The Flavored Yogurt Deception
Here’s something that might shock you: that innocent-looking strawberry yogurt sitting in your fridge could be hijacking your energy faster than you can say “probiotics.” While low-fat yogurt has a (small) positive impact on calorie count, it’s not so great for your blood sugar. Manufacturers compensate for that loss of fat by adding stabilizers, thickeners and sugars that can have a detrimental impact on blood glucose. It’s always best to choose unsweetened yogurt since flavored yogurts can contain multiple teaspoons of added sugar per serving. For example, one 6-ounce container of Yoplait Original Red Raspberry yogurt contains more than 3 teaspoons of added sugar. Think of flavored yogurt like a dessert masquerading as health food – it’s basically sugar in a fancy outfit. Your morning energy crash? That’s your blood sugar taking a nosedive after the initial spike.
Granola and Store-Bought Muesli: The Calorie Bomb
Check the nutrition label and you may see as many as 200-plus calories in a tiny â…“-cup serving—along with lots of added sugars and saturated fat. When you eat those granolas, it causes fast and high increases in your blood sugar, known as blood sugar spikes. People with diabetes, heart disease, and prediabetes know that having frequent blood sugar spikes puts you at risk for insulin resistance and narrowing of blood vessels. What’s particularly sneaky about granola is how tiny the serving size looks in your bowl. “A third of a cup of granola is going to look tiny in a cereal bowl, so you may be tempted to pour in more,” Keating says. “That’s why using it as a topping on fruit or yogurt instead is a good idea.” Most people end up eating two or three times the recommended portion without realizing it.
Fruit Juice: The Liquid Energy Thief
Even that “100% natural” orange juice isn’t doing your energy levels any favors. “If your blood sugar is extremely low and you need to bring it up quickly, juice is your thing,” Jamieson-Petonic says. But that’s not an effect you want when you’re looking to keep your blood sugar level the rest of the time. When you drink juice, you’re essentially mainlining sugar without any of the fiber that would normally slow down absorption. Examples of foods that contain simple sugars include fruit juice, milk, desserts and candy. Avoid a sugar crash by making sure to eat them with foods containing fat, fiber and protein. It’s like drinking liquid candy first thing in the morning – no wonder you feel exhausted by 10 AM. Your body processes juice the same way it handles a can of soda, minus the artificial ingredients but with all the same energy-crashing effects.
Smoothies with Too Much Fruit and No Balance
That Instagram-worthy smoothie bowl might look healthy, but it could be setting you up for disaster if it’s all fruit and no substance. Without protein or healthy fats to slow down digestion, you’re basically drinking a sugar bomb. When eating low-sugar granola, it is a good idea to eat it with a source of protein (yogurt, cottage cheese) or fiber (fruit) to make it a more filling meal or snack. When your meals are balanced with protein, carbs, and fat, you are able to better control your blood sugar levels and sustain your energy levels for longer. Think of it this way: a smoothie with just fruits is like putting pure sugar in your gas tank instead of quality fuel. Your body burns through it fast, leaving you running on empty. All meals and snacks eaten throughout the day should include a mix of protein, fiber, carbohydrates and fat. If a high-carb meal or snack is consumed without any sources of protein, fiber or fat, blood glucose levels drop. This drop causes a sugar crash.
Instant Oatmeal Packets: The Processed Pretender
Unfortunately, while oatmeal is typically a benefit-packed breakfast, instant varieties are highly processed, offering minimal nutrients and a plethora of health risks when consumed regularly. “Flavored instant oatmeal often contains added sugars and artificial ingredients that contribute to insulin resistance and energy crashes,” White says. Regular steel-cut oats take time to prepare, but those convenient little packets? They’re basically sugar with a health halo. The processing strips away most of the fiber and nutrients that make oats beneficial in the first place. Rolled oats are digested more slowly, which can help prevent blood sugar swings. Oats also contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber that’s been shown to help lower cholesterol. When manufacturers process oats into instant form, they destroy much of this beneficial fiber, leaving you with something that behaves more like sugar than a whole grain.
