The Big Breakfast Mistake That Wrecks Your Glucose (and Energy)

Let’s talk about something that could literally change your life: your breakfast. Yes, really.

If you feel tired, moody, or starving by 5 pm, I bet your first thought isn’t, “Hmm, maybe it’s my breakfast.”

But guess what? It probably is.

Your breakfast can control the way you feel not just in the morning, but all day long.

Why your breakfast may be quietly wrecking your day

Most of us start the day with what we think are healthy choices:

• Cereal, granola, or muesli
  
• Oats with honey and raisins
  
• Smoothies or fruit juices
  
• Toast with jam

But here’s the truth: these are all glucose bombs.

In the U.S. alone, 2.7 billion cereal boxes are sold every year (read article). And over 60 million Americans eat Honey Nut Cheerios daily — a cereal packed with sugar.

And yes, even “healthy” options like granola or muesli create massive glucose spikes.

What’s actually happening inside your body

When you eat a sugary breakfast, two big things happen:

1️⃣ In your brain, sweet tastes trigger a dopamine rush — the pleasure molecule. It’s the same brain chemical activated by sex, gaming, or even certain drugs. But dopamine is not energy. It’s a pleasure signal, and it fools you into thinking you’re getting energized.

2️⃣ In your cells, your mitochondria — your tiny energy factories — get overwhelmed. They can’t handle the flood of glucose and start breaking down over time.

A study showed that people born with mitochondrial defects have much less endurance and more chronic fatigue compared to otherwise healthy people (ready study).

When your mitochondria are stressed day after day by sweet breakfasts, even normal tasks — like grocery shopping, working, or playing with your kids — start to feel exhausting.

The glucose rollercoaster: how spikes shape your whole day

Breakfast sets the tone for your whole day. But unlike stubbing your toe (where you instantly feel pain), your body’s reaction to a sweet breakfast is slower and sneakier.

What actually happens:

• Spike: Massive blood sugar spike after your meal.
  
  
• Crash: 2–3 hours later, you hit a low—cravings, fatigue, and irritability. (ready studies here and here)

• Rollercoaster: Your blood sugar keeps bouncing around all day long. (read study)

A study found that people who ate a high-carb meal had less available energy starting just two hours after eating compared to those who ate low-carb. (read study) Why? Because your body floods with insulin to store all that extra glucose, leaving less fuel available for you to actually use.

The solution: a protein-rich, savoury breakfast

So how do we avoid a glucose spike at breakfast? By building a savoury breakfast centered around protein.

Here’s why:

• Protein doesn’t spike glucose.
  
  
• Your body stays hungry until it gets enough protein (this is called the protein leverage hypothesis). (read study)
  
  
• If you get enough protein, you'll feel full for 4+ hours — so no mid-morning snack needed.

FREE RESOURCE

Two savoury breakfast recipes

Instantly download two of my favorite breakfast recipes for free.

To build a savoury breakfast:

✅ Start with protein:

• Eggs
  
• Yogurt (Greek-style)
  
• Tofu or lentils
  
• Leftover meat or fish
  
  

✅ Add healthy fats:

• Avocado
  
• Olive oil
  
• Nuts and seeds
  
  

✅ Add veggies (optional but awesome):

• Spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, or any other vegetable
  
  

✅ Optional carbs (keep them minimal, they are there juste for taste):

• A slice of toast
  
• Some oats or potatoes
  
  

✅ Whole fruit (never juiced or blended):

• Think whole berries or an apple on the side.

Have a look at my food classification master list for a detailed list of each food group above.

💡Tip: If you’re transitioning from a sweet breakfast, take it slow. You can first start by adding a bit of protein (like one egg) before your oats or cereals.

💡Tip: If you must have something sweet, eat it at the end of your breakfast (like a breakfast dessert) to minimize the glucose spike.

FREE RESOURCE

Food classification master list

Instantly download my food classification master list as a free PDF.

What about a smoothie or fasting?

Smoothies can work if they’re properly balanced. A pure fruit smoothie (like mango, banana, apple) = a glucose bomb.

Better option:

• Add protein (protein powder, Greek yogurt)
  
  
• Add fats (nuts, seeds, avocado)
  
  

Keep fruit to a small portion—no more than you’d eat whole.

Whether you eat at 6 am or 2 pm, your first meal of the day matters. The same rule applies: break your fast with a savoury, protein-based meal to set yourself up for steady energy and cravings control.

Change your breakfast, change your whole day

Switching from sweet breakfasts to savoury protein-centered breakfasts will transform your energy, cravings, focus, and long-term health.

I know this because I lived it — for years, I grew up eating Nutella crepes that were making me tired, hungry, and even anxious later in the day. Once I switched to savoury breakfasts, I felt like a completely different person.

And you can feel this too.

The scientific studies mentioned in this episode

Chandler-Laney P C et al., “Return of hunger following a relatively high carbohydrate breakfast is associated with earlier recorded glucose peak and nadir.” Appetite 80 (2014): 236-41. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24819342/

Chang C R et al., “Restricting carbohydrates at breakfast is sufficient to reduce 24-hour exposure to postprandial hyperglycemia and improve glycemic variability.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 109, no. 5 (2019): 1302-1309. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30968140/ 

Galioto R et al., "The effects of breakfast and breakfast composition on cognition in adults," Advances in nutrition 7, no. 3 (2016): 576S-589S. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27184286/

Raubenheimer D and Simpson S J. “Protein Leverage: Theoretical Foundations and Ten Points of Clarification.” Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) 27, no. 8 (2019): 1225-1238. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31339001/

Shimy K J et al., “Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate Content on Circulating Metabolic Fuel Availability in the Postprandial State.” Journal of the Endocrine Society 4, no. 7 (2020) bvaa062. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32666008/

Taivassalo T et al., “The spectrum of exercise tolerance in mitochondrial myopathies: a study of 40 patients.” Brain : a journal of neurology 126, Pt 2 (2003): 413-23. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12538407/

Xiao K et al., “Effect of a high protein diet at breakfast on postprandial glucose level at dinner time in healthy adults.” Nutrients 15, no. 1 (2022): 85. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36615743/