Many people prefer consuming slices of bread during breakfast, but there are a majority of people who get tired of eating it. So for your healthy breakfast, many food items have a low glycemic index and are safe to add in your diet.
There is no harm in adding bread in your diet, but make sure you make the right choice. Check the ingredients and nutritional facts of every bread packet. Make sure you check your blood sugar level regularly to maintain your good health.
Expert Answer based on Glycemic Index
For diabetes, whole wheat bread, whole grain bread, sprouted grain bread, sourdough bread are considered safe. There are varieties of bread in the market which are even healthier.
For a healthy breakfast, many food items can be added instead of bread as healthier alternatives:
- Oat
- Cottage cheese
- French toast
- Pancakes
- Greek yogurt
- English muffins
- Omelets
These are some of the low glycemic index food items commonly included in the breakfast and suitable for every diabetic patient.
Make sure that you get more nutrition from every meal with less sugar and carbs. Every meal should be rich in high fibers, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, etc. so that the blood sugar level remains in the healthy range.
Do not forget to add green leafy veggies in the meal because if you are lucky enough, your medications will probably be stopped.
Healthy food options for people with diabetes
- Cinnamon
- Leafy veggies
- Fatty fish
- Turmeric
- Chia seeds
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt
These are highly recommended food items by every dietician for every diabetic patient as they are high in nutrients. These benefit you from reducing the risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, etc.
Fact – fatty fishes help in reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. It also reduces inflammation.
Greek yogurt is beneficial in weight management and helps in reducing the risk of heart disease. It also promotes healthy blood sugar levels. It contains calcium, high protein, and conjugated linoleic acid.
Turmeric has usually used spice with numerous health benefits. It lowers the risk of heart diseases, lowers the blood sugar level and inflammation. It is found the diabetes is the main reason for most of the kidney damages.
Fact – Chia seeds are low in digestive carbs and high in fiber.
Turmeric has found to be useful in reducing kidney damages. Turmeric reduces the risk of kidney and heart damages.
Eggs are rich in proteins and help to keep you full for hours. In the research, there was an improvement in the blood sugar levels and cholesterol in the patients who ate two eggs daily.
These help in decreasing the inflammation lowers the risk of heart disease, improves your insulin sensitivity, improves the shape and size of your (bad) LDL cholesterol, and increase (good) HDL cholesterol levels.
The antioxidants necessary to reduce the risk of eye disease are also present in the egg named zeaxanthin and lutein.
Chia seeds have a high amount of fiber that reduces the blood sugar level. Due to the fiber present in it, it makes you feel full and reduces your hunger.
Note – chia seeds lower the inflammation and blood sugar level.
Cinnamon is a spice that contains many antioxidants. It helps in controlling the blood sugar level and also lowers the triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
It also helps in improving insulin sensitivity. Along with this, fatty fishes are also very nutritious. You can also say that fatty fishes are the healthiest food item in the whole world.
Fatty fishes are the rich sources of omega-three fatty acids DHA and EPA. Diabetic patients have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, and getting regular fay is very beneficial for the patients.
These fatty fishes are –
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Herrings
Fatty fishes provide DHA and EPA, which protects the cells that line the blood vessels. It also helps in reducing the inflammation of the arteries and improves the functions of the arteries.
According to the research, the people who eat fatty fishes are less likely to die from heart diseases and have a lower risk of getting any heart disease. These are also rich in high-quality protein, which improves your metabolic rate and makes you feel full.
When it comes to green veggies, they are low in digestive carbs due to which the blood sugar levels decrease, and this is low in calories. They are incredibly nutritious and healthy for every diabetic patient.
Many green vegetables like kale, spinach, and others are considered rich in vitamins and minerals. These vegetables are rich in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin due to which the risk of getting affected by cataracts and macular degeneration becomes very low.
Green vegetables are rich in nutrients that improve health and eye health. There are many food items rather than these that help in improving the health of the diabetic patient.
Recommended food items
Nuts All the nuts are low in carbs and contain high nutrition. Regular consumption of nuts helps reduce the high blood sugar level, LDL levels, etc.
Most preferred nuts for diabetes are:
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
- Cashews
- Brazil nuts
- Macadamia
- Hazelnuts
These also help in the reduction of inflammation.
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Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most recommended food items as it has several health benefits. These contain vitamin C, magnesium, digestible carbs, and calories.
During metabolism, broccoli protects the lining of the cells from harmful radicals and lowers the blood sugar levels. It contains many antioxidants and other nutrition, which are necessary for maintaining good health.
The antioxidants include lutein and zeaxanthin that help in lowering the risk of eye disease.
Interesting fact – broccoli contains many plant compound that helps in preventing various diseases. It is a low-carb food item.
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Extra-virgin olive oil
The extra-virgin olive oil contains oleic acid, and it contains many nutritional properties. Generally, this oil is monounsaturated fat, which increases the fullness hormone.
