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The #1 Best Breakfast Combination to Lower Blood Sugar, Says Dietitian

Who says you have to exclude carbs from your diet?
FACT CHECKED BY Kiersten Hickman

When it comes to finding foods to help decrease your blood sugar, there are many healthy habits you can adopt to keep your glucose levels steady. Sleep, exercise, as well as switching up your eating and drinking habits, all play a huge role. There are even specific combinations that can help satisfy your needs as opposed to just a particular type of food. For example, medical expert Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and The Portion Teller Plan, suggests that a combination of a protein-rich food with a healthy carbohydrate that is high in fiber makes for a great breakfast to help lower blood sugar. 

Rich protein breakfast foods include yogurt, nut butter, milk, or eggs, while high fiber carbohydrates usually include whole-grain cereal, crackers, toast, and fruits or vegetables. Young also advises to not be afraid to enjoy healthy carbs!

"Both protein and healthy carbs with fiber help to keep your blood sugar steady," says Young. "Protein prevents your blood sugar from rising. The combo is also filling so that you are not hungry an hour later."

While it is best to eat that particular combination, it is more beneficial to eat them in a specific order. According to a previous study in Diabetes Care, eating protein and vegetables before carbohydrates could lead to lower post-meal glucose and insulin levels in obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

The results demonstrated that glucose levels were much lower when vegetables and protein were eaten before carbohydrates—by almost 37%.

However, you can still combine the two food groups into one breakfast meal, as the mix of carbs and protein still positively impacts your blood sugar.

Lower your blood sugar with these breakfast combos

Yogurt Bowl with Blueberries
Shutterstock

Young has provided some breakfast combination suggestions to help you get your mornings started on the right foot:

Yogurt

Take 6 ounces of low-fat Greek yogurt, and top with 2 tablespoons of crushed walnuts and 1 cup of blueberries. You can also eat the ingredients separately if you wish.

Veggie omelet

Take two eggs and form them into an omelet, filling them with broccoli and mushrooms. Pair it with a slice of toasted Ezekiel bread and avocado to make avocado toast.

Apple oatmeal

Add 1/2 cup of uncooked steel-cut oats and mix with 1 cup of low-fat milk. Proceed to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of almond butter, and 1/2 cup of sliced apple and mix.

Looking for other delicious breakfast options? Try The Best Oatmeals for Your Blood Sugar — Ranked

Kayla Garritano
Kayla Garritano graduated from Hofstra University, where she majored in Journalism and double minored in Marketing and Creative Writing. Read more about Kayla