Gastroenterologist Facundo Pereyra highlights how refined flour and sugar-heavy breakfasts, popular in Argentina, can lead to blood sugar spikes and subsequent energy dips, urging a shift towards protein and healthy fats for sustained energy.
A popular breakfast can look harmless and still set the tone for a day of energy swings, hunger and cravings. That is the warning from gastroenterologist Facundo Pereyra, who says several common morning meals in Argentina share the same weakness: they rely too heavily on refined flour and sugar, which can drive fast rises in blood glucose followed by an early drop in energy.
Pereyra, speaking in a recent Instagram video, singled out bread with butter and jam as one of the weakest choices. His argument is that refined bread and sweet spreads are absorbed quickly, which may leave people hungry again not long after eating. Johns Hopkins Medicine similarly notes that breakfasts built around protein, healthy fats and plant foods tend to support steadier energy through the morning.
He also criticised boxed breakfast cereals, even those marketed as wholesome or fortified. Medical News Today and Healthline both point out that many commercial cereals are highly processed and can contain substantial amounts of added sugar. In place of them, Pereyra recommends plain Greek yoghurt with oats and nuts or almonds, a combination that adds protein, fibre and fats that help keep people fuller for longer.
A third breakfast he says deserves caution is fruit with granola and honey. The problem is not the fruit itself, but the way several sources of sugar can be piled on top of one another. Nutrition guides from Medical News Today and Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter say breakfast works best when it combines fruit with slow-digesting carbohydrates, protein and some fat, rather than adding sweeteners to already sweet ingredients.
Pereyra’s broader point is simple: breakfast does not need to be elaborate to be effective. Eggs, avocado, oats, nuts and plain yoghurt all appear repeatedly in expert breakfast guidance because they bring protein, fibre and healthy fats together. That mix, according to the sources cited above, is more likely to support satiety and more stable blood sugar than the usual pastries, sugary cereals and heavily sweetened bowls many people reach for first thing in the morning.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
