Muesli: Fancy, Easy, Delicious! But is Muesli Good for Diabetes? Let’s Find Out.
Muesli – hard to pronounce but amazing in taste, isn’t it? Think muesli and you imagine a healthy, wholesome, and quick way to start your day. But what is muesli? And is muesli good for diabetes? Read on to know more.
Muesli is a mixture of oats, nuts, seeds, fresh or dried fruits, and may include other grains or spices. It is typically served raw, after soaking it in milk or fruit juice.
Traditionally, muesli is sweetened only with dried fruit and fruit juice, and no sweetener is added. However, packaged muesli may contain added sweeteners such as honey or sugar. This may be a concern for diabetics looking for quick yet healthy breakfast options.
Keeping your blood sugar within the recommended range can be challenging for diabetics. There are several variables influencing blood sugar levels, and diet is one of the most important variables.
If you are diabetic, muesli can be a good breakfast option for you, as it is high on fiber and generally low on added sugar. Let’s find out more about it.
Papad: Nutritional Profile
| Nutritional Value | Per 100 g |
| Calories | 378 |
| Carbohydrates | 63.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9.7 g |
| Total Fat | 6.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.33 g |
| Protein | 11.2 g |
Advantages of Muesli for Diabetics
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), it is advisable to eat cereals that contain at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 6 grams of sugar per serving.
- You can make muesli at home with no added sweetener, or choose an unsweetened packaged version of the same to ensure maximum health benefits.
- Oats, the base of muesli, is a good source of fiber. Muesli also contains whole grains. Both fiber and whole grains are good for your digestive system.
- Muesli is high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to help in reducing diabetes complications.
- Muesli has raw oats, which contain resistant starch, making it a filling breakfast that keeps you full for longer and takes a long time to digest. As the resistant starch is broken down in your stomach, digestive acids that suppress your appetite are released and your metabolism speeds up. So, muesli helps you burn more calories in less time and maintain a healthy weight.
- Muesli is enriched with vitamins such as vitamin E, B1, B6, and B12 and minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. These nutrients are important for maintaining good health in diabetes.
Ways to Consume Muesli for Diabetes
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Blueberry Yogurt & Muesli Parfait
Ingredients: Unsweetened Greek Yogurt, Fresh/Frozen Blueberries, Sugar-Free Muesli
Recipe: Quickly blitz unsweetened Greek yogurt and fresh/frozen blueberries in a food processor. Take a serving glass, add one layer each of yogurt and muesli, and fill up the glass to the top. Refrigerate for an hour and serve chilled.
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Muesli Breakfast Bar
Ingredients: Honey, Unsweetened Peanut Butter, Sugar-Free Muesli
Recipe: Mix the muesli with heated honey and peanut butter and pour the mixture into a greased baking pan. Allow it to cool and cut into even bar-shaped pieces. Eat immediately, refrigerate, or pack up to eat on-the-go.
When Should You Eat Muesli For Diabetes?
Starting the day with a nutritious meal can benefit everyone. Breakfast is especially important for diabetics, as it can help control blood sugar levels for the rest of the day.
As a diabetic, muesli is best enjoyed as a breakfast meal. Sugar-free muesli with unsweetened milk of choice or yogurt, is a low-sugar and fiber-rich breakfast choice for people with diabetes.
Risks of Over Consumption of Muesli
- Muesli is considered a medium GI (glycemic index, a value that indicates how fast a food item raises your blood sugar levels) food item. So, it is best to stick to a small portion size to keep your blood sugar levels in check.
- Most retail brands sell muesli with added sweetener and other ingredients, which reduces the overall nutritional value of muesli by adding extra calories, sugar, carbohydrates, or fat. Over-consumption of muesli with added sugar could be detrimental for diabetics.
- Muesli contains fiber, which keeps you full for longer. However, if you eat too much fiber, or increase your fiber intake suddenly, your digestive system may not be able to adapt to this change, resulting in symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, and constipation.
Other Health Benefits of Sugar-Free Muesli
- Muesli’s primary ingredient is oats, which is extremely high in fiber, making it more filling than other breakfast food items.
- Muesli is abundant in nutritious carbs and can help you stay energized throughout the day.
- Muesli has a significant amount of beta-glucan, which has been shown to lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol by up to 10%.
- Apart from oats, muesli may contain nuts such as almonds, pecans, peanuts, walnuts, and cashew nuts. These nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids that keep your heart healthy, strengthen hair, brighten skin, and protect your eyesight.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Muesli is a breakfast food item made with raw oats and other components such as nuts, grains, seeds, and fresh or dried fruits. It is eaten after being soaked in milk, yogurt, or fruit juice.
- Traditionally, muesli is sweetened only with dried or fresh fruit and fruit juice, and no sweetener is added. However, packaged muesli may contain added sweeteners such as honey or sugar.
- Muesli is high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and resistant starch.
- When eaten for breakfast, the fiber in muesli may help people control their blood sugar levels. Sugar-free muesli with unsweetened milk or yogurt of choice can be a low-sugar and fiber-rich breakfast for people with diabetes.
- Muesli is considered a medium GI food item. So, it is best to stick to a small portion size to keep your blood sugar levels in check.
- Muesli also contains heart-healthy fats and helps lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol.
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