Fit Fare

There was a time, not so long ago, when not having cereal at breakfast seemed to put a damper on the rest of my day. Even after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I refused to give up my favorite breakfast food and simply made the switch to whole-grain cereals.But a year ago, I started making the connection between the dawn phenomenon and my own morning hyperglycemia. The dawn phenomenon is common in people with diabetes. No one knows for sure what causes this natural early morning rise in blood sugar, but it wreaks havoc when it does happen. I realized I had been feeding that natural rise in blood sugar with even more carbohydrates without any protein or fat to offset them. No wonder I felt horrible for a couple hours after breakfast!

These days, my favorite easy breakfasts include scrambled eggs or turkey sausage with whole-grain toast or waffles. I know, I know, eggs got a bad rap back in the early 1990’s for cholesterol content. However, eggs also have a high level of protein as well as almost every essential vitamin and mineral required for a healthy human body.

I have to admit that plain scrambled eggs do get boring after awhile. Goat cheese, mushrooms, salsa, crab, and smoked salmon make for interesting additions.

I seek out bread and waffles that have fewer than 30 carbs per serving. As for toppings, cinnamon and a small pat of butter are all I need to make these tasty treats in the morning. 

Turkey sausage is a great low-fat alternative to pork sausage and also provides a good protein source.

Some other smart carb breakfasts I have enjoyed:

• Omelettes with vegetables and cheddar cheese
• Savory crepes with ham, mushrooms, and zucchini
• Yukon gold potato hash with duck confit and onions

For even more smart carb breakfast ideas, check out:

• The Low Carb Cafe breakfast recipes
• dLife breakfast recipes