If you’re reaching for coffee or snacks just hours after breakfast, the balance of protein, fibre, carbohydrates and healthy fats in your first meal could be worth a closer look
We’ve all felt it. You’re going through your morning and all of a sudden what should have been a mid-afternoon slump happens only a few hours after breakfast. Your energy plummets, the brain fog sets in, and before you know it you feel like you’re ready to take a nap even though your body doesn’t actually feel tired. Sorry to tell you, but the likelihood of you needing another cup of coffee is probably pretty low. Instead, you’re more likely than not experiencing a blood sugar crash.
A blood sugar crash is a sudden drop in blood glucose levels which is essentially starving your brain and body cells of the energy they need to function properly. If this is a regular occurrence it’s unlikely that you have a medical issue and it’s probably time to look closely at your morning meal.Typically a blood sugar crash happens when you take in a large amount of simple carbohydrates like white bread pastries or sugary cereal, which causes a rapid spike in blood sugar. In turn your energy levels crash hard and leave you raiding the office snack drawer by ten in the morning. The easiest way to fix it? A balanced breakfast that combines complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and quality protein.
The Exact Math Behind a Blood Sugar Balancing Breakfast
“I typically have clients aim for a breakfast that meets about twenty-five percent of their daily calorie needs,” says Vanessa Imus, a Registered Dietitian at Integrated Nutrition for Weight Loss. “For someone consuming a 2,000 calorie per day diet, their breakfast target would be about 500 calories. Within that target, aim for a balanced macronutrient ratio: about 25% of calories from protein, 40% from carbohydrates, and 35% percent from fats. For a 500 calorie breakfast, that’s about 30 grams of protein, 50 grams of carbohydrates, and 19 grams of fat.”
Because proteins and healthy fats take significantly longer to digest than simple carbohydrates, pairing them together helps your body break your meal down at a much slower rate. That delayed digestion is your secret weapon to preventing massive blood sugar spikes and the inevitable crashes that follow.
Small Tweaks to Supercharge Your Morning Routine
If you’re currently eyeing your usual breakfast routine and feeling overwhelmed by the thought of changing a simple meal, don’t let it stress you out. You can make small tweaks to meet these nutritional targets without completely overhauling your weekly grocery list or spending extra hours cooking in the kitchen. There are plenty of smart ways to hit these macro goals using everyday ingredients you likely already have sitting in your fridge and pantry right now.
If you like a big hearty bowl of oatmeal in the morning because it’s heart-healthy and the fiber content helps you feel full, there are a few simple ways you can make it much more blood sugar friendly. Instead of having a massive, carb-heavy serving, Imus suggests reducing the amount of oats just a little to make room in your bowl for things like raw nuts or natural nut butters which add healthy fats, along with a scoop of Greek yogurt to add a serious punch of extra protein.
If you’re a breakfast purist who feels like you can’t commit to anything more complicated than a simple piece of toast in the morning, you’re in luck. There are plenty of easy ways to upgrade basic toast to include both healthy fats and protein without adding cooking time. One of my favorites is spreading on some mashed avocado and dropping two hard-boiled eggs right on top, finished off with a heavy sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning. That way you keep the toast you love while introducing a healthy dose of sustained fats and muscle-building protein.
Creative Ways to Bulletproof Your Morning Smoothies
“If you’re a fruit smoothie person, try adding cannellini or white beans for added protein and fiber, along with a spoonful of nut butter to increase healthy fats,” explains Imus.
Adding beans to a fruit smoothie might sound wild at first glance, but you won’t even taste them once they are blended with berries and protein powder, and they create an amazingly creamy texture. These small everyday tweaks will help keep your energy infinitely more stable throughout your morning workouts, as your body will slowly break down carbohydrates into sugar over a much longer period. That steady stream of sustained energy is exactly what your body needs to power through your day without hitting a wall.
