# Breakfast dilemma



## Simon Workman (Sep 18, 2016)

Ok so I've just been told i have diabetes in the past fortnight. Still don't know which type yet. Anyway I've started keeping a wee log of what i'm eating and my blood sugar readings i'm taking before meals and then 1 hour after meals.

Had 2 weetabix with blueberries this morning and then a small piece of pepperoni pizza left over from last night about half an hour later with a cup of tea. Wouldn't normally have the pizza tbh but my housemate brought it home last night so nibbled and then had that wee bit this morning after brekkie also.

So my blood reading pre breakfast was the lowest its been so far at 8.6. Unfortunately an hour after I'd finished the breakfast it was almost as high as its been at a disappointing 22.5

I'm just wondering what you guys eat for brekkie? I know Weetabix has carbs and too many of those are bad but i'd have thought that was a reasonably healthy option with blueberries. I may have to have a rethink. Open to suggestions! Can't stand Porridge so please don't suggest that :-(


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## Val999 (Sep 18, 2016)

I can't stand cereals or porridge as don't like the taste of milk. I either have a couple of small slices of toast and marmite made with a low carb bread such as burgen or nimble or a cooked breakfast consisting of 2 rashers of bacon, some mushrooms and half a small tin of Sainsburys reduced salt and sugar baked beans. I fry bacon and mushrooms in butter as part of my LCHF diet.


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## Simon Workman (Sep 18, 2016)

I may have to change to something along those lines. Maybe it was the piece of pizza that pushed my reading so high though so tomorrow I will just have the weetabix and blueberries and see how that goes. If that fails I may have to try something else. Maybe bacon and eggs with a slice of low carb toast could be an option


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## Val999 (Sep 18, 2016)

Pizza seems to affect different people in different ways. I sometimes have a thin crust pizza for my dinner and I have tested and no real problems. I do give the outer crust to my dogs though ! Others have said that it spikes their BG quite badly.


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## pottersusan (Sep 18, 2016)

Bacon egg and tomato with a slice of Burgen works for me. Pizza is v bad news for me.


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 18, 2016)

Most days i have ham topped with a slice of cheese & scrambled egg. Pizza is evil. Weetabix are fairly evil but can be tamed. Try replacing cows milk with soya or almond milk or even greek yoghurt. Personally l can't touch any cereals. They send my BG through the roof.


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## Marsbar63 (Sep 18, 2016)

Bearing in mind that you are not on any medication to control your blood sugar at the moment, you may want to be keep your carbs to a minimum. The weetabix and pizza are not low in carbs add to that blueberries which often cause a sugar spike and it's easy for your sugars to rise as they did.
Once you get your diagnosis and you get the medication you need then it will hopefully be easier to get better control.
If you really like your cereals the best advice I would offer is just stick to the weetabix and drop the pizza and blueberries.


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## SB2015 (Sep 18, 2016)

Any cereal is just sugar in disguise.  I was shocked when I saw the spike from my Weetabix.  That was the end of those.  Putting the berries in with it doesn't change the carbs apart from add on a little extra.  I now have a small amount of porridge (which I know some people struggle with) and berries with a dollop of yogurt.

Unfortunately *any* carbs you eat just turn into glucose inside you.  The thing to look for is ones that convert more slowly and also eat fewer of them to avoid the increase in BG, especially as you are not yet on any medication/insulin.


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 18, 2016)

I found it quite amazing that Coco Pops are actually lower in carbs than the so-called healthy Shredded Wheat!  That doesn't mean change to Coco Pops though.  They will still spike like crazy.  Some people on her have Lizzies Granola, which is lower carb, but it's a bit pricey.


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## Radders (Sep 18, 2016)

Since I started weighing my cereal, I realised that all my life I have been eating a double sized portion! Apart from Weetabix, obviously. I swapped Weetabix for Oatibix, which I found better, and more recently have swapped to higher protein Weetabix. I have it with soya milk and just have one with 25g Lizi's granola and 15g ground flax seed. I also exercise after breakfast. 
I need the fibre that I get from cereal so have experimented to find what I can manage. Mind you I can cover it with insulin but I still get spikes if not careful.


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## HOBIE (Sep 18, 2016)

Simon Workman said:


> Ok so I've just been told i have diabetes in the past fortnight. Still don't know which type yet. Anyway I've started keeping a wee log of what i'm eating and my blood sugar readings i'm taking before meals and then 1 hour after meals.
> 
> Had 2 weetabix with blueberries this morning and then a small piece of pepperoni pizza left over from last night about half an hour later with a cup of tea. Wouldn't normally have the pizza tbh but my housemate brought it home last night so nibbled and then had that wee bit this morning after brekkie also.
> 
> ...


A bit of some pizza is very high & I avoid very much. You have had a few carbs for breakkie.


