You might not have the time to eat anything but a bowl of cereal when you are in a morning rush. But a lot of manufacturers of breakfast cereal are all packed with fast-digesting carbohydrates. These carbohydrates speed high on the glycemic index. That means they immediately break down, which raises your glucose levels. That may be harmful In case you have diabetes.
Not all cereals are created the same. Keep reading to find out about the Best Cereals For Diabetics, which may get you without putting one through a blood glucose roller coaster ride.
Dadong has recorded our recommendations into the score in the Maximum rating on the glycemic index.
What are the Ingredients Present in the cereal?
A healthy breakfast is one, which is simple and fast to prepare. It can be even a bowl of cereal but you have to choose it wisely and with great caution. The most crucial raw material present in a bowl of breakfast cereal is undoubtedly the grain. Some of the grains that are used in any breakfast cereal include rice, oats, wheat, barley, and corn. There are some hot breakfast cereals like plain oatmeal, which has no other ingredients.
Your local grocery store is piled up with items, which will titillate your sweet tooth. However, these cereals can shoot your blood glucose levels. Several of these highly-demanded cereals contain sugar and refined grains in the list of their ingredients. Such cereals have only a handful of nutrients while possessing plenty of empty calories. Consuming them can also increase the glucose level in your blood.
That is precisely the reason why it is imperative to read their labels properly. You should choose those cereals, which have whole grain as their top ingredient. Having refined grains mean no germ and bran, which are removed during processing, making them less healthy.
Incidentally, whole grains comprise the grain kernel that in turn includes healthy fiber. Fiber is a major element of the daily diet. It can help in checking your sugar levels, as well as, reduce the threat of heart-related diseases. Additionally, whole grains include plenty of minerals and vitamins.
Usually, one can find these whole grains in their breakfast cereals:
- Buckwheat
- Wild rice
- Brown rice
- Barley
- Whole cornmeal
- Wheat bran
- Whole-wheat flour
- Oatmeal
See also: what are the best cereals to eat while pregnant?
The best way to pick the right dry cereal for diabetics
You might have heard on innumerable occasions how important having a proper breakfast is. Doctors call it the day’s most important meal. It can kick-start your rate of metabolism, prevent craving for food, and also help in losing weight. However, the common excuse many people give for skipping their breakfast is that they do not have enough time to eat their breakfast.
If you are diabetic or want to lose weight healthily, your breakfast cereal should include a cereal that is lower in carbohydrates but higher in protein and fat.
Carbohydrate Content
Studies have proved that your day should start with a lower carbohydrate, higher protein, and higher fat breakfast. Such a breakfast will have a positive impact on the blood glucose levels, and also help to control weight in patients ailing from diabetes.
Additionally, blood glucose levels tend to shoot up after breakfast. Several people are known to show resistance towards insulin in extra carbohydrate cravings. Now, this can also lead to the spiking of blood sugars. Increased blood sugar levels can lead to higher cravings for carbohydrates. It leads to the intake of extra carbohydrates and calories triggering extra sugar in the blood.
It is to be noted that simple carbohydrates are used in abundance in most breakfast cereals. However, there are some cereals available in the market that comprises easy-to-digest carbohydrates. Such cereals will ensure that the human body will get electricity in slower paces, which is healthier as Carbohydrates take time to digest. Such carbohydrates are healthier for the body in comparison to simple carbohydrates. The latter can shoot up the glucose levels immediately and should be avoided as such.
High in Fiber
You should prefer a cereal, which has high fiber in its list of ingredients. Your breakfast will be up in fiber if you consume oat cereals, shredded wheat, bran cereals, and puffed wheat. Typically, when a cereal has more sugar, it includes less fiber in each serving. Typically, the sugary cereals have around one gram of fiber per serving.
Also, fiber has complex carbohydrates, which have a reduced impact on spiking your blood sugar. Fiber supports cholesterol, lipid metabolism, and digestive health. When you have a great deal of fiber during your breakfast, you can lead a healthier lifestyle.
