If your mornings are busy, it can be difficult to find the time to choose a healthy breakfast. However, it’s important to note that the food you put in your body first thing in the morning can not only make a major difference in how you feel throughout the day, but can also make or break your overall health over time. In fact, eating a nutritious breakfast is especially important if you’re trying to slim down or keep your digestive health on track. And while there are plenty of nutritious foods you can add to your breakfast rotation to thrive in these areas, it’s also important to know which foods to avoid. Luckily, we’re here to help with some expert advice.
To discover some of the worst breakfast foods you should limit your intake of as much as possible if you want to keep your gut healthy and your waistline slim, we spoke to nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet. She told us that sugary pastries like donuts and other baked goods are some of the worst culprits of poor digestion and slow metabolism. Find all of her expert insight on the matter below.
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Pastries like donuts and baked goods
When it comes to the worst breakfast foods for your overall health—especially when it in terms of digestive health and weight loss—Richards says pastries such as donuts and baked goods are somewhere at the top of the list.
We know this hurts to hear. After all, there's nothing like starting a Sunday morning with a sweet pastry and a coffee. However, if you eat these sugar-laden foods on a regular basis, you could be setting yourself up for poor digestion, a slowed metabolism, and weight gain. That's mainly because, as Richards, notes, "they are made with refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and oils, all of which can spike blood sugar." Yikes!
Health effects of sugar in pastries
Limiting your sugar intake and keeping your blood sugar regulated is essential if you want to lose weight. Richards explains that the blood sugar spikes caused by breakfast pastries "will trigger an insulin release and if high over time can lead to insulin resistance and weight gain." But it isn't just weight gain that an excess of sugar can lead to. Sugar is highly inflammatory, and eating too much of it could cause an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. This may result in a range of digestive issues, like gas, bloating, diarrhea, and more.
Other issues with sugary pastries
Then there's the issue of the other ingredients and the calorie content. "The added oils make them high in calories as well and low in nutrients, which leads to an over consumption of calories and ultimately weight gain," Richards goes on.
Additionally, these highly processed foods take very little energy for your body to process due to the fact that they contain little to no nutrients. Over time, this could negatively impact your metabolism. Plus, on the short term, it may lead to overeating—which can definitely thwart your weight loss goals. "The rapid nature of the digestion of pastries leaves the individual hungry shortly after and ultimately eating again soon after," Richards warns.
Overall, it's best to avoid high-sugar baked goods like pastries, donuts, muffins, and more—not only for your waistline, but also for your overall health. Instead, try appeasing your sweet tooth with a yogurt parfait, or oatmeal topped with natural sweeteners and fruit. Not only will eating these nutritious breakfasts help you lose weight faster when compared to processed foods, but you'll also feel more energized and satiated throughout the day. It's a win-win!
