Healthy eating is the cornerstone of diabetes management. The American Diabetes Association emphasizes enjoying a variety of nutrient-rich foods in proper amounts.
Why should breakfast matter to people with diabetes?
Making healthy food choices can help you manage blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and weight. In the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study, various weight-loss tactics, such as regularly eating breakfast, doing weekly weigh-ins and avoiding fast food, were associated with successful weight control in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Here’s some advice to help you start your day off right:
Mind your P’s and Q’s
Where P’s stand for portions and Q’s stand for quality, that is.
- Even if your breakfast consists of nutritious items like oatmeal and fruit, appropriate portion sizes are important. Remember: healthy foods still have calories! You can look up the calories in your favorite breakfast foods here; for example, 1 cup cooked oatmeal has 166 calories. To find out how many calories are right for your morning meal, consult a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
- The quality of foods you choose is just as important. Nutrient-dense options such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts contain vitamins and minerals that can help manage blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Choose healthier “fast foods”
Our overscheduled lives limit the amount of time we have to prepare breakfast. True fast food choices from chain restaurants tend to be high in calories, fats and salt. But homemade breakfast can be both fast and healthy. Two options:
- Oatmeal parfait. Cook oatmeal. In a reusable to-go container, top ½ cup cooked oatmeal with a layer of mixed berries, then add 2 tbsp. chopped nuts and 1 tsp. ground flaxseed. Sprinkle with cinnamon. For extra protein, cook both quinoa and oatmeal, then combine. To save time, cook grains the night before and reheat in the morning.
- Veggie scramble. Add chopped peppers and onions to beaten eggs, along with prewashed packaged baby spinach or chopped kale; scramble in a pan. Roll up the vegetable and egg mixture in a tortilla or piece of flatbread. Chop vegetables when you have time and refrigerate or buy frozen chopped vegetables to have on hand.
Eat non-breakfast foods for breakfast
- Make a lox sandwich. Top 2 slices of whole grain bread with smoked salmon and sliced cucumbers. The nutrition therapy guidelines for people with diabetes include two servings of fatty fish per week for their benefits in lowering levels of triglyceride, a type of fat.
- Try an Israeli salad: chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, mint and parsley tossed with olive oil, lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Scoop up salad with whole-wheat pita chips or add to low-fat cottage cheese.
To join in the campaign, upload your healthy breakfast pictures and get more great breakfast ideas from around the world at Go Blue for Breakfast.
By Lorena Drago, MS, RD, CDN, CDE
About the Author: A registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and consultant, Lorena Drago is the author of the book Beyond Rice and Beans: The Caribbean Guide to Eating Well with Diabetes and a contributing author and co-editor of the book Cultural Food Practices and Diabetes.
