Diabetes type 2 diet: Four healthy food swaps to have at breakfast to keep symptoms at bay

Diabetes type 2 is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.

It’s a lifelong condition, but left untreated, it can lead to a number of other health problems such as heart disease and stroke.

Even a mildly raised glucose level that doesn’t cause any symptoms can have long-term damaging effects.

The best way to treat type 2 diabetes is to make some simple lifestyle changes such as exercising more and eating healthily, and here are food swaps to make at breakfast to help you follow a balanced diet.

Diabetes UK suggests four healthy breakfast swaps, which include switching cereals, grilling instead of frying, swapping the type of milk you use, and what to replace on-the-go cereal bars with.

Switching cereal

While granola and cereal clusters appear healthy, they are often full of sugar and fat, according to the charity.

Instead, it recommends switching to porridge – either porridge oats or the instant variety – just make sure to avoid those with added sugar.

For sweetness you can add chopped fruit.

Savoury breakfasts

If you prefer having a savoury, cooked breakfast it recommends grilling instead of frying bacon and sausages to cut down on calories and fat.

You should also try and avoid red meat and instead us oily fish such as salmon or kippers.

It adds: “They’re delicious served with scrambled egg, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and wholegrain toast.

“You could also try topping wholegrain toast with scrambled egg or egg bhurji, avocado, cottage cheese with edamame beans and tomatoes, or grilled tomatoes and mushrooms.”

Breakfast drinks

A simple way to cut down on calories is to switch from whole milk to semi-skimmed or skimmed milk.

The charity says switching from blue to red top milk will save you 164 calories and 19.8g per pint – which is the equivalent of four chocolate digestive biscuits.

If you have coffee int he morning you should switch the medium latte for a flat white or cappuccino made with skimmed milk to save at least 100 calories.

Breakfast on the go

Cereal bar aren’t always as healthy as they appear.

For a better breakfast snack on the go, Diabetes UK, recommends grabbing some fresh fruit and a handful of nuts instead.

You can combine this with a glass of semi or skimmed milk to keep hydrated and get essential calcium for your bones and teeth.

Eating this 89p superfood could also help control blood sugar levels.