Oatmeal is a highly nutritious meal option if you have hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. Hyperglycemia is often, though not always, associated with diabetes. If you have hyperglycemia, you doctor has likely advised you to make certain dietary changes, such as consuming fewer refined grains and simple carbohydrates. Such foods can raise your blood glucose, or blood sugar level. Instead consume more high fiber, complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal.
Glucose
When you eat carbohydrates, your body turns them to glucose and uses the glucose as an energy source. Insulin is a hormone your body uses to process the glucose. Sometimes the process doesn't work properly, possibly due to your body using insulin inefficiently or not producing enough of the hormone. This can cause glucose to accumulate, causing high blood sugar. A normal fasting blood glucose level is under 126 milligrams per deciliter. Your blood sugar is high if it is 160 milligrams per deciliter or higher.
Glycemic Load and Index
Some foods impact your blood glucose level quickly, other foods more slowly. The glycemic index measures just how quickly. The glycemic load is similar to the glycemic index but accounts for portion size. Low GI/GL foods impact your blood sugar less than foods with a high GI/GL. A 250-gram serving of oatmeal has a GL of 13 and a GI of 58. Comparatively, a 30-gram serving of a popular breakfast cereal has a GI of 81 and a GL of 21. With oatmeal you get to eat a lot more, with far less of an impact on your blood sugar.
Research
Oatmeal is a whole grain, high fiber food. In the March/April 2011 issue of "Nutrition Today," researchers from Tufts University write that eating a diet rich in whole grains can protect you from diabetes by helping your body maintain its sensitivity to insulin. According to the study, when you eat high fiber foods, such as oatmeal, you automatically increase your dietary intake of fiber and vital nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin B6. These nutrients may play some role in improving your insulin sensitivity, the researchers write.
Instant Oatmeal
If you're short for time in the morning, you may opt for instant oatmeal instead of regular oatmeal. Be aware that the choice may cause you to miss out on some of the blood sugar benefits that oatmeal provides. On the CNN website, Dr. Melina Jampolis writes that while instant oatmeal is just as nutritious as regular oatmeal, the process it undergoes to allow it to cook more quickly also affects its GI rating. The GI of instant oatmeal is 66 and its GL is 17, for a 250 milligram serving. To lower the GI, Dr. Jampolis, a physician nutritionist, recommends adding lean protein to your oatmeal, such as fat-free milk or protein powder.
References
- Joslin Diabetes Center: What is High Blood Glucose?
- Harvard Medical School: Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load for 100+ Foods
- "Nutrition Today"; Is Insulin Sensitivity Improved by Diets Rich in Whole Grains?; Nicola M. McKeown, Ph.D., et al.; March/April 2011
- CNN: Is Instant Oatmeal Just as Healthy as Traditional?
