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Can diabetics eat honey nut cheerios?
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Cheerios are a popular breakfast for many people across the world.
Upon a diabetes diagnosis, one has to sit back and reconsider their meal choices. Diabetics are advised to steer clear of carbs and sugars and go for foods rich in nutrients and fiber.
Proper diabetes management is very important it can determine the quality of life you have since diabetes is a long-term condition. Eating well can help you stabilize blood sugar levels and even reduce your reliance on medication.
Both hot and cold breakfast kinds of cereal contain added sugars with one ounce of sugar-sweetened cereal containing close to 9grams of sugar. The amount of sugar found in certain cereal brands can cause blood sugar spikes and eventual energy crashes!
So can diabetics eat honey nut cheerios?” it can be part of a healthy, diabetes-friendly diet when you are well informed on what to select. Here is a guide to help you avoid overly sugary, processed cereals to maintain steady blood sugar and energy levels.
Do honey nut cheerios cause blood sugar spikes?
One cup of cheerios contains approximately 1 gram of sugar, 20 grams total carbs, and 3 grams of fiber.
According to the American diabetes association, a meal should have around 60 grams of carbohydrates. However, this varies from person to person because everybody has distinct needs. For instance, breakfast made up of 2 cups of cheerios, one cup of milk, and one banana would make up 76grams of carbohydrates which already surpasses the limit. This can result in a blood sugar spike one hour after taking meals.
Carbohydrates are often found in starchy vegetables, fruits, sugar, milk, yogurt, as well as in grains. Carbohydrates are converted into sugar or glucose during digestion. This glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream to be absorbed into body cells. A chemical called insulin is used n the absorption of glucose into body cells. When the body isn’t effectively producing or using insulin, the blood sugar remains in the bloodstream, causing a blood sugar spike, which when occurring regularly is called diabetes.
Type 1 diabetics suffer the lack of insulin while type 2 diabetics suffer resistance of the body cells to respond to insulin. So Do honey nut cheerios cause blood sugar spikes? Well yes! The fact that they are processed foods means they affect blood sugars.
Highly refined foods tend to undergo fast digestion, therefore releasing energy all at an ounce, which results in blood sugar spikes.
Also, cheerios have a generally high glycemic index score. The glycemic index is a measure of how certain foods affect blood sugars. Cheerios have a glycemic index score of 74, with some like honey nut cheerios having higher GI ratings. 74 is a high GI score meaning that diabetics should be careful how they include honey nut cereals in their breakfast.
Which honey nut cheerios are the best for diabetics?
As mentioned, most cereal brands contain a lot of carbs, added sugar, and sodium. The next time you visit your local store, here are tips to help you decide which honey nut cheerios are the best for diabetics;
- Choose whole grain. Whole grain cereals are more nutritious and are full of satiating fiber and B vitamins. They help improve gut health, lose weight and promote overall health outcomes. Whole grain cereals will bear the labels, “whole grain”, “whole-grain wheat
- stone-ground whole wheat or “whole kernel corn”. they are also made from grains such as barley, quinoa, millet, or buckwheat. In addition, when you see ingredients such as oats, oatmeal, and brown rice, that means that it whole grain. “Wheat flour” and “multigrain” indicate that they are not whole grains. Whole-grain cereal is made from the entire grain including pats such as gem and endosperm which manufacturers remove to make it finer.
- Check how much sugar is in the cereal box. Steer clear of cereal boxes with more than 10 grams of sugar and have artificial sweeteners. Ry sweetening your honey nut cheerios using fresh fruit like berries or bananas. Go for fresh fruits rather than dried fruits since they tend to contain more carbohydrates.
How to include honey nut cheerios in a diabetic diet
You may have been warned about eating cereal with diabetes, however here are tips on including honey nut cheerios in a diabetic diet;
- Add milk to boost your protein intake. Milk adds flavor to cereal. Adding milk can add around 8 grams of protein and 12 grams of carbohydrates. Skim milk is the best option for diabetics since it has no fats and has around 90calories. The whole milk adds 150 calories to your meal. You can also consider switching milk with low-fat plain Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is nutritious and improves your digestive health. You can go for unsweetened soymilk since it has more proteins.
- Boost your cereal with chopped nuts, such as almonds and walnuts; they add crunchiness and heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which reduce your risk of developing heart disease. You can add ground flaxseed meal or chia seeds to add extra fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Another option would be to mix half of regular cheerios and half of honey nut cheerios. Regular cheerios only contain around 1 gram of sugar per serving. This way you get a breakfast meal with less added sugars without compromising much on the taste.
So when it comes to the question, “can diabetics eat honey nut cheerios?” here are the key takeaways
- Honey nut cheerios tend to contain a lot of added sugars. Therefore, be careful when making a purchase; go for ones with less than 10grams of sugar.
- Honey nut cheerios contain fast-digesting carbs, therefore should be taken in moderation. Consider picking whole-grain brands. These tend to contain fiber which slows down digestion resulting in a slow steady energy release.
- Take honey nut cheerios with skim milk or low-fat greek yogurt. This will help the number of calories in your breakfast.
As always, a proper diet is a key to proper diabetes management!
