Last Updated on by San San
What kind of cereal can diabetics eat? Diabetics belong to a group of people who throughout their lives have to follow and practice a special diet that helps them keep their blood sugar under control and their insulin levels healthy. Diabetes basically means that the body does not process glucose properly and does not convert this sugar into energy properly.
What Kind of Cereal Can Diabetics Eat? The Short Guide to Your Diet
For the human body to function, it needs sugar in the cells. Insulin secreted by the pancreas is responsible for distributing sugar to cells, but diabetics produce very little or no insulin, so instead of going into the cells and converting them into energy, the sugar stays in the diabetic’s blood. To control this function, one of the key things is to follow a recommended diet. However, there is always a question that always bothers people with diabetes, such as what kind of cereal can diabetics eat? This short guide will answer this question and will help diabetics clear up dilemmas about which cereals are allowed and which are not.
Recommended Cereal for Diabetics
Cereal for Breakfast
Whether you are diabetic or not, breakfast is the most important meal of the day which should give the body enough energy to start the working day and have enough energy to be able to perform work responsibilities during the day.
Whether you are diabetic or not, breakfast is the most important meal of the day which should give the body enough energy to start the working day and have enough energy to be able to perform work responsibilities during the day. Especially when it comes to diabetics, their breakfast must contain adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, low in sugar but high in fibre and nutrients.
Exactly these conditions are met by cereals, but not those cereals that are sweetened and with different flavors, made to meet the needs and desires for sugar of an average person. This type of cereal contains refined grains and sugars and has empty calories that contribute to a sharp rise in blood sugar.
Instead, you should choose cereals that have whole grain as the main ingredient. Whole grains contain a healthy fibre called whole grain kernel which helps control blood sugar levels and protects against heart disease. The following whole grains should be included in a diabetic’s breakfast: oatmeal, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, whole cornmeal, barley, barley, wild rice, and buckwheat.
Types of Worst Cereals for Diabetics
We briefly mentioned that there are cereals that diabetics should avoid because of the bad effect on blood sugar and overall health, so what are the worst cereals for diabetics? The most important thing to consider when choosing cereals for diabetics is not to buy cereals that have a high glycemic index.
According to this index, each food is ranked from 0 to 100 based on how much the given food causes increases in blood glucose levels after two hours of consuming the food. Diabetics should consume foods that have a low glycemic index value, and cereals that do not meet this requirement and should absolutely be avoided are corn flakes, puffed rice, bran flakes, and instant oatmeal. Also, diabetics at all costs should avoid cereals in which the main ingredients are refined grains and sugars.
List of Low Glycemic Index Cereals
To facilitate understanding of which grains should be consumed in terms of glycemic index, a list of low glycemic index cereals has been made. At the top of this list with the highest number of points, i.e., cereals that diabetics should not consume are cornflakes with a glycemic index of 81 ± 6, instant oat porridge 79 ± 3, rice porridge/congee 78 ± 9, wheat flake biscuits 69 ± 2. Then come cereals such as millet porridge 67 ± 5, muesli 57 ± 2, porridge, rolled oats 55 ± 2.
Ways to Lower the Carbs in Cereal
In the beginning, we asked the question what kind of cereal can diabetics eat and we got a short answer that they should consume cereals with a low glycemic index value. But in addition, a way must be found to reduce the carbs of cereals.
One way to do this is to consume hot cereal (like quinoa for example) and add nuts which will increase the values of fibre, protein, and healthy fat. The second way is to avoid adding dried fruit, sugar, or other calorie sweeteners, but cereals are allowed to be combined with unsweetened almond milk for less carbohydrate. Furthermore, it is recommended to combine cereals with fruits that are rich in fiber, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries.
Can Diabetics Consume Fortified Cereals?
Fortified cereals are a type of cereal that contains vitamins and minerals that are not naturally part of the cereal. These additional vitamins and minerals improve the intake of necessary ingredients in the body.
The positive side of consuming this type of cereal is that you will have an improved nutrient intake and also their ingredients contribute to a lower risk of birth defects. However, there are downsides such as oversaturation of cereals with sugar and refined carbs, and misleading health claims. But if the composition of cereals is carefully studied in detail, then diabetics can consume them in certain quantities.
The Conclusion
Every person who is diabetic or knows a diabetic in life has asked himself the question of what kind of cereal can diabetics eat. We are all aware that diabetics should pay close attention to their diet, as is the case with cereals. There is no doubt that diabetics can eat cereals, but they must also be careful and study their composition in detail.
Nutritionists especially recommend that diabetics not consume cereals that are saturated with sugars, refined carbs, refined grains, and empty calories. Instead, diabetics should consume whole grain cereals as their main ingredient and combine them with other permitted foods that are in line with their diet.
Every diabetic should be aware that he should constantly pay attention to his daily calorie intake and that no matter how appropriate and healthy a certain food is for his situation, care should be taken not to overdo it with the amount consumed. Anything too much has a negative effect on the human body, and especially on the body of diabetics and their blood sugar levels.