Whole-Grain Toast with Just Jam
This combination seems innocent enough – whole grains are good, right? But when you slather jam on top without any protein or fat, you’re creating a recipe for energy disaster. White toast with butter and jam is a delicious, classic breakfast. Unfortunately, it’s not a healthy one. White toast is one of the least nutritious options you can choose in the morning. Even whole-grain toast becomes problematic when paired only with sugar-laden jam. Pairing carbohydrates with protein, fat or fiber helps slow down the absorption process. Think of jam as concentrated fruit sugar without any of the fiber that would normally come with eating actual fruit. Your blood sugar spikes, then crashes, leaving you hungry and tired within hours. It’s like trying to fuel a car with just octane booster – you need actual gas too.
Low-Fat Muffins: Health Food Imposters
Those “healthy” low-fat muffins from the coffee shop are wolves in sheep’s clothing. “Sugary pastries like donuts and muffins are high in refined carbs, which spike blood sugar and increase inflammation,” she says. Unsurprisingly, these factors can contribute to weight gain, “especially around the midsection.” When manufacturers remove fat from muffins, they compensate by adding more sugar and refined flour to maintain taste and texture. “The good news is, while there are some surprises, most of these foods fall under the same category: processed food, such as white flour and sugar. “Refined flours and sugar cause huge spikes in insulin…” The result is a breakfast item that’s basically cake pretending to be health food. That bran muffin might have a few more grams of fiber than a donut, but it’s still setting you up for an energy crash.
Cereal: Even the “Healthy” Whole-Grain Varieties
Eating cereals that are high in sugar, and other simple carbohydrates like white bread that immediately break down into sugar, will lead to an instant spike in your blood sugar, according to Dr. Nancy Rahnama, an internist and clinical nutritionist. “And anything that spikes is going to crash,” Rahnama tells CNBC Make It. “This high-end crash and burn throughout the day leads to fatigue, irritability, changes in the mood, headaches, hunger [and] cravings.” Notably, most added sugar in the American diet comes from ultra-processed and packaged foods, which include sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, candy, and breakfast cereals. Breakfast cereals are actually the seventh biggest contributor to added sugar intake among adults in the USA. In fact, most cereals list sugar as the second or third ingredient. Breakfast cereals made with refined grains and sugars have a high glycemic index, which means it can cause a sharp spike in your post-meal blood sugar levels. Even those “heart-healthy” whole grain cereals are often loaded with hidden sugars.
Acai Bowls: The Trendy Energy Trap
Acai bowls have become the darling of health-conscious breakfast lovers, but they’re often sugar bombs in disguise. Most store-bought or restaurant versions are loaded with fruit purees, sweetened granola, and honey, creating a breakfast that’s more dessert than nutrition. “Most flavored yogurts are loaded with added sugar, and granola often packs in even more,” she explains. “This combo creates a blood sugar rollercoaster, leading to crashes, cravings, and inflammation that can negatively impact your hormone balance.” Think of a typical acai bowl like eating ice cream for breakfast – it might be made with “superfoods,” but when you pile on the sweet toppings, you’re still getting a massive sugar hit. The beautiful purple color and expensive price tag don’t change the fact that your body processes all that sugar the same way, leading to inevitable energy crashes.
Egg Whites Only: Missing the Best Part
The egg white omelet trend might seem healthy, but you’re literally throwing away the most nutritious part of the egg. Whole eggs are an excellent breakfast choice because they’re high in protein, healthy fats, and nutrients. What’s more, they keep you full for a long time and may even boost weight loss. One study in overweight and obese adults found that those who ate a breakfast of eggs and toast had increased fullness and were less hungry for up to 4 hours later, compared to those who ate cereal with milk and orange juice. The yolk contains healthy fats, vitamins A, D, E, and K, plus choline for brain function. When you eat just egg whites, you’re missing out on the fats that help slow digestion and keep you satisfied. The authors of a 2021 study noted that protein is one of the most important nutrients for blood sugar regulation because it slows down digestion, slowing the release of sugar into your bloodstream, and increases insulin secretion, which helps your cells absorb blood sugar. It’s like buying a car and only using the steering wheel – you’re missing most of what makes it work.
