5 worst breakfast options: Are you also guilty of starting you morning with these ‘thakela’ meals? | Health
In a video posted on Instagram earlier this month, nutritionist Deepsikha Jain spilled the beans on some of the worst breakfast options that she vowed to never approve as a nutritionist. This included Willie Crozarts or bagels “because they are just refined products that lack fiber, protein and even good fat, which will spike your blood sugar and make you feel much more hungrier throughout the day”.
Second was “coffee or sugary coffee drinks because that will mess with your cortisol and stress hormones, which will also kill your appetite”. She also called out acai bowls or smoothie bowls “because they are just loaded with a lot of calories without giving you the right kind of nutrition” while sugary cereals are “the worst thing that you can start your day with. Though it may give you energy boost in the start but will also lead to a crash in your energy very soon and quickly.” According to Deepsikha Jain, one should avoid taking these worst foods for breakfast.
Breakfast blunders:
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Prachi Chandra, Lead Clinical Nutritionist at Sakra World Hospital in Bengaluru, shared, “From a physiological perspective, breakfast is unique among our meals in that it is eaten after the longest of our postprandial fasts, in this instance an overnight fast (Break+fast). Studies suggest that eating breakfast regularly is associated with good health — and that the timing of the meal, as well as what’s in it, matters. The blood sugar (glucose) we need to power our muscles and brains is normally low when we wake up and breakfast helps replenish it.”
She cautioned, “Skipping breakfast throws off the normal circadian rhythm of fasting and feeding. Breakfast is the worst time to skip a meal. For that reason, eating even a small amount within an hour or so of waking is a good idea. Fuelling up in the morning can be especially important for everyone from children to the elderly, especially for people with medical conditions as metabolic needs are relatively greater than normal individuals.”
Transform your mornings:
Asserting that what you eat in breakfast matters the most, Prachi Chandra revealed, “Fuelling yourself with instant or ready to eat breakfast cereals is a bad idea. Eat foods such as donuts, waffles, pancakes, muffins, breads, Croissant Casserole bagels, cornflakes or museli, puri etc, is a very bad choice as these foods come in the ultra-processed, HFSS foods category. HFSS means these are rich in fat, salt and sugar content. They have (more than 15%) of saturated fats, high fructose corn syrup, high salt content.”
She added, “Consuming cheese, full cream-based coffee, juices, granola, milkshakes, diet sodas etc. along with the breakfast will contribute to excess sugar intake. Consumption of these foods leads to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, fatty liver, fatigue, kidney stones and dental caries. These foods provide empty calories ad lack in protein, fibre, essential vitamins and minerals. Eating these foods on regular basis will also cause gut dysbiosis leading to acidity, bloating, constipation, stomach upset, inflammation and poor immunity. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to reduce the consumption of HFSS foods in our daily diet.”
The nutrition expert advised, “Include healthier home-made Indian breakfast options which has whole grains contributing to complex carbohydrates, eggs, low fat milk and milk products, sprouts, nuts and seeds providing proteins, and a serving of fresh seasonal fruit or vegetable will be the best option to keep you energised throughout the day and prevent you from risk of diet related non-communicable diseases.”
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
