Breakfast is the first and important meal of the day. Skipping it is harmful. But what you eat at breakfast also matters a lot. There is this breakfast mistake that could lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. Hence one should avoid it. Which is this mistake?
Breakfast- the important meal of the day
Most people eat three major meals in the day with maybe a snack in between. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all three are vital for overall health. Breakfast is the first meal of the day. It comes after the overnight fasting. And it gives us energy for the day.
But there are a significant number of people who skip breakfast and go directly to lunch. Some might have only coffee in the morning with no solid foods. This is equivalent to skipping breakfast. It might be due to busy schedules, less money or part of intermittent fasting diet. But this practice is unhealthy.
Refined vs complex carbs (Source: Sprint Medical)Read here:Â Skipping Breakfast: unhealthy and harmful for the body muscle mass
It could lead to wrong and unhealthy choices at other meals of the day. And it also makes one overeat at lunch. The net result is more calories and weight gain. Health might also suffer.
Even if you have breakfast, what you have at breakfast time is equally important. There is one breakfast mistake that one should avoid for health reasons.
Breakfast mistake to avoid
Whenever we think of breakfast, what comes to our mind is pastries, cakes, waffles, pancakes, and the like. All these are made from refined carbs. Dr. David Seitz from New York, the USA says:
“There are so many common and popular breakfast foods that are made up of refined carbs, like white toast, sugary cereals, croissants, and bagels,”
Mechanism of insulin resistance (Source: Pinterest)These cause high blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance. Further, David explains:
“There are two types of carbohydrates—refined and unrefined,”
“Refined carbohydrates have been processed, meaning the grains or sugars have been stripped of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. This means you’ll be getting little to no nutritional benefit from eating refined carbs.”
These foods lack nutrients and cause blood sugar derangement. They have high glycemic index and give a quick energy boost. They are also convenient and easy to prepare. But the initial energy boost is followed by a crash and fatigue. The body digests the food quickly. Hence the ensuing blood sugar is also higher due to fast absorption.
Healthy breakfast options
After eliminating these breakfast items from your breakfast menu, you might wonder what to eat instead. But there are a lot of tasty and nutritious breakfast food options available. Dr. David’s suggestion is:
“If you’re looking for breakfast foods that won’t cause blood sugar spikes, try to stick to whole grains and protein-rich options instead,“
Oatmeal with fruits and nuts (Source: Eat this not that)He exemplifies:
“Try oatmeal with nuts or seeds, scrambled eggs with vegetables, or plain Greek yogurt with berries and chia seeds. Balanced, nutrient-dense breakfast foods like these will keep your blood sugar levels steady and provide you with the energy and nutrients you need to start your day,”