat at the same time every day (fixed dose), so your treatment is more flexible."
Porridge oats
Oats are a great choice for some people with type 2 diabetes thanks to having a lower glycemic index.
“Generally, lower GI foods can be useful for managing blood glucose levels,” Diabetes UK says.
Oats also have a good fibre content, which is key for maintaining weight and digestive health, and can protect the heart, which is important because people with type 2 diabetes are prone to heart disease.
They can be made into warm porridge and topped with fresh fruit like raspberries, or made into a cold bircher muesli overnight or added to smoothies.
But it’s important to buy plain, old fashioned oats in a bag, or plain instant oats for porridge, rather than buying those that are flavoured with sugars like honey and golden syrup, Diabetes UK says.
Fibre
“Increasing the amount of fibre in your diet can help you manage your diabetes,” the charity says.
There are a number of ways you can do this at breakfast.
Add extra fruit and veg to bump up your fibre intake wherever you can, for example berries, dried fruit or half a banana to your cereal, or grilled tomatoes to eggs on toast.
Use nuts or nut butter on top of yoghurt, porridge or into smoothies.
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And choose oat-based, bran or wholegrain breakfast cereals, and wholemeal bread.
Fibre is important for everyone’s diet, but certainly so for someone with type 2 diabetes because the condition increases the risk of heart diseases.
Easy swaps to make at breakfast
- Wholegrain bread instead of white
- Mashed banana instead of jam
- Weetabix and Shredded Wheat instead of sugary cereals
- Unsaturated vegetable oils, like sunflower, olive and rapeseed, instead of butter or ghee
- Use wholewheat flour when making rotis and chapattis
- Mudhi or chuda (puffed rice) with vegetables, instead of chudha upma with oil
- Roasted methi paratha instead of aloo paratha
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