Low-Calorie Breakfast Bars: Processed Convenience
Indeed, a single bar can carry a glycemic load over 49 (anything over 20 is considered “high”). That’s more than a king-size Snickers bar! Bars made from refined flours and sugars are the worst culprits, since these have the harshest impact on blood sugar. Most breakfast bars are highly processed foods designed for convenience, not nutrition. A granola bar won’t break down quickly enough to relieve your symptoms right away. They’re packed with artificial ingredients, preservatives, and hidden sugars that provide a quick energy hit followed by an inevitable crash. “Swapping out fiber and protein for added sugar and fat is setting up kids for an energy crash by mid-morning—and long-term metabolic health problems down the road.” Added sugar and fat can cause an energy crash and long-term metabolic health problems. These bars might fit in your purse, but they’re not going to sustain your energy levels any better than candy would.
Bagels with Low-Protein Toppings
A plain bagel with cream cheese or jam is basically a carb bomb with no nutritional backup. If you must get your bagel fix, pair it with a smear of avocado, which is loaded with healthy unsaturated fat, and a few slices of smoked salmon (a great source of both protein and omega-3 fatty acids) to help slow down digestion and regulate your blood sugar. You get extra points if you have a whole-grain bagel. A typical bagel contains as many carbohydrates as four slices of bread, and when you top it with more carbs and sugar (hello, jam), you’re creating the perfect storm for energy crashes. Although the human body needs sugar, it also needs the amount of sugar to remain at a consistent level. When the body has more sugar than it’s used to, it rapidly produces insulin in an attempt to keep the levels consistent. This causes blood glucose to decrease, which results in a sudden drop in energy levels, also known as hypoglycemia, or a sugar crash. Even whole wheat bagels become problematic without adequate protein and fat to balance the meal.
Dried Fruit on Its Own: Concentrated Sugar
Dried fruit might seem like a healthy snack, but it’s basically nature’s candy when eaten alone. The dehydration process concentrates the natural sugars while removing water and often adding extra sweeteners. As for the raisins and other dried fruit you may find in granola, they can be a big source of calories but they have all the fiber of fresh fruit and similar amounts of vitamins and minerals. “Including them is a healthy way to sweeten granola, provided the dried fruit itself isn’t sweetened with sugar,” Keating says. When you eat dried fruit by itself, you’re getting a concentrated hit of fructose without the water content that would normally help you feel full from eating fresh fruit. Examples of added sugars you may find in granola include dried fruit, honey, maple syrup, or cane sugar. It’s like eating several pieces of fruit at once, but your brain doesn’t register the same satisfaction signals. A handful of dried apricots might seem innocent, but you’re consuming the sugar equivalent of eating multiple whole apricots in rapid succession.
The Real Problem with These “Healthy” Choices
The biggest issue with these supposedly healthy breakfast options isn’t just what they contain – it’s what they’re missing. “When kids start off with a bowl of sugary cereal, it often leads to blood sugar spikes followed by crashes,” she explained. “So they are tired, cranky, and hungry an hour later.” Lupoli advocates for balanced breakfasts combining protein, fat and carbohydrates such as eggs with whole-grain toast or Greek yogurt with fruit. These, she argued, helps stabilize energy levels and support long-term health. Most of these foods are missing the three key components that create lasting energy: adequate protein, healthy fats, and fiber. “A good rule of thumb is to aim for a plate that’s half non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter lean protein, one-quarter fiber-rich carbohydrates, with healthy fats incorporated throughout,” Karp said. “This combination helps keep your blood sugar stable and delivers a steady stream of energy that lasts well into the afternoon.” Instead of fueling your body for the day ahead, these foods create a blood sugar rollercoaster that leaves you exhausted, hungry, and craving more sugar by mid-morning. The solution isn’t to avoid carbs entirely, but to choose ones that come packaged with the nutrients your body needs to process them properly.
Who would have thought that some of our most trusted “healthy” breakfast choices could be the very foods sabotaging our energy all day long?
