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The most popular breakfast food options are often times not the healthiest.
But even if you aren’t pouring yourself bowls of marshmallow cereal in the morning, one quick breakfast ingredient that you can eat on the run to save time isn’t doing you any favors if your goal is to cut calories and lose weight. And if you are noticing that your metabolism is slower than ever, possibly as a result of age and hormonal shifts, it may be worth your while to swap this breakfast item for a healthier one.
This is the one breakfast food no one over 50 should be eating anymore because it slows your metabolism in the morning.
Bagels
Bagels are delicious. And filling, especially in the short term. And there is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying the occasional bagel.
But if you are relying on bagels as an every morning breakfast food, you may be denying yourself the nutrients that you need to feel energized and ready to tackle your day — and that’s because, despite how popular they are as a breakfast food, bagels belong to a category of carbs called refined carbohydrates.
All refined carbs, including bagels, white bread, pasta, and even rice, have been processed to the point where important nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals have been removed. And many of these foods, including bagels, contain simple sugars that you can burn quickly, but that are stored as fat when they aren’t burned.
To boot: the lack of fiber in bagels means you’ll digest them fast and may experience a rush that will be replaced with hunger and cravings sooner than necessary.
And then there’s the calorie factor.
Your average bagel contains about 250 calories and 48 grams of carbs. If you treat yourself to a jumbo New York-style bagel, you may be consuming anywhere between 320 to 800 calories.
And that’s before you factor in any toppings you’ll add to your bagel, some of which (like jams and cream cheese) contain a lot of sugar or saturated fat.
Perhaps you can’t imagine starting your day without carbs and bread. You don’t have to sacrifice all carbs just for the sake of weight loss. Instead of eating a bagel every morning, try replacing yours with a whole grain or sprouted bread like Ezekiel bread. Swap out jelly and butter for nutrient-rich avocado and a source of protein like eggs or nut butter.
Simple changes like this can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the day.
