KEY POINTS

  • New Year's Day means feasting on a host of good food
  • Patients suffering from type 2 diabetes must be careful with what they're eating during New Year
  • Here are some tips on how you can enjoy food without getting a spike in blood sugar

If you are predisposed to type 2 diabetes or are already suffering from the ailment, you should seriously consider the need to control your blood glucose levels. Even if you are not suffering from the ailment or is not even predisposed to it, you still need to manage your blood sugar levels. If it becomes too high, it can cause a host of other health problems, which include nerve damage, stroke, kidney failure, and heart disease.

Observing a healthy diet regularly can greatly help in managing your blood sugar. Eating an array of foods, including starchy foods like pasta, as well as including lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet, also helps in managing sugar levels. At the same time, you need to keep your consumption of fat and salt to minimum levels. The National Health Service also says that you should avoid skipping meals and should eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

When it comes to the most important meal of the day, breakfast, you should be able to select only the best foods to consume, particularly on New Year’s Day. So what comprises the best breakfast meal that could help manage your blood sugar levels?

Best Breakfast Meal To Keep Sugar Levels In Check

If you cannot avoid having slices of toast on New Year’s Day, it is recommended by Diabetes UK for you to switch from white toast to its whole grain equivalent. Examples of wholegrain versions are soya, linseed, granary, seeded batch bread, and multi-seed.

new year food type 2 diabetes
new year food type 2 diabetes terovesalainen - Pixabay

According to the health organization, the wholegrain variety is better for your digestive health and diabetes. They can also help you feel full after only a couple of slices.

Go for a mashed banana instead of having a jam. You can also opt for low-fat cheese and cottage cheese. Include a couple of freshly chopped dates or note butter, the one which does not have any additional palm oil or sugar.

While pastries, muffins, and croissants may be okay, they should be set aside and enjoyed only as an occasional treat. For a savory food on New Year’s Day, go for an oily fish instead of having bacon and sausages. According to Diabetes UK, this will help satisfy your craving for something savory during the first breakfast of the year. The rationale behind this is you need to limit your red and processed meat intake and consume oily fish like the heart-friendly kippers or salmon.

An oily fish is very delicious when served with grilled tomatoes, wholegrain toast, scrambled eggs, and mushrooms. You can also go for a veggie sausage, but you need to check its salt content first. It is alright to consume sausages or a rasher of bacon occasionally, but instead of frying them, try to grill the food to remove visible fat.