Breakfast is the most important food of the day, as it determines your energy levels and productivity. Many people, sadly, eat food that contains either too much sugar or too little fiber, which eventually defeats the essence of breakfast in the first place. So that you aren’t one of them, here are 17 things to be wary of including in your diet.
Pancakes and Waffles
It’s the same playbook as cereal. Pancakes are essentially made of low-protein flour sweetened with sugar or honey. They don’t have enough protein and fiber to take you through the day but only offer high-calorie fats and sugar that make you hungry soon after.
Sugary Cereal
Unless you don’t mind being hungry soon after breakfast, sugary cereals, which are common go-to breakfast staples, are not the best for you. Sugary cereals don’t have much protein content and increase your blood sugar levels. This leads to the production of insulin and, eventually, high energy usage that cereals can’t sustain—hence, hunger again.
Breakfast Bars
Breakfast bars may be your most convenient breakfast option, and many may even be made from healthy whole grains, but you also have high amounts of sugar to deal with. What’s more, the Food Network shares that they contain low amounts of calories (90 to 150 calories), making it necessary to eat more for breakfast.
Sweetened Coffee
With sweetened coffee, you don’t even want to take it as a side to a balanced breakfast. Alongside the sugar rush that makes you tired after consuming it, sweetened coffee also contains high-calorie content that puts your calorie intake at excessively high levels when paired with other foods.
Seasoned Meat
Meats such as bacon, ham, or chicken are high in protein and an excellent option to balance your breakfast. However, when you eat meat seasoned with salt or fail to eat it in moderation, you risk raising your cholesterol and blood pressure levels, which is dangerous for your heart.
Only Juice
Juices bring extra delight to your breakfast, and that’s the only thing you want to use them for. Don’t make juice your entire meal for breakfast, as it contains a lot of sugar but not enough protein or fiber to sustain the energy that comes with it. Add some eggs and whole-grain food to get the best balance.
Premade Smoothies
Smoothies can be excellent sources of protein for breakfast. The problem with premade smoothies you order at shops is that they have a lot of sugar and barely contain high-quality protein ingredients. Unless you can ask for some extra protein and little sugar additives, you’re only going to be hungry almost immediately.
Energy Drinks
An energy drink like Gatorade may contain up to 36 grams of sugar, which is a huge 100% of men’s daily intake needs and almost 150% of women’s, as the American Heart Association says. Drink one on an empty stomach, and you may have to deal with a sugar rush, a loss of appetite, heartburn, and indigestion.
Sweetened Yogurt
The only type of yogurt you want to use to start your day is Greek yogurt. Eating yogurt with added sugar only increases your blood sugar levels without giving you sustained protein and fibrous content. Greek yogurt is free of these risks and comes with protein, calcium, and probiotics.
Bagels
Bagels are loaded with sugar, fat, starch, carbs, calories, and low fiber content that aren’t especially good for you if you’re watching your weight. Apart from taking them in moderation, what you want to do instead is go for bagels made from whole grains, whole wheat, or rye, as they provide healthy fiber.
Pastries
Once again, you have high amounts of sugar and fat with very little protein and fibrous content. Your blood sugar levels will increase, leaving you tired after a sugar rush and hungry before lunch. Yes, they’re delicious, and you may have been looking forward to doughnuts and pies overnight, but they aren’t the best to use to start a productive day.
Non-Homemade Hash Browns
The only hash browns you want to eat are the ones you make at home. This is because every other type, whether bought from a fast food restaurant or from the store, may be fried with high-fat and high-calorie oils that can harm you. With homemade hash browns, you control how your patties or potatoes are cooked.
Biscuits
With biscuits, you have to worry about the high amounts of saturated fats in the butter used to make them, Wildgrain shares. Now, when your regular breakfast includes sausage biscuits, or you eat your biscuits with gravy (which is typically high in salt and fat), you put yourself at higher risk of having high blood pressure.
Buttered Toast
Buttered toast may come with healthy carbs and fat content, especially if you eat whole-grain toasts. The downside is that they barely sustain you until lunch. You should only consider buttered toast for breakfast if you’re going to add some protein like eggs and chicken breast to it.
Muffins
Another bad choice for people who need to lose some weight are muffins. A single muffin, especially a muffin bought from a store, contains about 400 to 500 calories, the Food Network shares. Unless you’re opting for whole-grain muffins with fruits and low amounts of sugar, it’s best to avoid them.
Bananas
Bananas are some of the healthiest sources of fiber, potassium, vitamins B6 and C, and even antioxidants. They are even great for muscle function. The problem with them as breakfast food is that they’re 25% sugar, meaning they can leave you tired and hungry very early in the day.
White Bread
Whole-grain bread contains good amounts of fiber that keep your blood sugar levels manageable. White bread, on the other hand, just comes with ingredients that put you at risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. You may also get constipated if white bread is the first thing you eat in the morning.
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