Breakfast isn’t only the most important meal of the day; it’s usually the sweetest, too. And while we love a sweet breakfast as much as the next guy, we can’t deny that consuming sugary, processed foods can take a serious toll on your health over time. Many popular breakfast choices are laden with empty calories and not only fail to provide substantial nutrition but also spike our blood sugar and wreak havoc on our metabolic health.
Eating a healthy breakfast is a crucial part of maintaining a healthy body overall. In addition to staying aware of the best options out there, it’s also important to know what to avoid. That’s why we spoke to health experts like nutritionist Krutika Nanavati; nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet; dietitian Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, senior clinical dietitian at UCLA medical center; and certified nutritionist, Dr. Daryl Gioffre to shed some light on a few of the worst options out there. They told us that breakfast pastries, white bread, breakfast cereals, and fruit juice are among the biggest culprits. Learn more about the risks of each below.
1. Breakfast Pastries
There's nothing quite like a tasty pastry with your morning cup of coffee. However, the unfortunate truth is that although croissants, donuts, danishes, and more can be wonderful as an occasional treat, eating them first thing in the morning could be detrimental to your weight loss goals—and your overall health.
"The least healthy type of carbohydrate to eat over the age of 40 is ultra-processed carbohydrates that are frequently found in packaged foods such as pastries," Hunnes says, warning that these foods provide "no nutritional benefit, they are often devoid of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds."
This is bad news for your blood sugar, your metabolism, and your weight loss goals, she says, because it leads to "insulin spikes, increases in IGF-1, an inflammatory marker, and increases risk for chronic diseases and deposition (fat storage) of calories in the body." Yikes!
2. White bread
Although white bread is a staple in many kitchens, it's considered an empty calorie food due to its minimal nutritional content. While whole grain bread retains its fiber-rich bran and nutrient-packed germ, white bread is processed and stripped of these beneficial components during the refining process. This means it lacks vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Eating white bread on a regular basis can lead to weight gain and a slow metabolism since it lacks the nutrients necessary for efficient calorie burning. It may also lead to spikes in blood sugar levels, followed by crashes, which can disrupt metabolic processes. "Bread is a food that should be eaten in moderation due to it's processed and refined nature," Richards says. "Bread, of all kinds, is calorically dense and inflammatory. White bread is made with refined carbohydrates and lacking in fiber and other beneficial nutrients," she explains.
She adds that "Refined carbs are highly inflammatory and turn to sugar quickly causing a quick rise in glucose; eating bread on a regular basis will lead to weight gain because most breads are made from refined grains, sugar, and preservatives," which are "inflammatory ingredients and are also broken down quickly to be stored as fat." Sticking to complex carbs is always the best option.
3. Breakfast cereals
Not only is cereal an ultra-convenient, tasty breakfast; it also makes an easy sweet snack. You may even munch on it by the handful. But health experts warn against this sugar-loaded food. Nanavati tells us that all that sugar makes cereal a poor choice for your health, especially if you want to keep your waistline slim.
"Many breakfast cereals targeted are high in sugar and lack nutritional value," she warns. "Consuming these regularly can lead to weight gain and increased risk of chronic diseases." Yikes! Luckily, there are some healthy cereals out there; just be sure to check the nutrition label before adding them to your cart, and stick with low-sugar options.
4. Fruit juice
Upon first thought, you may assume that fruit juices would be a healthy addition to your diet. After all, they're made of fruit! Unfortunately, though, most juices you'll find at the store lack virtually all nutritional value and are instead practically liquid sugar, leading to blood sugar spikes and potentially even a slower metabolism over time.
"When you drink just fruit juice, the fiber is stripped away and you can consume in one small glass of orange juice the amount of sugar and fructose found in five oranges, minus all of the innate goodness in that orange," explains Dr. Gioffre, who calls juice "glorified sugar water."
In fact, he points out that "Orange juice has 18 grams of fructose per ounce, compared to that of a can of soda, which has 1.7 grams per ounce." Yikes! To avoid these issues, consider making your own healthy juices at home—and leaving the added sugar out of the picture.
