11 Surprising Breakfasts that only pretend to be healthy!
Breakfasts are the most important meal of the day as its name suggest “Breaking the Fast”. The entire overnight body is at rest and considered to be at fast. An average overnight sleep is 8 hours and this is a long time to go without eating. If you skip your breakfast your body won’t get the energy that is needed for the day and affects your concentration, mood and weight maintenance.
It’s like trying to start a car without petrol if you start your day without breakfast. Breakfast should be eaten within two hours after you wake up. Not just energy breakfast foods are a good source of nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin B, protein and fibre. If you skip the breakfast you end up eating unhealthy snacks in mid-mornings to stop the craving for lunch.
But not everything we think as a healthy breakfast habit is true. It is important to know what is healthy and what is not when you are thinking of a good breakfast. One has to make sure what they eat is good for them. When you are trying hard dot maintain a healthy diet, you don’t want any surprises which can throw you off track.
Here are some myths that we have regarding breakfast which we consider to be healthy however they are not. These are the foods in which the line between healthy and unhealthy seems to be pretty blurry. These foods seem like nutritious superfoods or smart options, but actually, they are surprisingly unhealthy breakfasts.
Breakfast energy bars
When it comes to breakfast energy bars, you should know what exactly goes into this popular breakfast snack. The products is a high source of calories, sugar and saturated fats just like a candy bar. No protein contents are there. The top ingredient is some form of sugar and these bars also include artery-clogging hydrogenated oils.
If you are thinking you are doing something good for your body by eating energy bar then you are in some misperception. Instead, you can term it as a dessert or a real candy bar. If you don’t have time to prepare breakfast then preplan it the night before. Make a cereal with nuts or berries. This is something healthy and fills your stomach.
Low-fat dairy foods like flavoured Greek yoghurt or non-dairy creamers
People who think consuming low-fat dairy food is healthy let me tell them this is a myth. The low-fat dairy foods try to compensate the lack of fat with additives to maintain the taste of full-fat products and as a result, it negatively affects the metabolic process. Go for full-fat low sugar foods as they will have no harmful effects on your body and also keep you satisfied for a longer time by filling your tummy.
You can opt for Greek yoghurt as it is rich in protein, low in fat and low in sugar, however, the concerning part is the flavoured options like blueberry, orange, honey. Greek yoghurt is packed with 30 grammes of sugar which is not an actual fruit but added sugar. Go for plain yoghurt and add in fruits to it if you want that fruity flavour.
If you think non-dairy creamers are healthy then let me tell you it’s not a virtuous choice. They may seem to have lower calorie, less saturated fat alternative to cream, but they are a combination of synthetic chemicals mixed with hydrogenated oils which are artery clogging, spiking insulin and has chemicals that increase inflammation in the body. Avoid nondairy creamers.
Rice cakes
Mostly crunch craves love rice cakes as it a crunchy snack and also a low-calorie snack option. Many diets conscious people turn to rice cakes for quick breakfast. But they pretend to be healthy while actually, they are not as these puffed cakes are made up of white rice which is high glycemic, quickly digested carbohydrate which can increase the blood sugar and spike up the insulin levels.
This causes the body to store more fat instead of burning it. If you love rice cakes go for the 100% brown rice cakes which can be a good alternative to whole grain.
Is Granola actually healthy?
Certainly, granola is healthy till the time it is homemade. Readymade granola contains added sugar and saturated fats which you actually don’t expect from granola. Still not to worry you can easily prepare granola at home. Here’s the simple recipe.
Just mix cereals, nuts, cinnamon, honey and coconut flakes. Bake them in microwave till they become golden. And yes granola is ready. You can prepare healthy granola energy bars from it for kids for breakfast.
Eggs whites instead of whole egg
This is the biggest myth people have who are weight conscious, calorie conscious and are working out. They think that egg whites have lesser fat content and little calories however they don’t understand that all the healthy nutrients are contained in the yolk part such as iron, proteins, vitamin B and vitamin D.
no matter yolk has fat but it is healthy. The fat in the yolk is the reason why people believe this myth that it affects the blood cholesterol levels and is unhealthy for the heart. For the breakfast feel free to consume a full boil egg or full egg omelette.
Nut milk based smoothies
Smoothie is a great breakfast choice especially for kids as it’s yummy and healthy at the same time. But when it’s made of fruits and just nut milk it lacks key nutrients. Nut milk lacks protein and fat, unlike dairy and soy milk.
A fruit and nut milk smoothie has all carbohydrates but misses’ protein and fat for your body. What you can do add some nuts like cashews, almonds, nut butter or seeds to make it a macronutrient that is it has fats, carbs and protein.
