We often hear the saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” This is true because you need the energy to make it through the day and you will be energized from eating the right meal at the start of the day. A healthy breakfast includes fiber, protein and healthy fat that gives you energy and makes you full. Studies show that those who eat breakfast on a regular basis are able to demonstrate strong cognitive skills while also being less likely to develop obesity.

Here are some breakfast foods that you can avoid for a healthier body:

1. Bacon

Did you know that a cooked slice of bacon will give you around 42 calories, 3 grams of fat, and just under 200 milligrams of sodium? Yes, bacon has protein but not nearly enough to keep you full (especially without fiber).

2. French Toast

French toast is popularly known for its delicious taste using only simple ingredients - bread, eggs, and milk. When using white bread, eggs, and milk, one may think that it’s a healthy breakfast because we can get protein from eggs and calcium from the milk. However, did you know that one serving of french toast has 700 calories, 14 grams of saturated fat, 830 milligrams of sodium, and 85 grams of carbohydrates? When you like to pour syrup on top of it, your breakfast will give you more added sugar!

3. Pancakes and waffles

Pancakes and waffles are a popular choice for a “lazy” breakfast. They contain flour, eggs, milk, and sugar. Just like french toast, we like to topped it with pancake syrup, which contains high-fructose corn syrup that can cause inflammation that drives insulin resistance, which may lead to prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

4. Fruit juice

Did you know that some fruit juices on the market actually contain very little juice and are sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, which can increase your sugar levels and increase your risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes? Drinking fruit juice causes your blood sugar to rise very quickly because there’s no fat or fiber to slow down absorption.

5. Instant oatmeal

Oats are good. But some companies often add several different variations of sugar to their oatmeal recipes to enhance flavor. An instant oatmeal provides 2 grams of fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, and 33 grams of carbohydrates, 12 of those from sugar. Doubling the amount of instant oatmeal you consume for breakfast also provides double amount of sugar.

Yes, breakfast is important to supply you with the needed energy to sustain your day-to-day activities. However, making a poor choice at breakfast can leave you hungry, and physically and cognitively draining which may cause one to struggle to get through the day. It is important to know that when eating or preparing breakfast, it must contain protein, healthy fat and fiber from unprocessed, whole foods. Therefore, avoid breakfast foods that will not make your life last.

AA VI Cielo Katrina M. Mabalot

References:

1. “The 10 Worst Foods to Eat in the Morning” from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-worst-foods-in-the-morning

2. “15 unhealthy breakfast foods that are basically just, desserts” from https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/unhealthy-breakfast-foods-that-are-basically-desserts.html/

3. “The healthiest and unhealthiest breakfast foods” from https://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/lifestyle/the-healthiest-and-unhealthiest-breakfast-foods.html

4. “6 unhealthy breakfasts and their healthy alternatives” from https://spoonuniversity.com/recipe/huevo-ranchero-quiche-cup