Nuts and Grains
When your cereal has more nuts and grains, the GI or glycemic index will be reduced. Now, that is because nuts and grains are considered to be proteins, as well as, intricate carbs. They do not create sugar in the bloodstream.
See more: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-choose-a-breakfast-cereal.
Top Rated 17 Best Cereals For Diabetics
In case you watch your portions and choose wisely, there is no harm in enjoying cereal even when you are diabetic. The fact is that several kinds of cereal in the market are loaded with minerals and vitamins. These can help you to meet your nutritional requirements.
A person who is suffering from diabetes is recommended to eat cereals for his/her breakfast before they can exercise. It is because any kind of physical activity comes in handy to burn glucose or sugar. In case you are one out of those millions of diabetes patients who takes insulin or oral medication, your blood sugar will invariably go down. As such, you should consume carbs before your exercise session so that low blood sugars can be prevented during rigorous physical activity.
Let us now look at some of the Top Cereals For Diabetics:
[amazon bestseller=”Cereal For Diabetics” items=”6″ template=”list”]1. Wheaties Whole Wheat Flakes Cereal
Wheaties Whole Wheat Flakes Cereal is one of the best breakfast cereals if you are ailing from diabetes. Delicious, crispy, and light, it is suitable for a perfect breakfast and bites. You can also have it at another time of the day. It contains wholesome toasted whole wheat, wheat bran, and may also include almonds.
Packed with fiber and vitamins, it can keep you healthy and keep your blood sugar in check. This wholesome breakfast cereal is a great source of fiber. Regular intake of this cereal can also keep your heart healthy because of being low in cholesterol and saturated fat. The cereal also has low in trans-fat, which lowers the threat of heart disease.
See also: what is the best cereal for high blood pressure?
2. Special K Kellogg’s Cereal
Special K Kellogg’s Cereal is a crunchy and delicious ready-to-eat cereal for breakfast and contains wheat and rice as its ingredients. Kellogg’s is also one of the Top Cereal Brands.
You can enjoy it with whisked yogurt or milk along with dry fruits or your favorite fruits. Begin your day with this mouthwatering break cereal regularly and you will feel the difference in yourself within a few days. The highlights of these products are as follows:
• It is naturally free from cholesterol
• It has protein and fiber in its ingredients
• There are eight essential vitamins in this cereal
• Fat percentage is just 2
• The product is rich in vitamin C and Vitamin B group
• It is naturally low in fat
Special K Kellogg’s Cereal has a perfect mixture of wheat batter, rice, and nuts. It comes with the distinctive taste of the cereal in Cinnamon. The cereal can be an excellent choice when you want to keep your blood glucose level in check.
Read also: Best Alcoholic Drinks Review 2021: Top 1 McDowell.
3. Cheerios Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal
Multi-Grain Cheerios is a gluten-free breakfast cereal, which is highly recommended for people who are ailing from diabetes. It consists of essential nutrition and 5 whole grains so that you get all the necessary nutrients to keep you going throughout the day.
All these 5 whole grains are cultivated, milled, toasted, as well as, lightly sweetened so that you receive more goodness and health in each spoonful. Its nutrient value is further increased with 100 percent of 9 vitamins and minerals. The gluten-free cereal is a great choice as your delicious breakfast food.
It is not only good for diabetics but also helps people who have heart-related conditions. Many factors contribute to heart disease. Did you know that diets that have low cholesterol and saturated fat can lower the chances of heart-related diseases? The good news is that the gluten-free cereal has just 1.5 grams of fat. It is also cholesterol-free and fat-free.
4. Cornflakes
Cereals such as puffed rice or cornflakes are offered with low-fat milk. It can be a healthy breakfast option for people who are suffering from diabetes and heart patients. Cornflakes can also prevent colon cancer and various kinds of heart ailments. It has thiamine as its ingredient, which can quicken your carb metabolism. The process eventually increases cerebral functions and energy productions.