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## stephknits (Sep 18, 2016)

Why not try having not breakfast for breakfast!  Try some protein like a bit of chicken or ham, have eggs, eat leftover low carb dinner (not pizza!).  I like curry for breakfast (home made) or chilli and scrambled eggs.  Full fat yogurt is also good with a few berries.


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 18, 2016)

Something I haven't  tried yet is Chia pudding.  Consists of coconut milk, chia seeds & berries.  Blitz berries & coconut milk together & add Chia seeds (about 1 tbsp) & allow to set in the fridge.  Prepare the night before.


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## AlisonM (Sep 18, 2016)

Good quality rough cut oatmeal (a true Scot here, none of that soft southern sugary stuff for me, S&P is what goes on mine, and not much S these days) is a standard of my breakfast list, or with my own yoghurt and fresh berries, or a slice of Bergen bread with grilled mushrooms or toms on. At weekends I'll do a full grill up, no eggs cos hey, allergic here... It's usually Venison or Turkey sausages, mushrooms, toms, a slice of black pudding sometimes and toast.


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## weecee (Sep 18, 2016)

Depending on my work shift, I would either have 30g (40g serving not good tummy wise) Tesco fruit and fibre with  Weight Watchers yogurt, or scrambled or poached egg with maybe one slice toast, or two dry fried bacon rashers with tomato, or sometimes low sugar and salt baked beans. The odd occasion I might have a banana with yogurt. Try what you like and test to see how your body reacts


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## khskel (Sep 18, 2016)

Lizzis granola with unsweetened almond milk does the trick for me. It is pricey but if you stick to 50g portion it's less than 40p a pop


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## Shivles (Sep 21, 2016)

Eggs and bacon is one that will keep the glucose monster at bay!


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 21, 2016)

I had something a little different this morning.  Bought some ready cooked Kabanos mini sausages.  Cut one into tiny pieces & mixed it in with my scrambled egg (before putting it in the microwave).  It was very tasty.


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## Martin Canty (Sep 21, 2016)

I usually skip breakfast, preferring to start eating near the middle of the day.


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## Amigo (Sep 21, 2016)

I like a slice of wholemeal toast with a slice of ham on topped with a fried egg. I find on a morning I can get away with a slice of kingsmill bread (apart from now as this cold is ramping up the sugar like mad!)


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 21, 2016)

I haven't even tried a normal slice of bread since diagnosis.  Knowing that 2 slices of Burgen send me up 2-3mmols, I daren't try anything else.


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## Pine Marten (Sep 23, 2016)

khskel said:


> Lizzis granola with unsweetened almond milk does the trick for me. It is pricey but if you stick to 50g portion it's less than 40p a pop


I found this while shopping yesterday, so tried it out this morning with unsweetened almond milk, and a large coffee (also with almond milk). I couldn't measure it out precisely but didn't go for a large portion. Result:

before breakfast = 5.2 (oh yes )
1 hour after         = 9.5 (  )
2 hours after       = 6.4 (  )

So not too bad, and it made a pleasant and tasty change from permutations of tomatoes/mushrooms/eggs/bacon/Burgen or Hovis toast.


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## Pine Marten (Sep 23, 2016)

.....I thought I'd do a 3 hour test, just for the sake of it, and it had gone down to 5.7. I gave up porridge and cereals because they spiked too much, but this granola doesn't seem too bad now and again.


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## Radders (Sep 23, 2016)

Pine Marten said:


> .....I thought I'd do a 3 hour test, just for the sake of it, and it had gone down to 5.7. I gave up porridge and cereals because they spiked too much, but this granola doesn't seem too bad now and again.


You could try adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the granola, might reduce the spike?


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## Pine Marten (Sep 24, 2016)

Radders said:


> You could try adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the granola, might reduce the spike?


Where do you get ground flaxseed, somewhere like Holland & Barrett...?


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## Radders (Sep 24, 2016)

Pine Marten said:


> Where do you get ground flaxseed, somewhere like Holland & Barrett...?


Yes, or Lidl, or most large supermarkets sell it.


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## Pine Marten (Sep 24, 2016)

Ah, thanks, Radders, I'll have a look


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 24, 2016)

Linseed is basically the same, so either will do.


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## Pine Marten (Oct 7, 2016)

Radders said:


> You could try adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the granola, might reduce the spike?


I bought a bag of flaxseed yesterday, so I tried it this morning mixed with the granola. 
Results: 
before breakfast = 5.7
one hour after    = 8.1
two hours after   = 7.0

I then had to pop out, but got back in time to do a three hour test = 5.7, back to where I started (though helped by the brisk walk, no doubt).

It did reduce the spike from what happened before, so it will make a nice change now and again. Thanks for the suggestion, Radders


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