We all have heard that breakfast is the “most important meal of the day” and there are many reasons why you may or may not want to eat breakfast depending on your goals and possible disease states, however breakfast is very important in diabetic patients.
One of the most profound reasons for this is because of the second meal effect. It has been shown in clinical trials that if you eat a meal (breakfast) with a low glycemic index then the postprandial blood sugar levels of subsequent meals will be lower. The foods that have a lower glycemic index are those that are going to keep your blood sugar levels stable and having less variability throughout the day will help you to feel your best and have the best A1C.
When you hear the term “glycemic index”, there is a value assigned to each carbohydrate on this scale, and the ones that we typically think of as healthier options are those that have a lower glycemic index. You might have heard that sweet potatoes are better than white or brown rice is better than white, and one of those reasons is due to the stability of your blood sugar and a lower glycemic index. A breakfast with a whole grain such as oatmeal, buckwheat, cream of wheat with fruit and some good quality mono unsaturated fats such as almond butter or nuts is going to help with the second meal effect.
Habit change is really difficult. If you are able to make this change however with continued practice and making it your routine then even without changing your other meals throughout the day, you should see better stability and less variability of your blood glucose levels.
