Should I Eat That?
Rise and shine, it’s breakfast time! Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day but many Americans are eating the wrong things. Marketers have fooled us for a long time, claiming highly processed foods like cereal and fruity drinks are nutritious breakfasts. Sorry to bring the bad news but we’re here to highlight what products shouldn’t be eaten in the morning–– or eaten at all.
1. Sugary Cereal
If you want to start your day with a sugar high then by all means eat a bowl of Fruit Loops! Unfortunately, all those fun-flavored cereals with exciting boxes and cartoon characters are some of the worst breakfast foods. Most children’s cereal is highly processed, full of sugar, and empty carbs.
2. Pop-Tarts
The fact that Pop-Tarts are considered breakfast in the first place is a sad joke with some impressive marketing. A Pop-Tart is a highly processed pastry made with preservatives that give it a lengthy shelf life. The colorful icing and sprinkles on top should be the warning flag you need to prove it’s an unhealthy dessert and not a breakfast food.
3. Frozen Waffles
Don’t let the convenience of frozen waffles entice you to make a bad decision. They’re quick to make but they’re also quick to make you feel hungry again in an hour. Store-bought waffles won’t fill you up because they’re made of white flour and sugar with little fiber. You’re not doing yourself a favor when you add more sugar with syrup.
4. Packaged Muffins
Packaged muffins are created with all kinds of junk. In order to preserve their freshness and crispy tops, packaged muffins are loaded with preservatives. They’re high in fat, and sugar, and low in nutritional benefits. Don’t let the fruit fool you–– muffins are bad for your health.
5. Concentrated Juice
We think we’re boosting our vitamin C and hitting our fruit intake goals when we have a glass of juice. This is not the case if you’re drinking juice you bought off the shelf. Most concentrated juices are stripped of their nutrients during the processing and lots of them have added sugar.
6. Pastries
Pastries like cinnamon buns and croissants are just pure sugar and butter. If a pastry is your breakfast you can expect an energy crash within an hour or two. There are zero health benefits in most grocery store pastries, you’re actually harming your body by eating them.
7. Flavored Yogurt
Flavored yogurt means sugar. We are often misled by yogurt, believing it’s a healthy breakfast or snack food. Natural plain yogurt may be the only healthy yogurt product you’ll find, the rest are full of sugar or artificial flavors.
8. Processed Smoothies
We are tricked once again by our fruit beliefs and clever marketers. We’re not talking about smoothies you make at home with real fruit and other natural ingredients, we’re talking about pre-made bottled smoothies. They’re basically blended sugar drinks made from concentrated juices.
9. Granola Bars
Most of us don’t realize that most granola bars are just as bad for us as candy bars. They’re an easy breakfast on the go but they’re heavily processed and extremely high in sugar. They might be small but their ingredient list is long and unhealthy.
10. Frozen Hash Browns
Frozen hash browns take away all the nutrients out of potatoes. They’re greasy from the unhealthy oil they’re injected with and add no value to your health. Just like many frozen meals, hashbrowns are heavily processed and contain unnatural ingredients.
11. Granola
We often think we’re treating our bodies like temples when we top of fruity yogurt with crunchy granola. Unfortunately, most packaged granola is chock-full of sugar and empty calories. Even the boxes in the health food section contain a high amount of refined sugar. If you’re going to eat granola, you have to make it yourself.
12. White Toast & Jam
White bread is the worst of all the breads you can buy. It lacks nutrition and any healthy ingredients. When you slather butter and processed jam on top, you might as well eat a pastry. This combination is a high-sugar empty carbohydrate that shouldn’t be your breakfast.
13. Bacon & Breakfast Sausages
Most bacon and breakfast sausages from the grocery store are heavily processed meats. They’re high in saturated fats and pumped with salt. Bacon and sausages are guaranteed to spike your cholesterol.
14. Toaster Pancakes
A stack of pancakes is a tower of temptation and the toaster versions don’t help. The pre-made frozen pancakes are quick to make and quick to clog your arteries. Like waffles, they lack nutritious ingredients and won’t fill you up.
15. Donuts
Donuts should never be considered breakfast! What is there about deep-fried dough and icing that screams a meal? It might taste delicious but a donut is an unhealthy start to your day that will give you a short sugar rush and a dreadful crash.
16. Instant Oatmeal
Instant oatmeal is another breakfast product that tricks us into thinking we’re healthy when we eat it. Natural oats are healthy for you but as soon as they’re mixed with artificial flavors and refined sugar their health benefits are canceled out.
17. Blended Coffee Drinks
Are you sick of us mentioning sugar? Sorry to mention it again but blended coffee drinks from the supermarket are full of sugar. Pre-made coffee beverages took a little bit of filtered coffee and added a heavy dose of refined sugar and dairy. Don’t drink your health away with this caffeinated nonsense.
18. Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches
Any pre-assembled meals that come from the freezer are red flags–– breakfast sandwiches included. These sandwiches are created with processed ingredients from the white bread to the plastic-like cheese. You already know how we feel about processed bacon and sausages–– don’t eat them.
19. Bagel & Cream Cheese
This New York breakfast staple should not be your breakfast go-to. It’s an empty carb trap with a fatty cream filling. Many store-bought bagels are made with unnecessary ingredients and white flour that add no value to your health. Cream cheese is a heavily processed spread with unhealthy fat.
20. Boxed Scones
Don’t think of yourself as royal and proper because you’re munching on a scone and sipping tea with your pinky up. Boxed scones have a healthy dose of preservatives that are unhealthy for your body. Like all sugary pastries, scones shouldn’t be the breakfast you start your morning with.
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