Turkey-based slices
Turkey is a good source of protein and is a very healthy breakfast but until you buy it fresh rather than the packed ones. If you buy a packaged turkey slice it is packed with sodium, fillers and carcinogenic nitrates which are a big no-no for a health conscious person. Rather go for the turkey breast cut fresh from the bird and consume it or refrigerate it.
Turkey slices can be used in a variety of sandwiches, burgers and other snacks for breakfast. If you still choose the packaged one to go for the one which is low sodium and are packed nitrate free.
Orange Juice
If you are consuming the juices packed in tetra packs you are doing a big health mistake as these juices tend to be full of sugar. Instead, consume an actual fruit which gives you a boost of vitamins and fibre.
You can make a glass of orange juice at home however it takes a lot of oranges to make it. Instead, consume a full orange fruit. Instead for orange, you can go for juices like green apple, carrot, ginger or celery which is a great combination and an ideal choice for breakfast.
100 calorie packs
Nowadays people are becoming young, wild and gluten free. They have a perception that gluten-free snacks are healthy however gluten-free snack products are depleted of essential nutrients and have low nutritional value like other snack products.
Unless you have any sort of noticeable reaction from gluten there is no sense of buying gluten free snacks as they won’t help you rather help the snacks companies.
Superfood overload and neglecting proteins
Nowadays people are more into buying superfoods and ignoring the proteins. If you are also buying superfoods like maca powder, lucuma
powder ten you may be wasting your hard earned money. Stick to fruits and vegetables and don’t buy the much-hyped foods.
Stick with eating as much local produce like protein rich foods in your breakfast meal. Go for whole grain carbs as they satiate you for a longer period of time. Include yoghurt, fruits, seeds and grains/cereals to your diet to soothe your pocket and health as well.
Gluten free snacks
Nowadays people are becoming young, wild and gluten free. They have a perception that gluten-free snacks are healthy however gluten-free snack products are depleted of essential nutrients and have low nutritional value like other snack products.
Unless you have any sort of noticeable reaction from gluten there is no sense of buying gluten free snacks as they won’t help you rather help the snacks companies.
Instead of these breakfasts, you can opt for the below foods which are actually healthy and makes a perfect breakfast meal.
Whole egg
Eggs are the great source of proteins and one egg carries 6grams of proteins. Don’t remove the yolk instead eat the whole eggs as yolk the yellowish part has most of the nutrients and is a good source of lutein, a vitamin found in spinach and kale.
Fruits instead of juices
Fruits are always healthy be it a banana, melon or berries. Fruits are always healthier than juices as there is added sugar in juices which are just extra calories. Direct intake of fruit is better than juices.
Mix and match with your fruit choices so that you can take advantage of different nutrients. For example, blueberries are rich in antioxidants, while oranges are a rich source of vitamin C. the most convenient fruit is bananas as they are easy to transport and can be eaten without any mess.
Unflavored Yogurt
Unflavored plain yogurt is also a great breakfast as 6 ounces of yogurt has as much protein as one serving of meat. If you are calorie conscious or have diabetes then go for plain, non-fat yogurt which is healthier than the fruit flavoured yogurts as they have a lot of added sugar.
If you want fruit flavour you can buy plain yogurt and toss in fresh fruits with it to get the same taste as fruit flavoured yogurt
Smoothies with complete nutritional ingredients
A smoothie with complete nutritional ingredients is a complete on-the-go meal for breakfast. Add plain yogurt at the base for protein, fresh fruits for sweetness and flavours.
Add nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts to add the crunch to it and also the nutritional quotient. If you don’t like vegetables this blended drink is the easiest way to cram greens like spinach to your diet.
Whole grain bread, cereal, or oatmeal
Whole grain cereal and oats are healthy fibre breakfast and breakfast is the ideal time to consume it. They keep low blood pressure and cholesterol and are heart healthy. Not just Fibre fills out stomach and keeps us full but also gives us energy.
Consume at least 5 grammes of fiber in your breakfast. You can add in milk with oatmeal to complete the protein intake. If you are calorie conscious avoid whole grain cereals with added sugar.
Peanut butter
Peanut butter is the best source of protein for breakfast as two tablespoons of peanut butter has 8 grammes of proteins which are 20% of the daily recommended protein intake for an adult human.
Peanut butter contains good unsaturated fat and also regulates blood sugar levels. Go for nut butter like cashew butter, almond butter instead of real butter, cheese or margarine as they are higher in bad saturated fats.
You can opt for these breakfast foods for a healthy diet. And don’t skip your breakfasts as it is an important meal. If you had a small breakfast then be sure to take some healthy snacks like nuts, natural yogurt or a fruit so that you don’t miss the essential nutrients. Include protein rich meal so that you can keep away the nagging hunger and eating an unhealthy snacks entire day.
Choose your breakfast wisely and be healthy. Happy eating
