Healthy Breakfast Swaps: Sweet Edition
A recent episode of The Diary of a CEO featured Jessie Inchauspé, aka Glucose Goddess, explaining why savory breakfasts are better for energy and focus throughout the day.
It may sound obvious that, as she puts it, “people shouldn’t be eating sugar for breakfast.” But when you break down the ingredients in some of the most popular breakfast foods in the U.S. - from cereal and muffins to granola and nut spreads - the amount of sugar and refined carbs is alarming.
As Glucose Goddess explains, “If you have a glucose spike at breakfast, your whole day is a glucose rollercoaster.” Starting your morning with a sugar bomb can disrupt your energy levels and cravings for the rest of the day - impacting your decisions and overriding your willpower.
What’s worse is that some of these foods are actually marketed as “healthy” options for kids to fuel their brains and start the day right - yet nutritionally, they are closer to or worse than dessert.
Inspired by this episode with Steven Bartlett and Jessie Inchauspé, we’re listing five of the worst offenders in the American breakfast aisle, and suggesting how to replace them without sacrificing taste.
Some of the following may not surprise you; others might live in your pantry under the label of “healthy.” But all five are loaded with more sugar than you might think…
Unhealthiest breakfast foods and what to eat instead:
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Nutella
Nutella has long been positioned as a “fun” way to eat breakfast, especially for kids. With hazelnuts and milk on the label, it suggests sustenance - even though it’s sweet and chocolatey. But here’s the reality: Nutella is 60% sugar, contains palm oil, and lists hazelnuts far down the ingredient list.
The problem? Spreading sugar and seed oils onto a slice of bread - another high-glycemic food - spikes blood glucose levels quickly and dramatically, leading to a mid-morning crash and metabolic disruption. Pair it with a glass of orange juice, and you’ve basically had cake for breakfast.
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Healthy swaps for Nutella:
Swap it for a chocolate macadamia butter - still indulgent, but made with 60% macadamia nuts, rich in healthy monounsaturated fats that are satiating and support steady energy. With no added sugar or oils, it’s naturally buttery and lightly sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners that don’t spike blood sugar or add to your calorie load.
Or, for something equally satisfying, try a smoothie with banana, milk of your choice, cocoa powder, nut butter, avocado (you won’t taste it - it just creates a mousse-like texture), and chia seeds. It’s a sweet-but-balanced option that hits the chocolate craving without the crash.
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Pop-Tarts
The classic toaster pastry: sugary filling, frosted top, and all. A single Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tart has 16g of sugar, more than 30 ingredients, and zero actual strawberries. It’s also made with refined flour and often contains hydrogenated seed oils.
They might taste nostalgic, but Pop-Tarts are an ultra-processed product (the worst “foods” for longevity) that barely qualifies as real food. They're certainly not the way to set up yourself - or least of all your kids - for a day of healthy eating.
Healthy swaps for Pop-Tarts:
If you want that warm, satisfying feel of a pastry, try baking or toasting slices of sweet potato, then topping them with almond butter or tahini, cinnamon, and cacao nibs. It’s naturally sweet, full of fiber, and loaded with micronutrients.
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Granola (e.g. Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey)
Granola is meant to be a health food - marketed with words like natural, wholesome, and whole grain. But most supermarket options are surprisingly high in sugar and refined oils.
Take Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Granola: it has 7g of sugar per little ¼ cup serving, which is about the same as a dessert. Compared to only And let’s be honest - most people pour double that into their bowl. With added sugar, seed oils including canola oil and sunflower oil, and sugar syrups, it becomes another processed, blood sugar-spiking breakfast.
Healthy swaps for granola:
Try a homemade mix of nuts, seeds, and coconut flakes lightly roasted with cinnamon and monk fruit or dates. Sprinkling chopped dry roasted macadamias over unsweetened Greek yogurt or chia pudding for a crunch and buttery taste, topped with ripe blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries - naturally sweet without the crash. Yoghurt bowls are better than dessert, in my opinion.
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Flavored Yogurt Cups
They often live in the “health” aisle, but many fruit-flavored yogurts are closer to dessert than breakfast. A single serving can pack 15–20g of added sugar, plus gums, thickeners, and artificial flavors.
You’re essentially eating sweetened pudding masquerading as probiotics.
Healthy swaps for flavored yogurt:
Go for plain Greek or coconut yogurt and add your own flavor with cinnamon, vanilla, and a handful of berries. Stir in a spoonful of macadamia butter for extra creaminess and balance any sweet fruits you add.
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Coffee Shop Muffins
Most muffins - blueberry, banana, even bran - are basically cupcakes in disguise. One muffin can contain 30g or more of sugar, plus refined flour and inflammatory oils. Pair it with an oat milk latte and you have an insulin resistance combo, your metabolism won't thank you for.
Healthy swaps for muffins:
Try making your own with almond flour, eggs, macadamia oil, and bananas for natural sweetness. Or look for clean-label options sweetened naturally with dates, honey, or natural sweeteners like monk fruit. Pair with a source of protein (spoon of nut butter works well as an “icing”) or healthy fat to avoid the sugar crash that most store-bought muffins guarantee.
Do You Have to Quit Sweet Breakfasts? Not Exactly.
Despite what it may feel like, a blood-sugar-friendly breakfast doesn’t mean going full keto or giving up sweetness altogether.
As Glucose Goddess Jessie Inchauspé explains, the real issue is starting your day with a sugar spike - which sets off a cycle of crashes, cravings, and brain fog. What your body needs is a slower release of energy, which comes from pairing carbs with fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
You can still enjoy sweet flavors in the morning - just be mindful of where they’re coming from. A banana, dates, and smoothies? Great, just balance them with healthy fats and some protein. A frosted Pop-Tart? Not so much.
The Breakfast Habit That Changes Everything
Breakfast doesn’t have to be bland or restrictive - but it does matter. Starting your day with sugar and starch sets the tone for energy dips, cravings, and inflammation. Starting it with good fats, clean protein, and minimally processed ingredients can shift everything: mood, focus, skin, and metabolic health.
A healthy fat like Macadamias, walnuts, avocado,or chia seeds, just happen to check every box - low in carbs, rich in monounsaturated fats, and deeply satisfying. Whether it’s a spoonful of nut butter, a splash of macadamia milk in your smoothie, or a breakfast bowl built around real food, it’s a simple way to eat with your future self in mind.
