Type 2 diabetes: Whole grains, low-fat cheese, and bananas for breakfast to keep blood sugar in check

Holiday feasts tend to make it challenging for those who suffer from conditions such as type 2 diabetes. But, a good breakfast that can keep blood sugar levels normal is the key to being able to make it through the festive day.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for everyone in general, but most especially for type 2 diabetics. The Christmas holidays make it hard for people to stick to their diets due to the many rich dishes being presented for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To keep blood sugar levels normal when beginning the holiday, Express reports going for healthy breakfast options. Instead of white bread, Diabetes UK recommends going for whole grain options like linseed bread, and multigrain bread instead. This option is more filling and has fiber, which is good for the digestive system.

For spreads on the toast, opt for mashed bananas instead of jam for less sugar. Other options would be going for low-fat cheese instead such as cottage cheese. Butter without any additives like palm oil or sugar is also a good option to spread on toast. Pastries are advised to be eaten occasionally.

When it comes to a more savory breakfast, Diabetes UK suggests oily fish instead of sausages and bacon. They advise to reduce consumption of red meat and or processed meat and going for oily fish with fatty acids that are good for the heart instead. Although it does not hurt to eat bacon or sausages once in a while, they advise reducing the amount of oil used for cooking these meats. Bacon can be grilled, not fried, in order to get rid of the visible fat.

Naturally, for type 2 diabetics, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables also helps keep blood sugar levels in check. Express also reports that brussels sprouts are known to help lower blood sugar levels. This vegetable is related to other leafy greens like kale and cauliflower and is known for its high fiber content and its blood sugar-regulating properties as well.

Brussels sprouts also contain alpha-lipoic acid which is an antioxidant that makes the insulin produced in the body work more efficiently.