Eating regularly scheduled meals is an important part of managing your blood sugars for diabetes, and that includes breakfast. As with every other meal, you need to control the amount of carbohydrate you eat at breakfast to help keep blood sugars within your goal range. A doctor or dietitian can help you determine how many grams of carbohydrate you need to eat at breakfast, but the American Diabetes Association suggests you start at 45 g to 60 g a day. Carbohydrate-containing foods include any food in the starch or fruit group and milk and yogurt. Each serving of one of these foods contains 15 g of carbohydrate.
Cereal
Cereal makes a quick, easy and healthy breakfast for anyone with diabetes. When it comes to selecting a cereal, choose one that has more than 2.5 g of fiber per serving. Foods with fiber help to slow down digestion, allowing for a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream. High fiber foods also help to control hunger. Use skim or low-fat milk to limit your intake of saturated fat. As a diabetic, you have an increased risk of heart disease and too much saturated fat in the diet can increase your blood cholesterol levels.
A carbohydrate balanced cereal meal would include 3/4 cup serving of whole-grain cold unsweetened cereal, 1 cup of skim milk and one medium banana or 1 cup of hot cooked oatmeal with 2 tbsp. of raisins and 1/2 cup of skim milk.
Eggs
As a source of protein, eggs paired with other carbohydrate-containing foods make a satisfying breakfast. If you have high cholesterol, you need to limit your egg yolk intake to two a week, instead you can use egg whites or egg substitute. Sample egg breakfasts with 45 g to 60 g of carbohydrate include a three egg white omelet with one slice of nonfat cheese and 1/2 cup of mixed vegetables served with two slices of whole wheat toast and a small orange. Another is an egg sandwich made with two scrambled eggs, one slice of nonfat cheese, one slice of Canadian bacon served on a whole wheat English muffin with a 6 oz. container of nonfat sugar-free fruited yogurt.
Bread, Bagels and Muffins
Many people with diabetes may feel as though some foods are off limits because of their carbohydrate content. But when eaten in the right portions, all foods can fit, including breads, muffins and bagels. With bread, you can make a simple breakfast consisting of two slices of whole wheat bread, toasted or not, with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter and 1 tsp. of low sugar jelly with 1 cup of skim milk.
When it comes to bagels, size matters. A typical deli size bagel is the equivalent of four slices of bread. Look for smaller bagels, consisting of about 2 oz., or cut a large bagel in half and spread it with your favorite toppings, such as light cream cheese and lox or peanut butter. Serve with a cup of skim milk or a sugar free nonfat yogurt to complete the meal.
Muffin size matters too, look for small ones weighing about 1 oz. The American Diabetes Association suggests taking a small bran muffin, splitting it in half and topping it with fresh berries and a dollop of nonfat yogurt for a healthy balanced breakfast.
