If one of your goals for 2026 is to eat healthier, you’re probably doing everything you can to keep your sugar intake to a minimum. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a sweet treat every now and then, having a high-sugar diet is linked to some pretty damaging health issues.
Excess sugar doesn’t just affect your waistline, it can affect your energy levels, mood, hormones and even how well you sleep at night. Over time, frequent blood sugar spikes and crashes can leave you feeling exhausted, foggy, and irritable, making it harder to maintain healthy habits long-term.
A high-sugar diet is also bad for the gut (and gut health is important for, well, everything), can lead to obesity, increase the risk of dementia, and is bad for heart health. But even when you make a conscious effort to minimize your sugar intake, it can feel like your body is rebelling against you, craving sugar all day long.
This is a frustrating cycle that may make you think you have no willpower, when really, there are other factors at play. Things like blood sugar imbalances, inadequate protein or fiber intake, chronic stress, and poor sleep can amplify sugar cravings, even if you eat an overall healthy diet.
As the registered dietitians here explain, there are several causes for sugar cravings, including a very common morning habit. Here’s what you need to know.
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The morning habit that can lead to sugar cravings throughout the day
According to registered dietitians, what you eat for breakfast can affect the type or cravings you have—or don’t have—for the rest of the day. If breakfast doesn’t contain adequate protein (or skip breakfast altogether), it can lead to sugar cravings.
“Including protein at breakfast slows digestion, supports sustained energy, and helps you feel satisfied for longer. It also signals your body early in the day that it’s getting what it needs, which can reduce mid-morning or afternoon cravings for sweets,” she says. Melissa Karp, RDa registered dietitian and founder of MPM Nutrition.
Related: 7 Weird Ways Your Body Is Telling You You Need to Eat Less Sugar
Karp explains that when we eat protein, digestion slows down, which helps prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes that often cause cravings for quick energy like sweets. “Protein also activates satiety hormones, helping your brain register fullness so you’re less likely to keep reaching for food in search of satisfaction,” she says.
In terms of how much protein you should aim for at breakfast, Ashley Koff, RDa registered dietitian, author of Your best shot and founder of The Better Nutrition Program, recommends getting between 15 and 40 grams, depending on your age, gender and how active you are. Some breakfast ideas Koff says to consider are eggs with half a sweet potato or a high-protein smoothie.
Related: This is the #1 Best Habit for Blood Sugar Balance, According to an Endocrinologist
Karp is also a fan of eggs or a smoothie for breakfast as a way to stave off sugar cravings later. “Eggs are a simple and powerful breakfast protein, with about 6 to 7 grams per egg,” she says, adding that she recommends pairing them with a sprouted English muffin for an extra 8 grams of protein. “Adding avocado provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and soluble fiber, helping to fill out your meal and boost your stamina.”
When making a smoothie, Karp says protein powder, fruit, spinach, chia seeds, and nut butter are all nutrient-dense ingredients to consider.
Related: I quit sugar 6 weeks ago and I’m really surprised by the results
Other reasons you might be craving sugar
While getting adequate protein at breakfast can help prevent sugar cravings later in the day, there are other reasons you might have sugar cravings. 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 are empty and looking for energy. The easiest way for our bodies to get a quick source of energy is sugar. In addition, lack of sleep disrupts key appetite hormones, increasing ghrelin, which triggers hunger, and decreasing leptin, which signals satiety, producing sugar-rich foods, especially for Karp.
She adds that not getting enough sleep has an impact on blood sugar, which can then lead to sugar cravings, explaining: “Research shows that insulin sensitivity decreases after poor sleep, which means our bodies don’t use glucose as efficiently. This can lead to larger swings in blood sugar, which further fuels cravings for quick fixes like sweets. Being overdone.”
If you’re using artificial sweeteners, which are often found in foods labeled “diet” or “sugar-free,” Koff says that’s another thing that can lead to sugar cravings later. This is because artificial sweeteners confuse the brain’s hunger signals; it thinks it’s getting fuel in the form of sugar, but it’s not. This can lead to increased cravings for sweet foods.
Both dietitians say there are other causes for sugar cravings, including seeing sweet foods that look delicious, hormonal changes, feeling stressed, being too hungry and eating unbalanced meals. So if you make a conscious effort to get adequate protein at breakfast and still have sugar cravings throughout the day, it may be helpful to consider these other potential causes.
Starting your day with a protein-rich breakfast will not only decrease your chances of sugar cravings later, but you’ll also feel more energized and even in a better mood, thanks to protein’s positive impact on blood sugar. It’s an easy way to start the day on a healthy note.
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Related: Endocrinologists Warn Against This Popular Breakfast Combo If You’re Trying to Balance Blood Sugar
Sources:
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Melissa Karp, RD, registered dietitian and founder of MPM Nutrition
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Zhang, Y., Walker, RW, Kaplan, RC, et al. (2025). Added sugars, gut microbiota and host health.Gut microbes. 17(1):2592431
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Stanhope, KL (2016). Sugar consumption, metabolic disease and obesity: the state of the controversy. Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences. 53(1):52-67
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Agarwal, P., Ford, CN, Leurgans, SE, et al. (2024). Dietary sugar intake 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). High-sugar diets increase cardiac dysfunction and mortality in hypertension compared with low-carbohydrate or high-starch diets. Journal of hypertension. 26(7):1402-1410
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Singh, T., Ahmed, TH, Mohamed, N., et al. (2022). Insufficient sleep increases the risk of developing insulin resistance: a systematic review. Cureus. 14(3):e23501
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Yang, Q. (2010). Gaining weight by “dieting”? Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. 83(2):101-108
This story was originally published by Parade on January 11, 2026, where it first appeared in Health & Wellness. Add Parade as a favorite source by clicking here.