Blanca Martín, nutrition expert: “If you eat something sweet for breakfast because you’re short on time, you’ll be hungry again an hour later”

People have long heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But for anyone who starts work before sunrise, it often shows up at the worst possible moment.

Eating breakfast in the early hours

Eating first thing in the morning can feel nearly impossible when you’re waking up while the streetlights are still on, when breakfast blends into last night’s dinner, or when you simply don’t have time before rushing out the door.

Faced with that reality, many people fall back on the “old reliable”: cookies and coffee, chocolatey cereal, a piece of bread with a little oil, or nothing at all. The problem is that most of these quick breakfasts leave you hungry again soon after, which can create challenges from a nutritional standpoint.

@blancabmartin

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♬ Rock and Roll Session – Canal Records JP

Nutrition expert Blanca Martín explains this in one of her videos. “If you’re someone who grabs something sweet—cookies, a donut, muffins—because you’re in a hurry and think it’s the fastest option, you’ll be hungry again an hour later and craving more sugar,” she says. Even options that seem healthier, like toast with olive oil and tomato, can have a similar effect.

The reason, she explains, is that very sweet breakfasts cause a spike in blood sugar that quickly crashes. “That’s when the mid‑morning cravings hit, along with that wave of fatigue.” And those cravings don’t stop there—they often return in the afternoon, turning snacking into an almost constant habit.

The best breakfast options to stop you from snacking

That’s why she recommends building a breakfast around whole‑grain bread, healthy fats (like olive oil or avocado), and a source of protein.

Protein, she notes, is often the most overlooked part of breakfast, yet it’s the key to feeling full and energized enough to avoid constant snacking. And if you do need something between meals, a piece of fruit—ideally an apple—is a better choice than ultra‑processed sweets.