Diet plays one of the most important roles in our overall health. The nutrients we provide our bodies with are essential when it comes to all areas of wellness, from our weight to our heart to our energy levels, and even to the health of our skin and hair.
Eating nutritious, balanced meals is an integral part of staying healthy. That means not only eating foods that are good for you, but also cutting out the things that can put your body at risk. To learn more about the worst unhealthy foods to steer clear of, we spoke to experts Dana Hunnes, PhD, dietitian and author of Recipe For Survival, and nutritional therapist Varsha Khatri of Illuminated Health. Both Hunnes and Khatri pointed out one high-carb food that’s terrible for your overall health: sugary breakfast cereal.
Sugary cereal
Some days you wake up in the morning and can't be bothered (or simply don't have the time) to cook yourself a big, nutritious breakfast. In these cases, you might prioritize convenience by reaching for a box of your favorite cereal. But this is one high-carb, high-sugar, highly processed food that experts warn you should stay away from if you care about your health.
Hunnes says highly processed cereals like corn flakes are a no-go, especially if you want to cut back on carbs and sugar. Although convenient, this breakfast food has very low nutritional value. Cereal usually contains very little fiber or protein. "Your body has to do little work to digest and absorb these types of foods," Hunnes says. "It barely burns any calories to utilize these foods." This can be bad for your metabolism.
Not only does cereal lack nutritional value, but it also contains way more sugar than your body needs, which is a terrible way to start your day. Regularly eating sugary cereal can lead to issues like inflammation, weight gain, and more. "Cereals are one of the most high-sugar foods," Khatri warns. "Even cereals that are supposedly 'low-sugar' are in fact high in added sweeteners."
Khatri says this can lead to a spike in your blood sugar and insulin levels. "When you start your day with anything that is high in sugar/sweetener, you are more likely to crave sugar or other sweet foods through the day. Which means you are more likely to snack just to maintain blood sugar levels," she explains.
Okay, okay, we're convinced—we'll leave the Cinnamon Toast Crunch on the grocery shelf next time. But what are some similar alternatives for when you're crunched for time in the morning? Khatri suggests making your own granola. Cool!
If you're not feeling so crafty, though, you can find healthy granola at the grocery store. "Buy granola/muesli that has no added sugars or sweeteners," Khatri recommends.
Hunnes has similar suggestions. She recommends going with oatmeal and topping it with berries, flax, chia, and walnuts. "This has a lot of healthy fiber, omega-3 fats, and protein from the various seeds," she explains, adding that this meal "requires your body to do a fair amount of work to digest and absorb and helps keep the metabolism higher." Sounds great to us! We'll be switching from sugary cereal to granola or oatmeal ASAP.
