If you typically start your day with a grab-and-go breakfast like donuts or sweet coffee, you’re probably familiar with the late-morning sugar crash. You know the feeling: Your energy levels seem to plummet, leaving you hungry, irritable, and shaky. You may even crave more sugar for energy.
Opt for a low-sugar breakfast and skip the sugar roller coaster. Starting your day with the healthiest breakfast can stabilize your blood sugar levels, reduce the urge to snack, and help you achieve your weight loss goals.
How many grams of sugar a day is right for you?
There are no hard and fast rules on how much sugar people should consume. It will vary based on your dietary and health needs.
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that no more than 10% of daily calories come from added sugars. This means that if you eat 2,000 calories a day, you should consume no more than 200 calories of added sugar.
What are the different types of sugar?
Foods and drinks may contain two different types of sugar:
- natural sugars Found in many foods such as fruits, vegetables and dairy products. all these are healthy Sugars, because the foods they come from also contain essential nutrients like vitamins and fiber. You generally don’t need to avoid natural sugars unless directed by a doctor or healthcare professional.
- add sugar is what you want to look for on a nutrition label. Try to eat these in moderation. Look at the nutrition label and you’ll see a total sugar number and an added sugar number. For example, a serving of grape jelly may contain 10 grams of total sugar, including 9 grams of added sugar. The remaining grams likely come from naturally occurring sugars in grapes.
Recommended sugar intake usually refers to added sugars. Eating an apple, which contains 19 grams of natural sugar, does not count toward your daily added sugar limit, so continue to take advantage of all the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.
notes: Your ideal daily sugar intake may differ from the FDA’s recommendations. You may control your sugar intake for reasons related to an underlying health condition. You should follow the dietary instructions your doctor gives you about what to eat for best blood sugar control.
How much sugar is in one gram?
If you’re wondering, “What does a gram of sugar look like?” imagine you might add a teaspoon of sugar to a cup of coffee. Well, it’s about 4 grams of sugar. So if you divide that teaspoon into four equal portions, each portion contains approximately 1 gram of sugar.
Now, when it comes to how much sugar you should consume each day, for a 2,000-calorie diet, the recommendation is to keep it around 50 grams. Therefore, this equates to 12 to 13 teaspoons of sugar per day.
4 low-sugar breakfast ideas you need to try
Even with less added sugar, you don’t have to miss out on flavor. Start your day right with a healthy, low-sugar, full-flavor breakfast. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite low-sugar breakfast options. These recipes all contain less than 10 grams of added sugar.
1. Egg avocado toast
Avocado toast is popular for a reason. This low-sugar breakfast features creamy avocado slices, black beans and whole-wheat bread and provides 10 grams of fiber. Poached eggs add protein to this healthy breakfast recipe.
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: 4g (1g added sugar)
- Fat: 12 grams
- Carbohydrates: 34 grams
- Protein: 21.5 grams
- Fiber: 10 grams
raw material:
- 1 slice whole wheat bread
- ¼ avocado, sliced or mashed
- ¼ cup black beans
- 1 tablespoon salsa
- 2 eggs, boiled
2. Blackberry Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great breakfast food. It is naturally low in sugar but high in fiber. You can garnish it with fruit to add some sweetness. Adding walnuts gives you eight grams of protein for a hearty and healthy breakfast.
- Calories: 303
- Sugar: 10 grams (add 4 grams of sugar)
- Fat: 13 grams
- Carbohydrates: 44 grams
- Protein: 8 grams
- Fiber: 9 grams
raw material:
- ½ cup oatmeal
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ cup blackberries
- 2 tablespoons walnuts
3. Grilled vegetarian sausages
The growing popularity of plant-based meat alternatives means there are plenty of amazing vegan breakfast options. When you need a quick breakfast that will provide energy throughout the day, you can quickly grill up a few veggie sausages. Add a slice of toast, strawberries, and Greek yogurt for a delicious breakfast that requires almost no prep!
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5g (1g added sugar)
- Fat: 9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 18 grams
- Protein: 16 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
raw material:
- 2 sausages
- 1 piece of whole wheat toast
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- ½ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
4. Smoothie Bowl
Smoothies are a creative, low-sugar breakfast option. Berry Peanut Butter Bowls are a twist on a regular smoothie. Do not mix all ingredients, but reserve half of the raspberries. Once blended, add them to the rest of your breakfast ingredients, combining the freshness of your smoothie with the flavor and texture of whole fresh fruit.
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 15 grams (add 6 grams of sugar)
- Fat: 14 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Protein: 11 grams
- Fiber: 15 grams
raw material:
- 6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ teaspoons smooth, natural peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1 teaspoon honey
Interesting facts: MyFitnessPal has one of the largest food libraries with over 19 million foods. Start your day right by tracking your breakfast on the app!
Bottom line: Keep your blood sugar levels stable with these breakfast options
Keeping your sugar intake within recommended levels can help avoid sugar spikes. Choosing low-sugar breakfast foods can allow you to control blood sugar levels and achieve your weight loss goals.
The recipe discovery tool in the MyFitnessPal app provides more ideas for healthy breakfasts and low-sugar meals and snacks. You can find new recipes, and Premium subscribers can save favorite recipes to use again!
