When it comes to finding meals that can help you manage your blood sugar, there are a variety of healthy behaviors you may embrace to maintain stable glucose levels. Sleep, exercise, and changing up your diet and drinking habits all play important roles. There are even certain combinations that will satisfy your demands rather than just one specific food. For example, medical professional Lisa Young recommends a protein-rich food with a healthy carbohydrate that is high in fiber as a great breakfast to help reduce blood sugar levels.
Some wonderful high-protein breakfast options include nut butter, yogurt, milk, and eggs, while high-fiber carbohydrates typically include whole-grain crackers, toast, cereal, and vegetables or fruits. Young also encourages people to not be scared of healthy carbs!
“Both fiber-rich carbohydrates and protein help to keep your blood sugar levels stable,” states Young. “Protein keeps your blood sugar levels from rising. The combination is also filling, so you won’t be hungry an hour later.”
While eating that combination in that specific order is ideal, it’s more beneficial to consume them in a specific order. In obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, consuming protein and vegetables before carbs was shown in a past study in Diabetes Care to lower post-meal insulin and glucose levels.
When protein and vegetables were eaten first, blood glucose levels were nearly 37% lower than when carbohydrates were consumed first—as shown in the study.
You may also combine the two food groups into one breakfast meal, as long as you balance them with carbs and protein.
Use these breakfast combinations to get your blood sugar under control.
Young has given some suggestions on breakfast combinations to get you off on the right foot:
Yogurt
6 ounces low-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, and 1 cup blueberries are all you need to make this delicious dish. If you like it, you can eat the components separately instead of mixing everything together.
Veggie omelet
Take two eggs, whip up an omelet with broccoli and mushrooms, and enjoy it while watching TV! To make avocado toast, pair it with a piece of toasted Ezekiel bread and avocado.
Apple oatmeal
Add 1/2 cup of steel-cut oats to a bowl, then add 1 cup of low-fat milk. Continue with 1 to 2 tsp of almond butter and a 1/2 cup of sliced apple before mixing.