20 Sweet Breakfast Foods That Shouldn't Be Eaten In The Morning
Put Down That Muffin Until Lunch
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but not if you eat sugary cereals or a stack of pancakes every morning. You need a balanced breakfast that will give you the energy to get through the day and avoid a sugar crash before you even start work. Here are 20 sweet breakfast foods that shouldn't be eaten in the morning.
1. Pancakes with Syrup
Pancakes are a great comfort food, but that doesn't qualify them as a smart breakfast choice. Most pancake batter has refined flour and sugar, and then you cover them in sugary syrup. This combo will spike your blood sugar, and you'll be tired and hungry again long before lunch.
2. Waffles
Similar to pancakes, waffles are typically made with sugar and refined flour and then topped with sweet and unhealthy items like syrup, whipped cream, or a chocolate spread. They offer very little nutritional value and can fill you with carbs. A waffle breakfast will have you crashing within a few hours.
3. Donuts
You know that donuts are not a great breakfast item, right? They're deep-fried, contain a lot of sugar, and are typically topped with a glaze. You will flood your body with empty calories, sugar, and saturated fat as soon as you wake up. The frying process alone adds an unhealthy element to donuts, and it won't take long for your sugar rush to turn into fatigue.
4. Cinnamon Rolls
A cinnamon roll is basically a cinnamon-forward donut. They're gooey and smell amazing, but they contain too much sugar and refined flour to make them an appropriate breakfast food. Replacing a cinnamon roll with a grapefruit won't be satisfying, but you'll feel much better about it.
5. Sweetened Cereals
Most cereals marketed for breakfast really shouldn't be eaten first thing in the morning. Even ones with whole grains are still packed with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. Cereal's morning appeal is that it's quick and easy, but you're better off slowing down and avoiding feeling jittery and unfocused all morning, and then hungry again hours before lunch.
6. Pop-Tarts
Pop-Tarts are pastries filled with sugar and topped with more sugar. They won't contribute to your daily fiber and protein intake. A single serving may contain as much sugar as soda, and you would never have a can of soda for breakfast. Think about it.
7. Muffins
In some ways, a muffin is just cake in a different shape. It lacks protein and fiber, and is filled with refined flour and oils. Muffins are closer to a dessert than a breakfast food. Muffin junkies should avoid eating one in the morning, and instead save this indulgence for their midday snack.
8. Croissants
A buttery, flaky croissant is a delicious way to start the day. To make matters worse, they pair beautifully with a cup of coffee. Sadly, croissants are loaded with carbs and fat, and shouldn't be consumed before noon. They don't offer any nutritional value and can negatively affect heart health.
9. Danish Pastries
Danish pastries are made with refined flour, sugary fillings, and butter. That may sound delicious, but they are calorie-dense and high in sugar. Even one can make you feel tired when the goal is to feel energetic and ready to tackle the day.
10. Toaster Strudels
Toaster strudels are pitched to consumers as a fun and exciting breakfast, but they are simply pastries filled and topped with sugar. They have everything you don't want in a breakfast food: sugar, carbs, and unhealthy fats. Furthermore, they offer no nutritional value.
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11. Chocolate Chip Bagels
A bagel isn't a great breakfast food, and it's only made worse when you add chocolate chips into the mix. Chocolate increases the sugar content of a bagel, and spreading cream cheese on top basically makes it a dessert.
12. Pastry Turnovers
The addition of fruit might make a turnover seem like a healthy alternative to a sugary cereal, but it's not that much different. The fruit is usually preserved in syrup and sugar, and combined with the pastry dough, makes turnovers a food that's high in calories and sugar.
13. Instant Oatmeal
Sure, oats are healthy, but instant packs of oatmeal contain way too much sugar and artificial flavors to offer any semblance of nutrition. It also won't keep you full for long.
14. Sweetened Yogurt Parfaits
You can be tricked into thinking that parfaits are a healthy and balanced breakfast, but most are made with sweetened yogurt, sugary granola, and syrup.
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15. Coffee Cake
Coffee cake somehow wormed its way into being a breakfast food when it's really more of a dessert you should serve to guests. It's sugary, dense, and topped with streusel. It also lacks protein and fiber, so it won't help you feel awake and energetic.
16. Crepes with Nutella
Nutella should be kept far away from the breakfast table. Crepes are a fancy and thin version of a pancake, and while they are light, they still contain all the unhealthy elements found in pancakes.
17. Fruit Pies
A slice of blueberry or cherry pie might not feel like the same thing as enjoying a Pop-Tart for breakfast, but both should never be consumed in the morning. Fruit pies have too much sugar, butter, and refined ingredients to make them anything close to a healthy breakfast.
18. Sugary Protein Bars
Some protein bars are appropriate to eat at breakfast, but many are closer to candy bars than a healthy bowl of unsweetened granola. The unhealthy brands are high in sugar and are made with processed ingredients.
19. Banana Bread
Homemade banana bread can be a good choice for breakfast, but most store-bought versions are too sugary to even consider eating in the morning.
20. Sugary Smoothies
A fruit-based smoothie with some vegetables added can make for a great start to the day. Store-bought smoothies often have fruit syrups and other preservatives and additives. They should be left on the grocery store shelf.
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