The Best Breakfast You Can Eat The Day After Eating Too Much Sugar

Birthdays, graduations, holidays, and other festive occasions invite you to indulge in some of the best sweets. From sinful ganache to heavenly angel food cake, you can find yourself going well beyond your typical sugar intake. That could leave you feeling like you have a sugar hangover, where your body follows the spike in blood sugar with a crash.

The guilt of overindulgence could tell you to punish yourself by skipping breakfast the next day. After all, you can't even think about eating another carb, let alone a sugary donut that could tempt you on the way to work. Instead, a balanced breakfast is the way to go.

The best breakfast after a heavy day of sugar includes protein and fiber. Both nutrients will steady your blood sugar and prevent crazy spikes in blood sugar and insulin. An example would be a two-egg omelet with spinach and cheese and a side of whole-grain toast. Eating this balanced breakfast will also keep you full so you aren't reaching for something unhealthy as your cravings kick in. It's also a good idea to keep the rest of your meals balanced the rest of the day, regardless of whatever diet you might be following.

Your omelet with two slices of toast will start your day with 24 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and plenty of vitamins and minerals. The high fiber and protein relative to the carbs and sugar means it will keep your blood sugar balanced all morning. You can choose a little bit of jelly, butter, or peanut butter on your toast, but you don't need too much. If you find yourself needing a snack a little later, reach for some low-fat plain Greek yogurt topped with ¼ cup of blueberries and ½ ounce of walnuts. This snack adds 22 more grams of protein and almost 2 grams of fiber to balance your blood sugar.

Lunch could include a chicken breast over mixed greens and quinoa with some grape tomatoes. Add some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dressing for 4 more grams of fiber and 60 grams of protein. For dinner, you can choose salmon, asparagus, and brown rice for 36 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. You can add a salad or other side depending on your taste. Sticking to just these foods brings you to just over 1,700 calories, 143 grams of protein, and 17 grams of fiber. That's more protein than most people need, so you can adjust your portions. You'll also need a little more fiber to reach the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber, but this sample menu for the day keeps your total sugar intake to 36 grams.

If you've had too much sugar the day before, it's best to skip the sugar-sweetened drinks such as Coke or Gatorade the next day. Even drinks with artificial sweeteners could have you craving sugar. Drinking more water is your best choice. Staying hydrated helps your kidneys do their job in removing the excess glucose in your system.

You'll also do your body a favor if you exercise after a day of indulgence. Exercise helps to lower your blood sugar, and it also might help you feel a little less guilty. Your mood will also get a nice boost after moving your body for about 30 minutes, especially if you exercise outdoors. Don't feel that exercise is punishment for eating too much sugar the day before. Instead, it's a better way to hit the reset button rather than starving yourself or doing a detox.

Although a day of too much sugar won't wreck you too much, be careful not to make excess sugar a daily habit. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your added sugar to 6% of your daily calories, or about 36 grams for men and 25 grams for women. Too much sugar can lead to poor sleep, mood swings, and plummeting energy levels.