5 Low-Calorie Breakfasts for Diabetic Patients

Every diabetic patient should pay special attention to his or her diet. Choosing low-calorie breakfasts that are nutritionally substantial will provide plenty of energy before heading out to start your day.
5 Low-Calorie Breakfasts for Diabetic Patients
Elisa Morales Lupayante

Reviewed and approved by the pedagogue in physical education and nutritionist Elisa Morales Lupayante.

Last update: 10 October, 2022

A nutritious breakfast that fits your body’s needs ensures that you’ll have the energy that you need to start the day with the right foot. Low-calorie breakfasts that are good for diabetics  reduce blood sugar levels after not having eaten anything for eight hours.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of them.

1. Pear and ginger pancakes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of all-purpose flour (100 g)
  • ½ cup of whole-wheat flour (100 g)
  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (15 g)
  • 2 teaspoons of baking soda (10 g)
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ginger (5 g)
  • A pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup of low-fat milk (120 ml)
  • 1  egg (30 g)
  • ½ cup of finely chopped pear (100 g)

Preparation

  1. First, mix the flour with the brown sugar, baking soda, ginger and salt in a medium-sized bowl. 
  2. Then, in a small bowl, mix the milk, egg and oil together.
  3. Add the chopped pear and continue mixing.
  4. Combine the two mixtures until thick and well-combined.
  5. To make the pancakes, pour out ¼ cup of the mixture evenly onto a griddle or onto lightly greased hot fry pan.
  6. Cook the pancakes on both sides until golden brown.
  7. Serve with natural jam and pear chunks.

2. Spinach and tomato omelette

Egg omelettes with spinach

Ingredients

  • 3 egg whites
  • 3 tablespoons of a lean meat, finely chopped (60 g)
  • 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese (20 g)
  • ½ cup of chopped vegetables (spinach, asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini) (100 g)
  • Oil

Preparation

  1. First, oil the frying pan.
  2. Then, stir fry the meat and vegetables for three minutes. You can use beef, pork or a combination of both.
  3. After, add the egg whites.
  4. Add the cheese when the eggs are cooked.
  5. Spoon the mixture onto 2 slices of toasted wheat bread, and enjoy!

3. Yogurt, fruit and vegetable smoothie

Yogurt, fruit and vegetable smoothie

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of natural fat-free yogurt (125 ml)
  • ½ cup of almond milk (125 ml)
  • ¾ cup of berries (blueberries, raspberries or strawberries) (100 g)
  • ½ cup of spinach (30 g)
  • 2 tablespoon of ground flax seeds (30 g)
  • 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon (15 g)

Preparation

  1. First, blend the spinach with a small amount of the almond milk.
  2. Then, add the frozen berries to the blender and blend.
  3. Mix in the yogurt and the rest of the almond milk.
  4. Blend in the ground flax seeds and cinnamon.
  5. Keep blending the mix for a couple more minutes to make sure all of the flavors mix together.

4. Whole-grain orange muffins

 Ingredients

  • ½ cup of whole-wheat flour (100 g)
  • ¾ cup of all-purpose flour (150 g)
  • 2 tablespoons of baking soda (18 g)
  • A pinch of salt
  • ¼ tablespoon of ground cinnamon (3 g)
  • ¼ cup of sugar (50 g)
  • 2 tablespoons of wheat germ (20 g)
  • ¾ cup of raisins (100 g)
  • 1 cup of natural low-far yogurt (250 ml)
  • 1 egg
  • The zest of one medium-sized orange
  • 3 tablespoons of orange juice (45 ml)

Preparation

  1. First, preheat the oven to 200ºC.
  2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. Sifting is a crucial step for eliminating any clumps that might form in the flour that could keep the muffins from turning out spongy.
  3. Add the sugar, wheat germ and raisins. Make a well in the center.
  4. Lightly beat in the yogurt followed by the oil, egg and orange juice and zest.
  5. Then, pour the yogurt mixture into the well from step 3. Mix together with your hands to make a dough.
  6. After, fill the pregreased muffin pan about ⅔ full.
  7. Bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes, or until the muffins feel ready. Use a stick to poke the center to check if they’re ready. The stick should come out completely dry.
  8. Leave the muffins to cool in the pan for two to three minutes and serve.

All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Bourey, R. E., Kaw, M. K., Lester, S. G., Ghanem, S. S., & Najjar, S. M. (2014). Diabetes. In Diet, Exercise, and Chronic Disease: The Biological Basis of Prevention. https://doi.org/10.1201/b16783
  • Hu, F. B. (2011). Globalization of diabetes: The role of diet, lifestyle, and genes. In Diabetes Care. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc11-0442
  • Steyn, N., Mann, J., Bennett, P., Temple, N., Zimmet, P., Tuomilehto, J., … Louheranta, A. (2004). Diet, nutrition and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Public Health Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1079/PHN2003586

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.