Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it’s also important to know exactly what to eat so you can get a healthy start to the day.
It is natural that people would like to have a healthy, tasty, filling and nutritious breakfast. But it should also be remembered that tasty does not necessarily mean healthy. Healthy breakfast options contain a combination of protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep you feeling full until lunch time, as well as moderate amounts of unrefined carbs to provide quick energy.
Unfortunately, many common breakfast foods do not meet these criteria and may leave you feeling either hungry or uncomfortably full soon after eating.
Here are some breakfast foods that one should skip if one wants to start the day healthy.
- Sugary or highly refined grains
Despite their sweet, crunchy profile, most sugary cereals won’t keep you full for long.
They’re usually full of sugar and low in protein, which means they’ll spike your blood sugar levels quickly. Irritability and hunger may occur as the blood-sugar-lowering hormone insulin takes effect.
Similarly, unsweetened grains like corn or bran flakes are also low in protein. So, while they contain less added sugar, they’re still not the best way to start your day.
Even more natural-looking options like granola are often loaded with added sugars, which are linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
- Pancakes or Waffles
Pancakes and waffles, while delicious, are not a nutritious way to fuel your morning. Despite their delicious profile, these comfort foods are often made from refined white flour and topped with butter and syrup, which is basically pure sugar.
This makes pancakes and waffles high in calories, fat and sugar and lacking in protein and fiber. So, although they may fill you up quickly, they will not keep you full for long.
- Buttered Toast
Butter toast is one of the most popular breakfasts. Nevertheless, this option will not last you long due to lack of protein. Most of the calories in buttered toast come from the carbs in the bread and the fat from the butter.
But, if you choose whole-grain bread and add protein-rich toppings like eggs or shredded chicken breast, bread and butter can still be a suitable breakfast option. To further increase nutrient intake, add chopped vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, or leafy greens.
- Puris
Stay away from anything fried, especially breakfast. Puris are deep fried and due to this, there may be problems of acidity and heartburn. The food contains negligible protein and a lot of calories. Hence, this is one of the many unhealthy Indian breakfasts to avoid.
- Fruit Juice
While fruit juice contains nutrients and antioxidants, it is high in sugar and low in fiber found in whole fruits, meaning it is not particularly filling, therefore, it Best drink option for breakfast.
- Sweet and low-fat or fat-free yogurt
Curd is a good source of protein and probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria that can improve your digestive health. However, some yogurts contain added sugar, making them a less healthy option. Additionally, many popular varieties have had most or all of their fat content removed, meaning they may be less filling than full-fat options.
- Fast Food
In these busy times, sometimes a person is forced to compromise with his food, especially breakfast. In such a situation, fast food items appear very attractive as breakfast. However, know that most fast-food breakfast options, such as a breakfast sandwich or a burrito with eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese or a hash brown patty, are loaded with calories, fat, and refined carbs.
- Flavored Coffee Drink
Specialty coffee drinks such as mochas, frappes, or caramel macchiatos can be sweet concoctions rich in sugar. In fact, some drinks contain as much as 70 grams of sugar, which equates to 280 calories or more per serving.
Consuming one of these drinks as a snack can quickly raise your blood sugar levels. This will cause your body to secrete insulin to bring those levels back down, which can leave you feeling hungry and irritable.
Additionally, if you are having one of these drinks with a breakfast meal, your meal is likely to contain excessive calories and sugar, which can lead to weight gain.
- Parathas
Especially stay away from parathas made with refined flour. They are unhealthy for the digestive system and thus cause a feeling of nausea. Choose healthy parathas made from jowar, ragi, wheat etc. Moreover, the stuffing inside the paratha actually adds a lot of unwanted calories. The proportion of vegetable or stuffing inside should always be more than the proportion of flour. Instead of the usual potatoes or paneer, you can use soybeans, sattu (ground black gram), broccoli, mixed vegetables and tofu.
- Maggi Noodles
Maggi, an instant noodle, is made from flour and oil. Maida or refined flour does not come with any health benefits or nutritional value. It contains very high calories, so eating Maggi daily can be harmful for your health. Maggi contains trans fats, which can increase the levels of bad cholesterol in the body, causing problems in the proper functioning of the heart. Maggi contains 46 percent sodium, a substance that can make you a victim of serious and life-threatening diseases. Consuming Maggi daily can increase the sodium level in your body which can lead to a condition like hypernatremia.