If you usually start your day with a grab-and-go breakfast like a donut or a sweet coffee drink, you’re probably familiar with the morning sugar crash. You know the feeling: Your energy seems to drop, leaving you hungry, irritable, and shaky. You may even want more sugar for filling.
Skip the sugar roller coaster by choosing a low-sugar breakfast. Starting the day with the healthiest breakfast options can stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce cravings for snacks, and help you reach your weight loss goals.
How Many Grams of Sugar a Day Are Good for You?
There is no hard and fast rule for how much sugar people should eat. It varies according to your diet and health needs.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommend that no more than 10% of your daily calories come from added sugars. That means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, you shouldn’t aim to eat 200 calories of added sugar.
What are the different types of sugar?
Foods and drinks can have two different types of sugar:
- Natural sugar they are found in many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. These are healthy sugar because the food it comes from also contains important nutrients such as vitamins and fiber. Unless directed by a doctor or health care professional, you generally do not need to avoid natural sugars.
- Added sugar that’s what you want to look for on nutrition labels. Try to eat these in moderation. When you look at the nutrition label, you’ll see a number for total sugars and one for added sugars. For example, a serving of grape jelly may have 10 grams of total sugar, including nine grams of added sugar. The remaining gram is probably from the sugar that was naturally in the grapes.
Recommended sugar intake numbers usually refer to added sugars. Eating an apple with 19 grams of sugar naturally doesn’t count towards your daily limit of added sugars, so go ahead and take advantage of all the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.
NOTE: Your ideal daily grams of sugar may differ from the FDA recommendation. You may be controlling your sugar intake for reasons related to an underlying health condition. You should follow any dietary instructions your doctor gives you about what to eat to control your blood sugar.
How much sugar is in a gram?
If you are wondering, “What does a gram of sugar look like?” think of a teaspoon of sugar you might add to a cup of coffee. Well, that’s about 4 grams of sugar. So, if you were to divide that teaspoon into four equal parts, each part would be about one gram of sugar.
Now, when it comes to how much sugar you should have per day, for a 2,000 calorie diet, it is recommended to keep it at 50 grams. So, it’s like having 12 to 13 teaspoons of sugar throughout the day.
4 Low Sugar Breakfast Ideas You Must Try
You don’t have to miss out on flavor even when you cut back on added sugar. You can start your day with a healthy, low-sugar breakfast full of flavor. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite low-sugar breakfast foods. Each of these recipes has less than 10 grams of added sugar.
1. Eggs and avocado toast
Avocado toast is popular for a reason. Also featuring creamy avocado slices, black beans, and whole wheat bread, this low-sugar breakfast offers 10 grams of fiber. Scrambled eggs add protein to this healthy breakfast recipe.
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: 4 grams (1 gram added sugar)
- Fat: 12 grams
- Calories: 34 grams
- Protein: 21.5 grams
- Fiber: 10 grams
Ingredients:
- 1 slice of wheat bread
- ¼ avocado, sliced or mashed
- ¼ cup black beans
- 1 tablespoon salsa
- 2 eggs, boiled
2. Oatmeal and berries
Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast. It is naturally sweet but high in fiber. You can dress it with fruits to add sweetness. Adding walnuts gives you eight grams of protein for a hearty and healthy breakfast.
- Calories: 303
- Sugar: 10 grams (4 grams of added sugar)
- Fat: 13 grams
- Calories: 44 grams
- Protein: 8 grams
- Fiber: 9 grams
Ingredients:
- ½ cup chopped oatmeal
- ½ cup of water
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ cup berries
- 2 tablespoons of walnuts
3. Fried vegetable sausages
The growing popularity of plant-based meat substitutes means there are many options for veggie breakfasts. If you need a quick breakfast that gives you energy for the whole day, you can quickly grill up a few links of veggie sausages. Add a slice of toast, strawberries, and Greek yogurt for a divine breakfast without the prep!
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5 grams (1 gram added sugar)
- Fat: 9 grams
- Calories: 18 grams
- Protein: 16 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
Ingredients:
- 2 sausages
- 1 slice of wholemeal toast
- 1/2 cup of strawberries
- ½ cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
4. Smooth dishes
Smoothies are a creative, low-sugar option. A berry peanut butter bowl is a twist on the traditional smoothie. Instead of mixing all the ingredients, grab half of the raspberries. After blending, add them to other breakfast ingredients that combine the freshness of a smoothie with the taste and texture of whole, fresh fruit.
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 15 grams (6 grams of added sugar)
- Fat: 14 grams
- Calories: 35 grams
- Protein: 11 grams
- Fiber: 15 grams
Ingredients:
- 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
Fun fact: MyFitnessPal has the largest meal history, with over 19 million meals. Start your day by tracking breakfast in the app!
Bottom line: Keep Sugar Levels Stable with These Breakfast Options
Keeping your sugar intake within the recommended range can help avoid sugar spikes. Choosing a low-sugar breakfast can help you manage your blood sugar levels and reach your weight loss goals.
The Recipe Discovery Tool in the MyFitnessPal app has some ideas for healthy breakfasts and low-sugar meals and snacks. You can discover new recipes, and Premium subscribers can save favorite recipes to come back to again!
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