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Despite all you’ve read lately on the merits of intermittent fasting, if you’ve got prediabetes, science suggests leaning into the morning meal.
Research published in the Journal of Nutrition, for instance, shows that breakfast skippers are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than breakfast eaters. So are breakfast delayers. A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that people who didn’t eat their first meal until after 9 a.m. had a 59 percent higher risk of developing diabetes compared to early breakfast eaters.
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"Imagine a fire burning in a fireplace. You wouldn’t starve it of wood. You’d give it a few logs every so often to keep it going,” says Joanne Rinker, a registered dietitian nutritionist. Your body is no different. “It needs small amounts of fuel to burn all day long to keep your metabolism going,” Rinker says.
For people who already have diabetes, the morning meal is critical for maintaining blood glucose levels. “Consuming a consistent amount of carbohydrates throughout the day can help keep blood sugar stable, especially when carbohydrates are paired with lean protein and healthy sources of fat,” Rinker says.
These five breakfasts — all diabetes-friendly — do just exactly that.
1. Breakfast Tower
Top a slice of whole-wheat toast with one scrambled egg, a slice of tomato, a slice of avocado and one piece of bacon.
Nutritional information (per serving): 270 calories, 15g total fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 510mg sodium, 19g total carbohydrate, 5g dietary fiber, 3g sugars (includes 2g added sugars), 16g protein.
The perfect breakfast for people with diabetes? There’s no such thing. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there is no one-size-fits-all eating plan for people with diabetes. What works for someone else may not work for you. Same goes for breakfast. But a balance of macronutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates), as provided by this tasty breakfast tower, is key.
"Protein and healthy fats digest slower than carbohydrates,” Rinker says. “Including protein in meals will help prevent blood sugar spikes and subsequent dips in blood sugar.” A 2015 study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating more protein at breakfast specifically can help people with type 2 diabetes avoid post-meal spikes.
2. Savory Oatmeal
Cook ⅓ cup steel-cut oats in 1⅓ cups low-sodium vegetable broth; mix with 1 cup non-starchy vegetables (spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, cooked asparagus) and top with 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, a squirt of lemon juice and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
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