Special Breakfasts

Here is a question I recently received from FOODPICKER.org:

Q: On special occasions, my family usually gets together for a big breakfast.  Now that I have diabetes, I’m not sure what I can eat.  Waffles, pastries, omelets, bacon, or what?  What are the best items I should choose?

A:  First, think about the carbohydrates. Many of your breakfast foods will contain carbohydrates including: croissants, pastries, waffles, pancakes, fruit, milk, yogurt, syrup, sugar, honey,  toast and juices – just to name a few. If you aren’t sure of how many carbohydrates you should be eating at each meal, try to limit your intake to 3 servings or 45 grams of carbohydrate.

Second, think about nutrition. Sugary foods and fatty or fried foods are high in calories and low in nutrition. For example: donuts, bacon, syrups, sugar, honey etc. These should be avoided or eaten in small portions to help control blood sugar and weight.

Next, pick out a few of your favorite foods and build your plate. You can always use the healthy plate as a guide.

Filling and tasty foods that will keep your blood sugar steady include breakfast items like:

• Egg white omelet with vegetables and cheese, 1 slice of toast and 1 1/4 cup of strawberries
• English muffin sandwich made with egg, Canadian bacon, lettuce, tomato
• 1, 4 inch waffle with peanut butter and a banana
• 1 egg, 1 – 2 1/2 inch biscuit with 3/4 cup of pineapple

For more information on certain breakfast foods, go to Foodpicker.org to find serving sizes and carbohydrate amounts.

Lastly, if you’ve found that by the end of breakfast you have over-indulged, do some exercise to help reduce the blood sugar levels and burn off some of those calories.

Buen Provecho!

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Mandy Seay is a registered and licensed dietitian. She works as a nutrition consultant in Austin, Texas specializing in diabetes, weight loss, lipid control and preventative nutrition. For more health articles and nutrition information, check out Mandy’s website Nutritionistics.