Everybody and your mother always say..
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Well, I guess you could put that up for discussion.
You may be surprised to learn that many breakfast foods commonly believed to be healthy are actually not.
Scientific studies have indicated that some of the most popular breakfast options today can be even more detrimental to health than consuming a candy bar.
The main question is: what is your breakfast today?
Are you having foods for breakfast that cause weight gain or are you choosing foods that boost your metabolism and help burn fat?
Let’s explore and discover the answer.
#1: Orange Juice & Fruit Juices
Fruit juices, like orange juice, are commonly consumed in Western diets just like processed cereals.
For centuries, they have been marketed as a “healthy” alternative to real fruit and can be easily consumed in various flavors while on the go.
But here’s the problem..
Most fruit juices labeled as “100% Fruit Juice” actually have added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup. Despite being tasty, these added sugars can lead to health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. It is sometimes claimed that sugars from fruit are natural and therefore different from table sugar. However, the high-heat processing used to make juices can destroy the fruits’ antioxidants and other nutrients, while removing much of the fiber that stabilizes blood sugar.
Eat this instead:
Choosing whole fruits or berries from nature is a better option as they keep their fat-fighting nutrients and fiber intact. However, if you must drink juice, opt for a brand that uses ‘flash pasteurization’. Such brands may cost more, but they preserve the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and are typically advertised on the label.
#2: Muffins
Muffins are often considered healthy for some reason, which is a notion that persists despite evidence to the contrary.
This is evident from the fact that when you stand in line at a coffee shop, every other order seems to be for a so-called “healthy” muffin.
Most muffins are not very healthy as they are made of ingredients that can cause inflammation such as refined flour and sugar. The only healthy ingredient in 95% of all muffins is the eggs. Therefore, most muffins are actually just a disguised dessert.
Eat this instead:
If you like to bake try making some tasty and much healthy Coconout flour Banana bread muffins. You can find the recipe here
#3: Cereals
Cereal is a popular breakfast food because it requires no preparation time, making it very convenient.
Many over-the-counter cereals are not healthy and could make you gain weight. It can be difficult for people to know which cereals are healthy due to potentially misleading labels, such as “heart healthy,” “trans-fat free,” “contains whole grains,” or “100% RDA” of certain vitamins.
Most cereals sold at supermarkets undergo a process called extrusion to increase production, making them highly processed and leading to a higher blood sugar response.
It is worth noting that many cereals contain other ingredients that contribute to fat storage, such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, GMO ingredients, and refined carbohydrates like corn flour and maltodextrin.
Upon reviewing the nutrition label of most cereal boxes, it is common to find that sugar is listed as the second or third ingredient. Wow, that’s a red flag. A single serving of the most widely consumed breakfast cereal in the world, primarily by children, contains more sugar than three chocolate chip cookies! Even the supposedly healthy versions still contain some type of sugar.
Eat this instead:
Search for cereal from Food For Life®, try to find low sugar options that are made with sprouted grains. Be sure to check the label and keep an eye on serving sizes. Even a healthy cereal can contain almost 50 grams of carbs in one cup.
One great option to use instead of regular milk with your cereal is to use a combination of organic almond milk and coconut milk. You can add some berries on top and sweeten it with stevia if you’d like. This will create a breakfast that is nutritious, energizing, and helps burn fat while being blood-sugar friendly, and it only takes 5 minutes to make.
#4: Bagels
I learned that a regular bagel contains approximately 38-42 grams of processed starch that quickly raises insulin levels. This is equivalent to four servings of bread. As a result, I have avoided bagels. However, this is not the sole reason why I stopped consuming them.
Bagels contain not only refined carbohydrates but also added sugars and unhealthy fats. They lack significant blood-sugar stabilizing components such as protein, natural fiber, and healthy fats. Essentially, eating a bagel is similar to consuming a high-calorie, processed muffin or a doughnut.
Eat this instead:
Selecting healthier types of bread such as Ezekiel® sprouted grain options or sprouted grain sourdough can help with this issue.
#5: Pancakes
Pancakes that are made traditionally tend to have a lot of processed carbohydrates and are often manufactured with extra sugar. When you add condiments that people typically have with pancakes, such as syrup and butter, the number of calories in the dish can increase drastically.The white flour commonly used in batter is high in starch and may lead to weight gain and possibly diabetes over time. Additionally, other harmful ingredients in food include refined carbohydrates, added sugar, inflammatory fats and vegetable oils, and trans fats.
Eat this instead:
Years ago I came across this delicious fat-burning pancake recipe and it’s stuck with me ever since. I personally just call them protein pancakes and I personally think they have more flavor than traditional pancakes you would eat at Ihop. Here is the recipe
#6: French Toast
Old-fashioned French toast is high in calories and unhealthy due to its ingredients of whole wheat bread.Fried in vegetable oil and topped with high-sugar syrup. It is often consumed with additional toppings like whipped cream, chocolate chips, Nutella, jelly, or jam. Making it even more calorie-dense. Eating just a few pieces of this type of French toast with toppings can already exceed your recommended daily calorie intake. It’s best to avoid it.
Eat this instead:
If you love French toast and want a healthier option, try substituting white or whole wheat bread with sprouted grain varieties like Ezekiel® or sourdough.
You can use either raw, organic maple syrup or sugar-free syrup as a substitute and make sure to use only small amounts.
To make this dish healthier and better for your blood sugar, use healthy oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, lard, or tallow for pan frying. This will help avoid fat storage.
#7: Doughnuts
I’m sure you already know this,that doughnuts are loaded with sugar, refined flour, and added fats. They are very high in calories and should generally be reserved for occasional indulgences rather than a regular part of your diet. For example, a typical glazed doughnut can contain over 300 calories. Doughnuts are a type of food that can be stored as fat in your body due to their high calorie and sugar content. If you decide to eat them, it’s best to do so in moderation or avoid them altogether.
Eat his instead:
My suggestion is to try incorporating one of the healthy alternatives that are provided in this email. Alternatively, if you love doughnuts, consider searching for healthy recipes that contain wholesome ingredients such as raw cacao, nuts, real fruit, almond flour, and coconut oil.