If one of your goals for 2026 is to eat healthier, you’re probably trying to keep your sugar intake to a minimum. While there’s nothing wrong with having something sweet every now and then, a diet high in sugar can lead to some pretty harmful health problems.
Excess sugar not only affects your waistline, but it can also affect your energy levels, mood, hormones, and even the quality of your sleep at night. Over time, frequent blood sugar spikes and crashes can leave you feeling exhausted, confused, and irritable, making it harder to stick to healthy habits long-term.
High-sugar diets are also bad for your gut (gut health is important for everything), can lead to obesity, increase your risk of dementia, and are bad for heart health. But even if you make a conscious effort to reduce your sugar intake, you can feel like your body is rebelling against you, making you crave sugar throughout the day.
This is a frustrating cycle that may make you think you don’t have any willpower, when in fact, there are other factors at play. Factors such as blood sugar imbalances, insufficient protein or fiber intake, chronic stress, and poor sleep can all exacerbate sugar cravings—even if you’re eating an overall healthy diet.
As a registered dietitian explains here, sugar cravings have a variety of causes, including a very common morning ritual. Here’s what to know.
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Morning routine may lead to sugar cravings throughout the day
According to registered dietitians, what you eat for breakfast can affect the types of cravings or cravings you have or don’t have the rest of the day. If your breakfast doesn’t have enough protein (or if you skip breakfast altogether), it may lead to sugar cravings.
“Having protein in breakfast slows digestion and supports steady energy, helping you feel satisfied for longer. It also signals your body earlier in the day that it’s getting what it needs, which can reduce the temptation for sweet treats in the morning or afternoon,” says Melissa Karp, RDRegistered nutritionist, founder of MPM Nutrition.
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Karp explains that when we eat protein, digestion slows down, which helps prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes that often lead to cravings for quick energy, like candy. “Protein also activates satiety hormones, helping your brain register that you’re full so you’re less likely to keep reaching for food in search of satisfaction,” she says.
In terms of how much protein you should eat for breakfast, Ashlikov, RDregistered dietitian, author your best shot The founder of the Better Nutrition Plan, recommends consuming 15 to 40 grams, depending on your age, gender and level of activity. Some breakfast ideas to consider are eggs with half a sweet potato or a high-protein smoothie, Kauf says.
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Karp also likes to have eggs or a smoothie for breakfast to prevent sugar cravings later. “Eggs are a simple yet potent breakfast protein, with about 6 to 7 grams of protein per egg,” she says, adding that she recommends pairing the eggs with a sprouted grain English muffin for an extra 8 grams of protein. “Adding avocado provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and soluble fiber, helping to make meals more substantial and enhance staying power.”
Protein powder, fruit, spinach, chia seeds and nut butters are all nutrient-dense ingredients to consider when making smoothies, Karp says.
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Other reasons you might be craving sugar
While eating enough protein at breakfast can help prevent sugar cravings later in the day, you may crave sugar for other reasons. Both dietitians say not getting enough sleep the night before can lead to sugar cravings the next day.
“When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies run on empty and look for energy. Our body’s easiest way to get a quick source of energy is sugar. On top of that, sleep deprivation disrupts key appetite hormones, increasing hunger-causing ghrelin and decreasing leptin, which signals satiety and makes high-carbohydrate and sugary foods particularly appealing,” explains Karp.
She adds that sleep deprivation can also affect blood sugar, which can lead to sugar cravings, explaining, “Research shows that after sleep deprivation, insulin sensitivity decreases, which means our bodies can’t use glucose efficiently. This can lead to greater blood sugar fluctuations, which can further exacerbate cravings for quick fixes like sweets. In short, it’s not a lack of willpower, but your physiology’s response to excessive fatigue.”
If you use artificial sweeteners, which are often found in foods labeled “diet” or “sugar-free,” it could lead to sugar cravings later, Kauf says. This is because artificial sweeteners confuse your brain’s hunger signals; it thinks it’s getting fuel in the form of sugar, but it’s not. This can lead to an increased appetite for sweet foods.
Both nutritionists say there are other causes of sugar cravings, including seeing delicious-looking sweets, hormonal changes, feeling stressed, making yourself too hungry and eating unbalanced meals. So if you’re making a conscious effort to get enough protein at breakfast, but you’re still craving sugar throughout the day, it might be helpful to consider these other potential causes.
By starting your day with a protein-rich breakfast, you’ll not only reduce your chances of craving sugar later, but you’ll also feel more energetic and even in a better mood thanks to protein’s positive effects on blood sugar. Here’s a simple way to start your day on a healthy note.
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RELATED: Endocrinologist warns against this popular breakfast combo if you want to balance blood sugar
Source:
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Melissa Karp, registered dietitian, founder of MPM Nutrition
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Zhang, Y., Walker, RW, Kaplan, R.C., et al. (2025). Added sugars, gut microbiota, and host health.Gut microbes. 17(1):2592431
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Agarwal, P., Ford, CN, Leurgans, SE, et al. (2024). Dietary sugar intake is associated with higher risk of dementia in community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 95(4):1417-1425
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Sharma, N., Okere, IC, Barrows, BR, et al. (2011). A high-sugar diet increases cardiac dysfunction and mortality in patients with hypertension compared with a low-carbohydrate or high-starch diet. Journal of Hypertension. 26(7):1402-1410
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Singh, T., Ahmed, T.H., Mohammed, N., et al. (2022). Does sleep deprivation increase the risk of developing insulin resistance: a systematic review. Culeus. 14(3):e23501
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Yang, Q. (2010). Gain weight through “diet”? Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. 83(2):101-108
This article was originally published by Parade on January 11, 2026, and first appeared in the Health & Wellness section. Click here to add Parade as a preferred source.
