The Worst Breakfast Choices For Menopause, According To A Health Expert Over 50
1. Coffee On An Empty Stomach
Mornings can often feel rushed, leaving us with barely enough time to grab a cup of coffee. If you skip breakfast and only have coffee, it can result in uncomfortable consequences, Dee explains. "The reason why we don't want to drink black coffee on an empty stomach is because it's going to spike our cortisol levels really really high," she says.
She adds: "It's going to mess with your hormones and make you feel jittery, potentially, and cause all kinds of hormonal havoc as well as promote belly weight gain." She continues: "Why would you want to put on more belly weight gain?"
"During the menopause, our cortisol levels naturally go up," she goes on, and our body is naturally more stressed. "Throwing a cup of coffee on your system right away," she notes, is "not the thing to do."
2. Bagels
If "you grab a bagel on the go and you think you've done your job," Dee says that this is one of the "worst things that you can dump on your system."
First thing in the morning, "you are probably fasted and you've at least fasted for 8 hours or 12 hours." By "dumping carbohydrates on your body, you're going to be dumping a load of sugar in your system," she warns.
3. Sugary Cereal
Moreover, Dee points out that consuming sugary cereal can undermine the benefits of fasting the previous night.
It might give you a quick burst of energy, only to leave you feeling drained and lethargic shortly afterward.
Healthier Alternatives
Dee then shares "two better options for you to start your day" and "healthy alternatives for your breakfast." She also explains that she does "some intermittent fasting, and during my fast, I like to fast with a matcha MCT creamer."
She says that she creates a "beautiful warm latte," and that "the matcha itself is full of antioxidants." She further describes a matcha latte as an "amazing anti-inflammatory" drink, and notes that the "MCT creamer helps to keep me satisfied." It also "helps to build lean muscle mass and has some amazing collagen in it." She deems it to be a "win-win for me in the morning."
The Bottom Line
Next, she also notes that it's best to prioritize "good, healthy fats and protein" after fasting all night. "You can start with a smoothie that has some protein in it," she suggests.
She also points out that you can "put some good fats in there or you can start with some chia seed pudding." The more you know!