Endocrinologists warn against this popular breakfast combo if you’re trying to balance blood sugar.

Whether you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes or trying to keep your energy levels stable, there are many reasons why balancing your blood sugar levels is beneficial. Breakfast is the first occasion of the day.

Food composition is an important part of maintaining stable blood sugar levels. For example, a bagel can cause a spike in blood sugar after eating it, but if you pair it with an egg or avocado (both good sources of unsaturated fat), it will reduce the absorption of sugar from carbohydrates and the spike will be less dramatic.

Just as some pairings can be beneficial for blood sugar, other pairings can be harmful, leading to even more spikes in blood sugar. There is one particularly popular breakfast food and drink combination that can do this, according to endocrinologists.

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Why is stable blood sugar important?

Perhaps you thought that maintaining stable blood sugar was only important for people with diabetes. but, Dr. Fadi Hanna-Shmoni, MD, An endocrinologist and medical director at Eli Health, emphasizes that it is necessary for everyone’s health.

“Even without diabetes, stable blood sugar helps stabilize energy, supports clear thinking, reduces cravings and protects long-term metabolic health,” Dr. Repeated spikes can contribute to inflammation, weight gain and insulin resistance over time, says Hanna-Shmoni.

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Unstable blood sugar levels affect health both in the short term and in the long term. In the short term, Dr. Hanna-Shmoni says it can cause fatigue, brain fog, irritability, headaches, shakiness and intense food cravings. “These rapid swings can also disrupt concentration and mood as your body releases stress hormones to balance itself,” he adds.

What happens when your blood sugar levels are all over the place for a long time? Dr. Repeated highs and lows can make it harder to regulate energy and appetite, and over time can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes, weight gain, heart disease and fatty liver disease, among other metabolic conditions, Hanna-Shamony says.

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Dr. Rachel Pessah-Pollock, MD, Adds an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Health, “Long-term unstable blood sugar can lead to complications, including the risk of heart attack, kidney and nerve damage, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.”

A popular breakfast combo that spikes blood sugar

Knowing how the blood sugar rollercoaster ride can affect your health will inspire you to do what you can to keep it balanced, starting with what you eat for breakfast. After all, how we spend our mornings sets the tone for the rest of the day.

One breakfast combination that all three endocrinologists we spoke to that can significantly raise blood sugar is a pastry paired with fruit juice. Many people add a glass of OJ or grapefruit juice to breakfast for a vitamin C boost, but this combination can negatively affect blood sugar.

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“Pastry and fruit juice are both forms of fast-acting carbohydrates without good nutrients and will result in a significant increase in your glucose levels, especially if you have underlying type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Pessah-Pollock says.

Dr. Florence Committ, MD, Endocrinologist, founder of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine and Healthy Longevity and author of the forthcoming book, Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better, Longer, Both pastries and fruit juices are high in carbohydrates which can cause a quick glucose spike and an equally quick drop, followed by an insulin spike which can lead to jitters and quick energy cravings. “That rollercoaster ride of dramatic glucose spikes and dips is unhealthy and leads to insulin resistance,” she says.

While a pastry and fruit juice are indeed a great pairing as far as your blood sugar is concerned, that doesn’t mean you can never enjoy either. If you’re going to have a pastry or fruit juice for breakfast, all three experts recommend pairing it with a meal high in protein, fiber or unsaturated fat. Some examples include nuts, eggs or avocados. This will reduce blood sugar spikes, especially if you eat a nutrient-dense meal first.

Dr. Pessah-Pollock advises eating whole fruit instead of fruit juice, sharing, “Whole fruit contains fiber, which is beneficial and slows digestion. The lack of this fiber in fruit juice slows down the absorption of sugar.”

Unless you’re really craving that pastry, Dr. Pessah-Pollock recommends eating oatmeal instead, which is a greater source of fiber than pastries, which offer no nutritional benefits. To sweeten your oatmeal naturally without spiking your blood sugar, add cinnamon and have it with fruit.

In general, when you’re craving something sweet (whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dessert) but you don’t want to spike your blood sugar, Dr. Choose desserts with protein, fiber or healthy fats, or combine them with nutrients, says Hanna-Shmoni. “These [nutrients] Helps slow digestion and stabilize glucose. Good options include fruit with nut butter, Greek yogurt with berries, a square of dark chocolate after a well-balanced meal, tea pudding or a small portion of your favorite dessert eaten after protein rather than on an empty stomach,’ he explains.

By keeping your blood sugar balanced, not only will you have better focus and mood in the moment, you’ll also support your future health—and there’s nothing sweeter than that.

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Related: This 3-ingredient snack is perfect for managing blood sugar, say diabetes doctors

Sources:

• Dr. Fadi Hanna-Shmoni, MD, is an endocrinologist and medical director of Eli Health

• Dr. Rachel Pessah-Pollock, MD, endocrinologist with NYU Langone Health

• Dr. Florence Committ, MD, endocrinologist, founder of the Committ Center for Precision Medicine and Healthy Longevity and author of the forthcoming book, Invincible: Defy your genetic destiny to live better, longer

• Ma, X., Nan, F., Liang, H., et al. (20220). Excess sugar intake: A contributor to inflammation. Frontiers in Immunology. August 31; 13:988481. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.988481

• Ludwig, DS and Ebbeling, CB (2019). The carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity: ‘calories in, calories out.’ Jama Internal Medicine. 178(8):1098-1103

• Avner, S. and Robbins, T. (2025). A scoping review of glucose spikes in people without diabetes: a comparison of insights from gray literature and medical research. Clinical Medicine Insights: Endocrinology and Diabetes. 18:11795514251381409. doi: 10.1177/11795514251381409

This story was originally published by Parade on December 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Health & Wellness section. Add Parade as a favorite source by clicking here.