Best breakfasts for managing health conditions

If you are dealing with an ongoing health condition or if you have to follow a restricted diet due to food intolerances, meal times can feel like a struggle. Here are a few ideas so you can kick-start the day with a breakfast that tastes good and supports your wellbeing.

Breakfasts for people living with Type 2 diabetes

• Look for low GI carbs. Some carbohydrate foods are digested more slowly (low glycaemic index), which avoids spikes in blood glucose levels. These types of slow-release carbs are better for people with diabetes. Examples include wholegrain breads, wholegrain cereals (for example, traditional rolled oats or low sugar, complex-carb heavy muesli such as the Te Atatu Toasted blends). The Te Atatu Toasted Healthy Blend Muesli is great for someone with diabetes – it’s 97 per cent sugar-free (with no dried fruit) and is low in salt.
• Combine your protein and carbs. Eating protein in conjunction with complex carbohydrates can help provide a more gradual and even energy (sugar) release into the bloodstream. Eat your Te Atatu Toasted cereal with some low-sugar yoghurt or poach a couple of eggs to top your wholegrain toast.
• Choose your fruit carefully. Our mueslis are great teamed with some delicious fresh fruit. For a person with diabetes, the best fruits are low-sugar and low glycaemic index. Generally speaking, this means kiwifruit, berries, grapefruit, oranges and pears as these are lower in sugar than say a banana, apple, or pineapple. Avoid tinned fruit in syrup or dried fruit as this has extra sugar.
• Stick to healthy fats. Incorporating healthy fats into each day, such as those from avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil, is a great way to feel fuller (meaning you will likely eat less) as well as providing a range of extra health benefits.Te Atatu Toasted Healthy Blend has almonds, linseeds, sunflower seeds, white sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
• Eat wholefoods only. Stay away from highly processed foods, it may help to think about it this way - is this food still intact the way nature made it? Can you recognise the ingredient? Choose only cereals and breads with very little or no added sugars.All Te Atatu Toasted cereals are made with wholefoods. You know it’s wholefood when you see the grains and nuts in the cereal or bread.

Breakfasts for people with high cholesterol

When you are trying to lower your cholesterol levels, it’s important to include heart healthy foods, avoid saturated fats and salty foods. Here are some breakfast ideas that follow those guidelines.

• The Heart Foundation says nuts and seeds are nutrient dense foods packed with heart-healthy fats, fibre and protein and a wide range of essential micronutrients. Eating them regularly within an overall healthy diet helps to lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol which is known as the ‘bad’ cholesterol. Te Atatu Toasted Muesli Blends all have heaps of nuts and seeds. Find your favourite.
• Wholegrains are another good choice – try avocado on wholegrain toast. Try making our Every Day Bread or our Gluten Free Bread. Spice it up with a sprinkle of dukkha or a crumble of low-fat feta.
• Eggs are ok – The Heart Foundation says people with an increased risk of heart disease can eat up to six eggs a week. But be careful what you eat them with – swap out processed meats such as bacon for an oily fish such as salmon which will be much better for you.
• Increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables is important – one way to do that is to make an omelette for breakfast but flavour it with tomato, spinach or mushrooms instead of ham and cheese.
• Oats are another heart-healthy option – cook them with some frozen berries for sweetness and some of your fabourite blend of Te Atatu Toasted on top for added texture and the range of vitamins and minerals in the seeds, nuts and grains.
• Keep an eye on your sodium intake, we Kiwis consume on average 50% more slat than we need, and this is not good if you have high cholesterol. Salt can be found in unexpected places, for instance our Healthy Blend muesli and Sanitarium Weet-bix contain the same amount of sugar per 100g, but Weet-bix has over 30 times more salt that our Healthy Blend muesli.

Breakfasts for people with high blood pressure

• Te Atatu Toasted cereals are all low in salt so are a great breakfast base for anyone struggling with high blood pressure. Our Original Blend, Healthy Blend and Gluten-free Blend all contain cinnamon - this spice naturally relaxes blood vessels and is an anti-inflammatory, which can ease hypertension.
• Bananas are good for people with high blood pressure, because they are high in potassium, which is proven to relax blood vessel walls. Chop half a banana on top of your Te Atatu Toasted cereal.
• Skim milk is a healthier, lower-fat alternative to regular-fat dairy products for people with hypertension. It also contains calcium, potassium, and magnesium — three of the most important ingredients for heart health.
• Blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries are tasty additions to cereal and smoothies, and they’re also great for lowering blood pressure. They contain water-soluble pigments called anthocyanins, which research shows help reduce blood clots and promote the relaxation of blood vessels. One study looked specifically at blueberries and found that eating one cup daily widened arteries.
• Add unsweetened yogurt to your porridge, cereal or smoothies. A recent study showed the high amounts of the minerals calcium, potassium, and magnesium – all thought to help regulate blood pressure – in yoghurt mean it’s good for those with high blood pressure.
• According to one study, eating three kiwifruit daily can help dramatically lower blood pressure. This is delicious chopped up on cereal or plain yoghurt.

People following a gluten-free diet

• Choose your breakfast cereal carefully. Many gluten-free breakfast cereals are packed with cheap fillers such as rice and corn, and sweetened with loads of refined sugars to make them taste okay. Te Atatu Toasted Gluten-free muesli contains no rice bubbles, cornflakes or refined sugar – it has high fibre, high protein, natural ingredients that keep you fuller for longer.
• Sample different gluten-free breads to find one that has wholegrains and tastes good. Thoroughbread has a wide range of gluten-free bread products which are available from stockists across the North and South Island. The Midnight Baker is famous for its Freedom Loaf which you can buy ready made or as a mix to make at home. Coeliacs should opt for the buckwheat version rather than the oat version to be safe. The Alternative Bread Company offers easy-to-use bread mixes that allow you to create a delicious loaf at home. Or try making the scrummy Te Atatu Toasted Gluten Free Bread.
• Look for breakfast options that are naturally gluten-free – an omelette made with vegetables and cheese will keep you feeling full for a long time and a smoothie is another option. Add yoghurt or even a little bit of protein powder for an even more nutritious smoothie.

People following a dairy-free diet

• You can still enjoy muesli for breakfast even if you are dairy-free. Just team your favourite Te Atatu Toasted blend with some fruit, some yummy coconut yoghurt (or another dairy-free alternative) or a plant-based milk such as almond milk, soy milk, rice milk or oat milk. Longtime subscriber Kevin enjoys his with soy yoghurt and homegrown rhubarb
• Cook an omlette with tomato, spinach and mushrooms. If you really miss the gooey texture of cheese, there are some great dairy-free varieties available at the supermarket. Angel Food has a range of dairy-free cheese alternatives. There is even a cream cheese that you could have on a bagel with some yummy smoked salmon for a dairy-free breakfast treat.
• Perfect a dairy-free smoothie. Either use a plant-based milk or swap dairy milk for your favourite juice or a little bit of water or ice. You can add a mix of your favourite fruits and, for something a bit different, blend some spinach or kale. Adding nuts (we love cashews in a smoothie) or a dairy-free protein powder is another option to ensure your smoothie is ultra nutritious.