Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition that occurs when the insulin in the pancreas doesn’t work properly or it can’t produce enough insulin. It is important for type 2 diabetics to understand and control their blood glucose levels, as having high levels of sugar in the blood for long periods of time increases the risk of diabetes complications developing. It could also cause serious health problems such as kidney disease, nerve damage, retinal disease, heart disease and stroke. Some breakfast cereals contain shockingly high levels of sugar that for type 2 diabetics is a real no-go.
The biggest culprits are granola with chocolate containing 24g of sugar, granola with dried fruit, nuts or seeds containing 10.8g, and sugar frosted cornflakes containing 11.5g of sugar.
To put it into perspective, The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends woman to consume only 25g of sugar and men 37.5g of sugar a day.
Oats have been proven to be the best breakfast for diabetics. Oats improve insulin sensitivity and are one of the healthiest grains on earth.
Studies show that oats have many health benefits which include weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Despite being a high-carb food it is highly recommended for people with diabetes to opt for the oats in the morning.
The main benefits for consuming oats for breakfast include:
Low GI score
To work out how certain foods will raise your blood sugar, the Glycemic Index (GI) is used. Foods which contain lower GI scores are perfect for diabetics as it will not raise the blood glucose levels and oats contain low-levels of GI.
Fibre-Rich
Fibre does not raise blood glucose levels as it is not broken down by the body. It also aids in digestion and helps slow down the breakdown of sugars in the body. Oats contain 8g of fibre and helps with managing weight.
Lowers blood sugar
Oats contains specific types of fibres known beta glucans. They are sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria or yeasts such as oats. They are used for high diabetes as they lower the sugar in your blood.
Feeling fuller for longer
The benefits of eating a low GI and fibre-rich foods is that it keeps the body feeling fuller for longer. This helps avoid snacking throughout the day and will keep a healthy balance on your blood sugar levels.
Nutrition labels can help you choose between products and keep a check on the amount of foods you’re eating that are high in fat, salt and added sugars
NHS
It is highly recommended that you should check all food packaging for ingredients and amounts of sugar as packaging can often be misleading.
The NHS said: “Nutrition labels can help you choose between products and keep a check on the amount of foods you’re eating that are high in fat, salt and added sugars.
“Most pre-packed food products have a list of ingredients on the packaging or attached label.
“The ingredient list can help you work out how healthy the product is. Ingredients are listed in order of weight, so the main ingredients in the packaged food always comes first so if the first few ingredients are high-sugar its best to avoid for diabetics.”
Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day and for type 2 diabetics, oats is the best option to lower blood sugar levels and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
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