Choosing breakfast foods low on the glycemic index, meaning foods that do not trigger a rapid rise in blood sugar, is essential if you're diabetic, and it may be beneficial for others as well. The more quickly the carbohydrates in food break down in your digestive system, the higher the food is on the glycemic index. According to the American Diabetes Association, foods with a GI ranking of less than 55 fall within the low GI range
Grains
Serve toast made from pumpernickel bread or 100 percent stone-ground wheat bread, both of which are lower on the GI scale than white bread and white bagels. Prepare oatmeal from rolled oats or steel-cut oats instead of quick or instant oatmeal products. Oat bran and muesli are also low on the GI index. Avoid cornflakes, puffed rice breakfast cereal and bran flakes, which all have a high GI ranking.
Fruits
Most fruits are low on the GI scale, according to the American Diabetes Association, and as such, they are valuable as breakfast foods. Top off your oatmeal with slices of banana or fresh strawberries or dried apricots. LowGlycemicDiet.com lists oranges, grapes, fresh peaches, plums, pears, apples and prunes as good low GI choices. Fruits with very low GI rankings, below 30, include cherries, grapefruit and prunes.
Other Breakfast Foods
Add whole milk or skim milk to your breakfast menu--both are on the low GI scale--and vary your breakfast meals by serving yogurt. Although white potatoes are not permissible on a low-GI breakfast diet, you can serve hash browns made from grated sweet potatoes.
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