Do’s and Don’ts of Oatmeal and Diabetes (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my oatmeal not spike my blood sugar? ›

When eating oatmeal, here's what you should do: Eat it with a protein or healthy fat such as eggs, nut butter, or Greek yogurt. Adding 1–2 tablespoons of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds can add protein and healthy fat, which can further help stabilize your blood sugar.

Instant oats are also milled to a smaller size, so they take even less time to prepare. But this convenience means your body breaks down both types of oats quickly, which means the carbohydrates in the oats are more rapidly converted to glucose and absorbed. That can lead to a spike in blood sugar.

If you live with diabetes and are looking for fewer blood sugar spikes, you will ideally want to choose foods with a lower GI. Pure glucose (sugar) has a GI of 100 and oatmeal made with rolled oats or steel-cut oats has a GI of 53-55 while oatmeal made from more processes oats such as instant oats has a GI of 75.

Quinoa is a great oatmeal alternative as it has rich protein and fiber contents, which help keep you satiated and slow the rise of your blood sugar post-meal. One cup of cooked quinoa packs about 40 grams of carbs, 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of dietary fiber and 3 grams of healthy fats.

In moderation, oats can be a healthful regular addition to a diet for people with diabetes. However, there is no one-size-fits-all diet for diabetes, and people should monitor their blood sugar levels when eating oats to decide if they are the right choice. Steel-cut or rolled whole grain oats are best.

Compared with the controls, oats intake significantly reduced the concentrations of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (MD, −0.42%; 95% CI, −0.61% to −0.23%), fasting blood glucose (FBG) (MD, −0.39 mmol/L; 95% CI, −0.58 to −0.19 mmol/L), total cholesterol (TC) (MD, −0.49 mmol/L; 95% CI, −0.86 to −0.12 mmol/L), low- ...

A normal A1C level is below 5.7%, a level of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes, and a level of 6.5% or more indicates diabetes.

Is canned tuna fish good for diabetics? ›

“Additionally, both canned tuna and canned salmon are great sources of protein, which takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and will not raise blood glucose levels.” Both are rich in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA — and a study published in January 2014 in the journal Diabetes Care found that men who regularly ...

Natural peanut butter is considered safe for people with diabetes. It's best to avoid the “low-fat” varieties of peanut butter. They sound healthy—but most brands simply add more sugar to make up for less fat. This can spike blood sugar levels and leads to more daily carbohydrates.

Put your diabetes supplies in a carry-on bag (insulin could get too cold in your checked luggage). Think about bringing a smaller bag to have at your seat for insulin, glucose tablets, and snacks. Pack twice as much medicine as you think you'll need.

What causes high A1c? High A1c is caused by having an elevated blood sugar level over a period of three months. According to the NIH, the most common high A1c causes and risk factors include diabetes, anemia, lack of exercise, and obesity.

For functionally independent older adults, the IDF recommends an A1C goal of 7–7.5%, whereas for functionally dependent, frail patients or patients with dementia, an A1C goal of 7–8% is recommended.

Eggs = More Protein

According to USDA, a breakfast with 2 medium eggs will yield approximately 13g Protein and 1.1g Carbs whereas a bowl of oatmeal will give you 2.4 g Protein and 12g Carbs. So if Protein is your priority for breakfast then the clear choice is Eggs.

"Steel-cut oats are the least processed [type of oats] and the best option health-wise," says Kylie Ivanir, MS, RD, a registered dietitian with Within Nutrition. "The fibers in them are very healthy for the gut, hormones, satiety, and weight loss."

Temporary increase in insulin sensitivity

Eating oats may also help improve insulin sensitivity. In each meal, a systematic review posted to the journal nutrients noted that a person with type 2 diabetes, who ate a meal of oatmeal, had a better glucose and insulin response than a person who ate a similar control meal.

What is the best diet to lower blood sugar? ›

Choose your carbohydrates wisely — ideally, from vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Avoid highly refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, and rice, as well as candy, sugary soft drinks, and sweets. Refined carbohydrates tend to cause sharp spikes in blood sugar, and can boost blood triglyceride levels.

When eaten in moderation, all kinds of sweet potatoes are healthy. They're very high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and can safely be included in a diabetes-friendly diet.

However, you can't just grab any box and pour it into a bowl. You'll need to pay attention to sugar, fiber and carbohydrate content to ensure that you're choosing a cereal that fits with a healthy diabetic meal plan. Cheerios are a prime choice so stock up on them today.

Generally, there's no advantage to substituting honey for sugar in a diabetes eating plan. Both honey and sugar will affect your blood sugar level. Honey is sweeter than granulated sugar, so you might use a smaller amount of honey for sugar in some recipes.

The American Diabetes Association recommends choosing whole grain bread or 100 percent whole wheat bread instead of white bread. White bread is made from highly processed white flour and added sugar. Here are some delicious and healthy breads to try: Joseph's Flax, Oat Bran and Wheat Pita Bread.

Current studies suggest those with diabetes can include one egg a day, but the whole diet should be considered instead of focusing on one food item. The majority of beneficial nutrient content is included in the egg yolk.