Cornflakes when consumed with fruits can add the fiber component to your diet. Thus, it can rectify your constipation and other colon related issues. Typically, cornflakes have a glycemic load of 23 while their GI score is 93. Kellogg’s is one of the most popular cornflakes brands in the market. You can get different variations of it such as honey, nut, sugarcoated, or even plain based on your health requirements.
5. Grape-nuts
One of the healthiest breakfast cereals for people suffering from diabetes, Grape-nuts do not have added sugar. They are prepared with just 4 easy ingredients- dried yeast, salt, malted barley flour, and whole-grain wheat flour. The cereal has a glycemic load of 16, as well as 75 as its GI rating.
Also, they offer seven grams of fiber per half-cup, which comes to around 170 grams. These cereals also have different kinds of nutrients such as vitamin B group, iron, copper, magnesium, and zinc. It is also possible to make grape-nuts on your own. You have to simply use coconut and almond flour instead of using wheat flour.
6. Cream of wheat
An excellent source of many crucial nutrients, Cream of Wheat is a healthy breakfast option to control your blood sugar levels. It includes key nutrients such as folate, riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamin B6. The cereal has also a high portion of iron, which is a major mineral for many vegetarians and vegans.
Cream of Wheat is a hot cereal, which is prepared by grinding the whole-grain wheat finely. Some famous brands producing this cereal are Malt-O-Meal and B&G Foods. It provides eleven milligrams of iron in each serving, which is a sizeable dose. Blood cells of a human being use the mineral to transmit it to all parts of the body.
7. Muesli
Muesli is a delicious and healthy kind of breakfast cereal for diabetics. The cereal is usually made by combining dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and rolled oats. It is similar to granola but distinct from it in that it is eaten without being baked or in raw form. Additionally, there are no added sweeteners or oils in it.
The mix of seeds, nuts, and whole grains makes it a great source of protein. It is possible to reduce muesli’s carbohydrate content drastically by creating a grain-free version (DIY). The DIY version can be made using raisins, nuts, and coconut flakes. Some good brands to consider while making your choice include Bob’s Red Mill and Familia Swiss Muesli Cereal.
8. Rice-based cereals
Different rice-based cereals including Kellogg’s Special K can also affect keeping your glucose level in check. The Pebbles cereal has also been a safe choice.
Manufactured under Post Consumer Brands, these are rice-based cereals and do not have any kind of gluten in their ingredients.
Another excellent choice can be Barbara’s Honey Rice Puffins, which is suitable for adults, as well as, children in the family. The cereal’s base is prepared from whole grain brown rice. It is slightly sweetened by combining honey, molasses, and sugar cane.
See also: Best All Purpose Flour Review 2021: Top 1 Pillsbury.
9. Oatmeal
Oats are considered to be a healthy and nutritious cereal choice. These can be consumed as porridge or oatmeal and are usually crushed or rolled. Oats are rich in important nutrients and fiber, as they are whole grains. A half-cup serving of oats offers 68 percent of your daily requirement of manganese, four grams of fiber, 16 percent of zinc, and 18 percent of selenium and phosphorous.
They also offer a great deal of magnesium, iron, and a group of B vitamins. It is easy to buy flavored and pre-portioned oats from a store but can also make them on your own. Oatmeal is extremely versatile because it can be made in a variety of ways.
Also, you can boil it with milk or water and then add nuts, cinnamon, and fresh fruits to make your diet even healthier and more nutritious. The market is full of fortified, organic, or specialization brands, which are in great demand including Quaker.
Oatmeal is a source of fiber.
10. Wheat bran-based cereals
Wheat bran can be processed into pellets or flakes while served as your breakfast cereal. However, it is important to note here that the cereal can be heavier than compared to certain rice-based cereals as their fiber content is huge.
