2026/09/04 06:24
Genetic physician Zhang Jiaming said that diabetic patients should not only eat refined starches such as porridge, toast or steamed buns for breakfast, but can also eat protein and high-fiber foods to help stabilize blood sugar; the picture is a situational photo. (Picture taken from freepik)
[Health Channel/Comprehensive Report] Many people eat two pieces of toast or a steamed bun with coffee for breakfast, thinking that since they have eaten so little, their blood sugar will not soar. Zhang Jiaming, chairman of the Society of Precision Preventive Medicine, cited research and pointed out that the less breakfast the better for diabetics, the key lies in how to mix it. Studies have found that high-fiber breakfast can help reduce blood sugar 2 hours after the meal; high-protein breakfast is related to the improvement of glycated hemoglobin. For breakfast, you can master "protein + fiber + appropriate amount of starch." For example, if white toast is originally paired with coffee, you can add eggs or sugar-free soy milk, and some vegetables; steamed buns can be paired with sugar-free soy milk, eggs, and nuts, which is an ideal sugar-control breakfast.
Zhang Jiaming shared on Facebook "Gene Physician Zhang Jiaming" that if breakfast consists mainly of easily digestible starches such as white toast, white porridge, steamed buns, and sweet breads, with little protein and fiber, glucose will easily enter the blood quickly, and blood sugar will naturally rise more easily after a meal. In addition to asking how much you ate for breakfast, you also need to pay attention to the amount of blood sugar that will rise after eating this breakfast.
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Zhang Jiaming explained that a systematic review and integrated analysis published in "Frontiers in Endocrinology" in 2026 compiled a number of randomized controlled trials and analyzed the impact of different breakfast components on blood sugar control in patients with diabetes, and found that high-fiber and high-protein breakfasts have different effects.
High fiber is good for after meals, high protein is good for long term
Research has found that high-fiber breakfast is more helpful for postprandial blood sugar control. Some studies have shown that blood sugar can be reduced by about 2.10 to 2.46 mmol/L 2 hours after a meal, which converts to about 38 to 44 mg/dL. High-protein breakfast is more noteworthy for long-term blood sugar control. In an analysis of two studies and 115 subjects, the average decrease in glycated hemoglobin was about 0.50 percentage points. In other words, a high-fiber breakfast mainly helps to reduce the post-meal blood sugar peak; a high-protein breakfast is more noteworthy for long-term blood sugar control a few months later.
Zhang Jiaming mentioned that fiber, especially soluble fiber, can make food move slower in the gastrointestinal tract and delay glucose absorption, so it has the opportunity to reduce blood sugar peaks after meals; protein can increase satiety, making it less likely to get hungry soon after breakfast, and may also reduce the chance of eating a lot of starch and sweets later.
The golden formula for breakfast: "Protein + Fiber + Moderate Starch"
Zhang Jiaming suggested that diabetic breakfast should follow the principle of "protein + fiber + appropriate amount of starch". For example, if white toast is originally paired with coffee, you can add eggs or sugar-free soy milk and some vegetables. You can use less rice porridge and add eggs, tofu, fish and vegetables. Steamed buns can be paired with sugar-free soy milk, eggs and nuts. In other words, the key point is to have protein and fiber, and starch should not be the protagonist.
He believes that people do not need to change everything at once. They should adjust one thing first and observe for 1-2 weeks to see if there are any changes in blood sugar, morning energy and hunger after breakfast. After all, even if you eat the same breakfast, everyone's postprandial blood sugar response may be different. The reason is related to factors such as the body's metabolic state, insulin secretion, and insulin sensitivity.
He emphasized that sleep and daily routine may also affect morning blood sugar. If you often stay up late, don't get enough sleep, or have an irregular schedule, your morning blood sugar may be less stable. Therefore, sugar control should not just focus on what you eat in one meal, but also take your overall lifestyle into consideration.
