Most people believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Some dietitians, however, disagree. In fact, some people perform better even without consuming breakfast. Moreover, eating an unhealthy breakfast can actually be worse than not eating breakfast at all.
According to Franziska Spritzler, a Registered Dietitian, eating an unhealthy breakfast doesn’t only make one feel sluggish or tired during the day, it can even increase the risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes.
Here are 10 worst food items to eat for breakfast:
1. Breakfast cereals
Breakfast cereals are a popular breakfast staple, not just for kids, but also for adults. While they claim to contain whole grains and other essential nutrients, truth is, these breakfast cereals contain only a small amount of whole grains, and are high in sugar. In fact that, it has been found that a cup of breakfast cereal contains more sugar than three chocolate chip cookies.
Another claim breakfast cereals have is that they boost the immune system. However, a study revealed that children who consume those “immune-strengthening” cereals also get sick as often as those who didn’t.
Breakfast cereals contain only a small amount of whole grains, and are high in sugar.
2. Waffles and Pancakes
Waffles and pancakes are also popular for breakfast not only in homes but also in restaurants. While they contain more protein than other breakfast food items (they contain eggs), waffles and pancakes are made of refined flours which contribute to insulin resistance. In addition, pancake and maple syrup is made of fructose sugars and table sugar which may lead to pre-diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.
3. Toast with margarine
Eating toast with margarine also seem to be a healthy choice for breakfast as it doesn’t contain saturated fats. However, most bread is made with refined flour which can spike blood sugar levels. Moreover, most margarines contain trans-fat which is highly inflammatory and increase your risk of different diseases.
4. Muffins
Many people think that muffins are healthy. However, nutritionally, these muffins are just small cakes in disguise. They are made from refined flour, vegetable oils, eggs and sugar, leaving egg as the only healthy ingredient.
Most muffins even contain additional refined sugar sources like dried fruits, chocolate chips, and other sugary ingredients.
5. Fruit juices
If you think fruit juice is a healthy choice to satisfy thirst and hunger, you are wrong. Fruit juice doesn’t only spike blood sugar levels, it can also increase the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and other diseases specially when consumed in high amounts.
6. Toaster Pastries
Toaster pastries like Pop Tarts aren’t only delicious, but they are also a quick and convenient breakfast choice. However, just like the other food items on this list, Toaster Pastries contain sugar and refined flour, and contain only a small amount of protein.
7. Scones with Jam and Cream
Scones with jam and cream is also an attractive breakfast choice, however, it is also one of the worst breakfast choices. Scones are made from refined wheat flour, butter and sugar, and is topped cream and jam or jelly, which spikes blood sugar levels.
8. Sweetened non-fat yogurt
Plain, whole milk yoghurt with berries is a healthy food choice, however, it is the non-fat sweetened yoghurt that isn’t. In fact, many sweetened non-fat yoghurt contain more sugar than a serving of ice cream. Removing fat from dairy products also changes its nutritional content.
9. Granola bars
Granola bars are also a popular breakfast choice as they claim to contain fiber. However, truth is, granola bars contain only 1 to 3 grams of fiber and are packed with refined sugar.
10. Gluten-free breakfast food items that are processed
Processed gluten-free food have become popular in the recent years as there have been many studies that reveal how gluten has potential negative health effects. While it is good to avoid gluten, many gluten-free processed food items use rice, potatoes and tapioca to replace gluten which also causes spikes in blood sugar levels. Moreover, these gluten-free products are low in protein and fiber.
Breakfast, indeed, is an important meal that can help one become productive throughout the rest of the day. However, we should also keep in mind that consuming unhealthy breakfast food items can even be worse, not only because it can make us feel sluggish and more hungry, but because they can also increase the risk of developing diseases in the future.