Additionally, wheat bran also contains a generous proportion of important minerals such as magnesium, zinc, iron, and thiamin. There are a few fortified brands, which are also excellent sources of vitamin B12 and folic acid. Post’s 100% Bran and Kellogg’s All-Bran are both good choices as wheat bran-based cereals.
11. Porridge
Some people ailing from diabetes are better-equipped to digest porridge as compared to others. So, it is advised to undergo blood tests to find out how you are affected by porridge. Make sure not to add sugar or salt to your porridge as it will dilute the benefits of this meal. Oatmeal, for instance, has been a popular breakfast food. It includes oat groats that are oat kernels but minus the husks. It is served warm and is cooked with liquid add-ins such as fruit, sweeteners, or nuts. You can make it before and reheat in the morning for an easy and quick breakfast.
12. Shredded whole wheat cereal
When a diabetic patient has shredded wheat cereal mixed with low-fat milk, it can be a healthy choice for his/her breakfast. The reason for this is that it is rich in fiber and does not contain any kind of sugar salt. Yet, you should be careful with the veggies as they can have added sugar in them. Instead, start including healthy fruits such as a banana or berries.
13. Muesli with added sugar
Muesli is good for health provided you purchase it carefully. Check the label properly and make sure that you are buying one without added sugar or salt. At times, it can contain almost the same amount of sugar as that of a bowl full of frosted flakes. However, there is no denying of it having health benefits if it does not have glucose. Make sure that you purchase no-added-sugar Muesli if you are diabetic.
14. Sugar-frosted cornflakes
Did you know that sugar-frosted cornflakes can have a high proportion of fiber and sugar along with salt? These are similar to honey-nut coated cereals or chocolate rice cereals. It is better to opt for an equivalent unsweetened variant like cornflakes or puffed rice.
15. Granola with dried fruit, nuts, or seeds
While it may appear to be healthy at the first glance, don’t get misled by the cereal especially when you are ailing from diabetes. After all, it is full of fat and sugar. Also, it should never be consumed with total fat milk as a lot of unwanted calories can get piled up.
16. Granola with chocolate
It may have similar issues to that of granola as the fat and sugar contents are high. However, having chocolate in it means even more sugar and fat. It may be eaten on certain occasions though.
Best Cereal To Eat For Diabetics FAQs
1. Which cereal is the best for people with diabetes?
The American Diabetes Association considers oatmeal, corn flakes, puffed rice, and bran flakes as food with high GI. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that a diet with low GI can help people suffering from diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. Oat bran, steel-cut oatmeal, and wrapped oatmeal are cereals with low GI.
You can see more: https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes-healthy-cereal-brands
2. Can I eat cereal if I have diabetes?
While cereals may not be a perfect choice for all people who have diabetes, it could be better than not having anything at all. Cereals may have the necessary sugars, minerals, and fiber in your daily diets. It can be also helpful in avoiding low blood sugars.
Read also: https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/cereal
3. Are bananas okay for people with diabetes?
Bananas are a nutritious and safe fruit for people ailing from diabetes. They can be eaten in moderation according to an individualized and balanced diet plan. A person with high blood sugar should include fresh veggies and fruits in their diet. Bananas can offer a lot of nutrition without including many calories.
Read more: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bananas-diabetes
Conclusion
You need not panic if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Instead, what you need to follow are a healthy and nutritious diet and adequate exercise. Breakfast is an important meal of the day and it should not be skipped at any cost. You may make your own choice of breakfast based on our above 10 recommendations. However, it is also imperative to maintain and follow a normal meal pattern. Most importantly, you should take out some time regularly to eat a proper breakfast.
It is the perfect way to kick-start your day and remain active and healthy throughout the day. If you skip your breakfast, it could be tough to resist mid-morning cravings for chocolates and carbs, which can be damaging to your blood sugar level. It is usual for many diabetic patients to give in and snack on chocolates the moment they start feeling famished.
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