We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Therefore, knowing what to eat and what to avoid in breakfast is essential for good health.
The healthiest breakfast options must contain a combination of fats, protein, and healthy fiber to keep us full until lunchtime. A healthy breakfast must have moderate unrefined carbs to provide quick energy.
However, it is crucial to know certain breakfast options must be avoided, because of their unhealthy properties. Here is a list of breakfast options one must avoid.
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Buttered toast: Buttered toast is the most convenient and popular breakfast option globally. This breakfast option is not nutritious, as it lacks proteins and fiber. It is rich in calories. However, whole-grain bread paired with protein-rich toppings like eggs or shredded chicken breast can be a great breakfast option. One can add sliced vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, or leafy greens to the sandwich to increase the nutrient content further.
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Pancakes or waffles: The tasty pancakes and waffles are not a nutritious way to fuel our mornings. Despite being yummy, these comfort foods are made with refined flour and topped with butter and sugary syrup. This makes pancakes and waffles high in calories, fat, and sugar with zero nutritional value. They lack protein and fiber content. Instead, dosa made with wheat, fermented rice, or dal is a healthier option.
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Sugary or highly refined cereals: Because they are sweet and crunchy, most cereals are an unhealthy option for breakfast. They are typically full of sugar and low in protein and fiber. Cereals rapidly increase our blood sugar levels and may cause hunger once the blood sugar normalizes. One must also avoid natural-seeming options like granola, as they are often loaded with added sugars, and are associated with causing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
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Fast food: Due to busy schedules, one is forced to compromise with one’s food, particularly breakfast. In such situations, fast food items are very appealing. However, most fast-food breakfast options, like sandwiches or burritos with eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese, or hash brown patty, are packed with fat, calories, and refined carbs. Therefore, one must opt for a freshly prepared breakfast full of fiber and protein.
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Puris: Keep away from anything that is fried, especially in the morning for breakfast. Puris are deep fried, and due to this, it will cause acidity and heartburn. The meal has negligible protein and packs a lot of calories. Therefore, this is one of the many unhealthy Indian breakfasts to avoid.
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Maida Parathas: Stay away from parathas, especially those made from maida. They are unhealthy for the digestive system and thus lead to that nauseous feeling. Choose healthier parathas made from jowar, ragi, wheat, etc. Further, stuffing inside the parathas adds to many unwanted calories. Instead of the usual aloo or paneer, one can use soybeans, sattu (ground black chickpeas), broccoli, mixed vegetables, and tofu in the paratha to make it a healthier option.
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Fruit juice: While fruit juice contains nutrients and antioxidants, it is high in sugar and low in the fiber found in whole fruits, meaning it’s not particularly filling, making it not the best drink choice for breakfast.
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Sweetened and low-fat yogurts: Yogurts are a good source of protein and probiotics. Probiotics are considered to be good for our digestive health. However, some yogurts are loaded with added sugar, making them less healthy. Therefore, one must prefer homemade curds or yogurts with fresh fruits.
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Instant Noodles: Instant noodles are made up of refined flour and oil. Maida or refined flour has no health benefits or nutritional value. It is rather high in calories; therefore, eating these noodles daily can harm our health. Noodles also contain trans fats, which can increase bad cholesterol levels in the body, thus creating problems for the heart to function properly. Noodles contain sodium, a substance that can cause life-threatening diseases. Consuming noodles daily can thus increase our body’s sodium levels, causing conditions such as Hypernatremia.
Breakfast lays the foundation for our day. Therefore, it should be full of protein and not fats so that we feel energized and not sluggish. One must try to have a breakfast full of healthy fiber, protein, and unrefined fats. For a customized diet full of nutrition, CLICK HERE.