This is the only oil that reduces the risk of heart disease. The oil also contains the antioxidants called polyphenol. Polyphenol prevents LDL cholesterol from damage by oxidation.
Fact – polyphenol in the oil helps protect the lining of the cells, decrease blood pressure, etc.
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Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting the sugar into acetic acid due to which there are fewer carbs. Rather than this, apple cider vinegar has many health benefits for a diabetic patient.
If the meal contains carbs, then by consuming apple cider vinegar, 20% of the blood sugar response level has been reduced. It slows down the growth of blood sugar levels and hence improves its levels.
Insulin sensitivity also becomes slow and helps you to keep you full. Mostly, type 1 diabetic patients face gastroparesis conditions so that apple cider vinegar can be problematic for those.
You can also make a small start by adding one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in one glass of the water.
Fact – apple cider vinegar helps you to feel full for a longer time.
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Flaxseeds
These are also known as linseeds. Typically the fabric made out of it is known as linen. Lignans are the insoluble portion present in the flaxseeds that reduce the risk of heart diseases.
It also helps in improving the blood sugar level of the body. Flaxseeds help to reduce stroke and reduces the medication, which is necessary for blood clots.
According to the research, there is a significant amount of improvement in hemoglobin in the blood. They are very high in viscous fiber.
Note – flaxseeds improve insulin sensitivity, feeling fullness, diabetes, and improve your health.
This help reduces inflammation, reduce the risk of heart diseases, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce blood sugar level.
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Garlic
Garlic is known for its delicious taste and various health benefits. In Ayurveda, it is used in reducing the inflammation, LDL cholesterol, and blood sugar. People with diabetes have various benefits of garlic.
It is highly used in reducing the blood pressure and hence used in other health benefits too. People with diabetes are benefitted as it helps in reducing cholesterol levels.
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Strawberries
Strawberries have anti-inflammatory properties, and they are low in sugar. Due to the presence of an antioxidant known as anthocyanins, they appear in red.
Due to the presence of anthocyanins, cholesterol and insulin level of the blood reduces after every meal. Vitamin C present in the strawberries adds extra benefits to health.
Interesting fact – strawberries reduces the risk of heart disease.
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Squash
Squash belongs to the gourd family, and it’s the healthiest vegetable amongst all. Winter squash has the hard outer covers, and summer squash has soft outer covers that can be eaten.
These squash include pumpkin, butternut, zucchini, etc. and these are high in antioxidants. Winter squash has high carbs than the summer squash.
It was found in the research that the extract of the squash helped the diabetes patients in reducing the blood sugar level. Hence, the squash is higher in antioxidants and helps in reducing insulin levels and blood sugar levels.
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Shirataki noodles
Shirataki noodles are the traditional Japanese food item which has low calories. It is very beneficial in losing weight, maintaining blood sugar level, digestive health, and cholesterol.
The extraction makes these noodles of konjac roots. These are rich in fiber glucomannan. This fiber is very beneficial in losing weight, so these are beneficial for weight watchers.
The plant roots are processed in the shape of noodles or rice. Glucomannan is a type of fiber that helps in releasing the hormone ghrelin.
Note – ghrelin is the hormone that controls hunger.
The people with diabetes and metabolic syndrome benefit from shirataki noodles because it reduces the risk factors for heart diseases.
The noodles are packed in the liquid, and it has a fishy odor, so before cooking, make sure that you wash them.
Note – Shirataki noodles will help to improve the blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels.
These are the food items that you can add in the breakfast instead of bread whenever you get bored over the slices of bread. Even two boiled eggs are also a great option in adding in your breakfast.
Make sure that you add a variety of food items in your every meal to get the proper nutrition. If you are lucky enough, then the medications can be stopped related to diabetes. It’s hard to top the medications, but you can surely maintain your good health to reduce the medications.
Make sure that you add the food item, which has a low glycemic index. If any food item’s glycemic index is lower than 55, it is safe to consume for every diabetic patient.
The food items given above can be eaten daily, and you can also add some other vegetables with it. Be prepared for every emergency, which is necessary for every diabetic patient.
Make sure that you make a new duplicate file that contains your general information and doctor’s information along with the medications and general details about your disease. This will be beneficial in emergency cases if the original file is not found by your family members, friends, etc.
Reduce the intake of sugar so that the blood sugar levels in your blood remain controlled. For every meal, there are four main pillars that you have to keep balanced.
Those are –
- Protein
- Healthy fats
- Fiber
- Vegetables
These include oats, whole grain bread or muffins, fishes, eggs, onions, peppers, tomatoes, nuts, beans, and dark leafy vegetables. Make sure that your meal is dense of nutrients.
If you love experimenting with food, there are many diabetes recipes on the internet, which will add great taste and healthy nutrients to everyday foods.
Here is a great selection of diabetic cook books, with customized recipes from your country: https://geni.us/bestcookbooks
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28863364/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24357346/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28830875/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26912494/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24838678/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31486356/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30968140/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27184288/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25181492/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30373105/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22797986/
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