If you, from one day to the next, decreased your daily average blood sugar from 300 mg/dl (16.7 mmol/l) to 120 mg/dl (6.7 mmol/l), your A1c would decrease from 12% to 6% in around two months.

There is no specific A1c level that makes it necessary for you to be on medication. While an A1c of 6.5% or higher is indicative of diabetes, some people may need to start taking medication for an A1c under 6.5%. And others with an A1c over 6.5% aren't prescribed any medication.

Does your A1c go up with age? ›

In summary, in the current study, the uniform results between FOS and NHANES establish clearly that A1C increases with age even after multivariate adjustments for sex, fasting, and 2-h postload glucose.

Lettuce: the diabetic patient should eat plenty of lettuce. These have a low glycemic index and thus helps to lower your blood sugar level. Ac up of lettuce gives 5 to 10 calories of energy. Lettuce is also rich in vitamins especially vitamin A, K, and other minerals.

Yes, a person with diabetes can eat mayonnaise. Mayonnaise has less than a single gram of carbohydrates per tablespoon. But with 10 grams of total fat (1.6 grams of that coming from saturated fat) it can be considered high fat. So you may want to limit the amount of mayonnaise you eat or find an alternative.

When most people think of a diet that leads to poor diabetes control, they may think of a diet high in carbs and sugar. While those types of food do impact your blood sugars, consuming too many saturated fats can be an enemy against diabetes control,too.

Popcorn is a very popular and healthy whole-grain snack food. It has been deemed a suitable snack food for people with diabetes, partly because of its low calorie density. One cup (8 grams) of air-popped popcorn contains just 31 calories.

Grapes are a beloved fruit that is healthy and safe for people with diabetes. They are safe to eat, and you can include them in a diabetic diet because they don't cause a rise in blood sugar. Consuming grapes can lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Due to their fibre content, grapes keep one feeling full.

Dark chocolate is likely best for diabetics because it contains the least sugar and generally no milk. Dark chocolate could have the lowest glycemic index (some 100% types as low as 23), which means it maynot cause a spike in blood glucose.

“You want to eat a balanced, healthful diet, and avoid refined carbohydrates, which raise blood sugar. You also want to avoid the saturated fat found in fatty meats, full-fat dairy, and fried foods, as people with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of getting heart disease.”

Your main goals should include staying away from unhealthy fats, liquid sugars, processed grains, and other foods that contain refined carbs.

How do you flush out diabetes? ›

Barley or jau water is high in insoluble fibre, which makes it good for diabetics. It is recommended for diabetics as it helps stabilise blood glucose levels. Make sure you drink unsweetened barley water to get effective results. The antioxidant properties of barley water also helps keep many diseases at bay.

The American Diabetes Association recommends filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables at meals, such as asparagus, broccoli, green beans, squash and mushrooms.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables that belong to the cabbage family such as cauliflower, Brussels, broccoli, and sprouts should never be consumed raw. These vegetables contain sugar that is difficult to digest. Eating these vegetables raw may lead to a number of gastronomical problems.

The quickest way to lower your blood sugar is to take fast-acting insulin. Exercising is another fast, effective way. In some cases, you should go to the hospital. High blood sugar levels are known as hyperglycemia or high blood glucose.

Steel-cut oats are best for type 2 diabetes because they are the least-processed version of oat groats. “Rolled oats have a higher GI than steel-cut oats as they actually have been partially cooked, making them increase your blood sugar faster,” says Kaufman.

Sweeteners: For added sweetness, some people use sweeteners, such as sucralose, stevia, or monk fruit sweetener. Milk: Some people cut back on the serving of oats and replace those carbs with milk, by mixing it with the water during cooking or adding it at the end.

Oatmeal significantly reduced the acute postprandial glucose and insulin responses compared with the control meal. The present study has revealed a beneficial effect of oats intake on glucose control and lipid profiles in type 2 diabetic patients.

A normal A1C level is below 5.7%, a level of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes, and a level of 6.5% or more indicates diabetes. Within the 5.7% to 6.4% prediabetes range, the higher your A1C, the greater your risk is for developing type 2 diabetes.

Is Coffee good for a diabetic? ›

Some studies suggest that drinking coffee — whether caffeinated and decaffeinated — may actually reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes, however, the impact of caffeine on insulin action may be associated with higher or lower blood sugar levels.

While oatmeal can have a beneficial effect on blood glucose levels, according to research in the journal Nutrients, instant oatmeal is much more processed, and the flavored varieties often contain loads of added sugar.

“I add diced apples; cinnamon, ginger, a bit of nutmeg and cloves [or a store-bought blend like pumpkin pie spice]; and chopped nuts,” she says. “Then I sweeten with maple syrup or brown sugar to taste.” The apples and spices add a little sweetness, so you don't need much maple syrup.

Oatmeal is a source of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are converted into sugar when digested and increase sugar levels in the blood stream.

The lifespan of red blood cells is one of the biggest influences on A1C levels. That's because the A1C test measures the percentage of your red blood cells that have glucose attached to the hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells. Changes in red blood cells can changeTrusted Source your A1C.