16 Diabetic-Friendly Breakfast Ideas – Type 2 Diabetes Breakfast Recipes

Living with diabetes doesn’t mean you’ll have to say goodbye to breakfast — in fact, eating a clean and balanced breakfast is crucial to get your day started right. “Insulin levels are generally a bit higher in the morning, and eating a well-balanced breakfast helps regulate blood sugar levels and keep them stable throughout the day,” explains Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, a dietitian specializing in sports nutrition and plant-based lifestyles. Research also suggests that people with diabetes who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. Cycling through supercharged breakfast dishes can further aid your weight management (and encourage weight loss, too!). But most importantly, creating a healthy breakfast plan promotes greater recognition of satiety as well as appetite cues to improve blood sugar levels throughout the day, keeping meal and snack times regulated.

“Because people are so different and nutrition is often individualized, the American Diabetes Association has moved away from recommending certain grams of carbs to eat at each meal, though, where instead, they use a Diabetes plate method to help people figure out portions at meals,” Rizzo says.

The new guidelines are pretty simple, so you can use them to create a list of diabetic breakfast ideas that will satisfy your belly and meet the requirements. They suggest filling half of your plate with non-starchy veggies, 1/4 of the plate with healthy carbohydrates, and the last quarter of the plate with a lean protein source. “They also recommend eating a largely whole food diet that consists of non-starchy veggies, fruits, healthy fats and lean proteins, as they consider foods that are richer in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber to be ‘superfoods,’” Rizzo adds. Examples include beans, dark leafy greens, citrus, sweet potato, berries, tomatoes, fatty fish, nuts, whole grains as well as dairy products, like milk and unsweetened Greek yogurt.

It’s best to eat upwards of 15-25g of protein to stay fuller longer, especially important if you tend to go for a walk in the morning or workout, as you need to repair and strengthen muscles as well as replenish lost electrolytes and nutrients afterward. Think staples like: avocado, salmon, peanut butter, smoothies, yogurt or chia seed pudding bowls.

“I would recommend avoiding breakfast foods that have more than 3-4 grams of added sugar, like sweetened yogurt, cereal or oatmeal, but in general, whole-food carbs, like plain oats or yogurt, are an acceptable part of a breakfast,” Rizzo adds. This helps avoid any blood sugar spikes for those who are diabetic — and going for natural sugar, found in fruit rather than added sugar (which is found in processed foods) is healthier for your body in general too.

And the more fiber in those breakfast recipes, the better! You need about 28 grams of fiber throughout the day, so aim to get at least 7 grams at breakfast to fill you up until your next meal. Below, we’re exploring the best recipes for high-fiber, high-protein, and low-sugar breakfasts that are perfect for diabetic dieters.