• Tweet
• Share
• Email
• Print

What’s worse than skipping breakfast? Eating the wrong breakfast! We know eating breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, but what happens if you eat the wrong breakfast? There isn’t one good breakfast that everyone should eat, but breakfast should include a good source of protein and fiber to nourish the body and provide satiety, plus antioxidants to help protect all cells and tissues. Protein sources include eggs, cheese, yogurt, kefir, milk, meat, nuts, seeds and nut butters. Fiber is found in fruits & vegetables, whole grains like oats & quinoa, legumes, nuts & seeds. Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Let’s review the graphic: Breakfast requirements Protein = 7 or more grams Fiber = 5 or more grams Sugar = 5 or less grams Here are some examples of what are considered bad breakfast choices. Foods that don’t provide important nutrients like protein, fiber, antioxidants, or foods that make you hungry shortly after you eat them. Also bad are foods that cause damage to cells. These include soft drinks, juice drinks, breakfast pastries and high sugar cereals. Here's why they're bad for you. Soft drinks have about 250 calories, and no protein, fiber or antioxidants. They contain high fructose corn syrup, which increases hunger, obesity and diabetes risk and phosphoric acid which increases calcium loss. A fruit drink has 180 calories, no protein, fiber, low antioxidants and high fructose corn syrup, which may take away initial hunger, but actually increases hunger mid-morning. A fruit smoothie has 248 calories, 2g protein, 1g fiber, 54g sugar and provides antioxidants but no satiety. Here's why breakfast pastries are bad choices. Poptarts have 210 calories, 5g fat, (hydrogenated cottonseed oil), 2g protein, less than 1g fiber, 20g sugar, contains high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors and no antioxidants. They have very little nutritional value, and will raise hunger mid-morning. A donut is 210 calories, 8g fat, 4g trans fat, 3g protein, 1g fiber, 14g sugar and no antioxidants. Donuts have little nutritional value and may cause cell damage. Granola bars are about 90 calories, 1g protein, (partially hydrogenated oil) 1g fiber, 7g sugar, high fructose corn syrup and no antioxidants. While some cereals and yogurt are healthy, not all of them are. You have to read the label before you eat. Fruit Loops have 120 calories, 1g protein, 1g fiber, 15g sugar, hydrogenated oil, few nutrients and artificial colors and flavors. Fruit Loops have no satiety and will cause cell damage. Go-Gurt has 80 calories, 2g protein, 2g fat, 0 fiber, 11g sugar, high fructose corn syrup, no antioxidants and artificial colors and flavors.