1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Nutrition

How to Ruin a Healthy Breakfast

By Shereen Jegtvig, About.com

Updated: February 13, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Strawberries

Add strawberries to your favorite whole grain cereal.

Photo © Alex L'Azzurro

4. You Avoid Whole Grains

Most of those sugary breakfast cereals and pastries are also made with processed flour so they are low in fiber. Whole grains provide fiber, which can keep your cholesterol levels healthy and keep your blood pressure down. Whole grain fiber also slows down digestion of the sugar you put on top of it. Choose whole grains and high fiber foods:
  • Eat whole grain, unsweetened hot or cold breakfast cereals.
  • Use 100 percent whole grain bread instead of white bread for your toast.
  • Make low fat oat bran muffins.

5. You Don't Eat Any Fresh Fruit or Vegetables

It is difficult to imagine a healthy diet that is not rich in fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are usually low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Experts recommend that we eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. No, that bowl of fruit-flavored cereal doesn't count as a fruit. Get started on your five to nine servings right away in the morning by getting fruits and vegetables into your breakfast:
  • Make an omelet with mushrooms, peppers and onions for breakfast.
  • Slice a grapefruit or orange in half and enjoy it next to a slice of whole grain toast with nut butter.
  • Add berries, raisins, or bananas to your whole grain cereal.

6. You Skip Breakfast Altogether

Skipping breakfast has been linked to higher rates of obesity and to poorer mental performance, yet many people think they will lose weight by skipping the most important meal of the day. Many studies show that kids of all ages need to eat breakfast to be able to learn well at school. Skipping breakfast is not a good strategy for losing weight, but choosing a quick healthy breakfast will help you to manage your weight and keep you thinking clearly throughout the morning. You can have a quick but healthy breakfast:
  • Keep ready-to-eat foods handy like hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and fresh fruit.
  • Make a fruit smoothie for breakfast.
  • Make your own breakfast cereal bars with healthy whole grain cereals.

Sources:

Knekt P, Jarvinen R, Dich J, Hakulinen T. "Risk of colorectal and other gastro-intestinal cancers after exposure to nitrate, nitrite and N-nitroso compounds: a follow-up study." Int J Cancer. 1999 Mar 15;80(6):852-6.

Lichtenstein AH, Kennedy E, Barrier P, Danford D, Ernst ND, Grundy SM, Leveille GA, Van Horn L, Williams CL. "Dietary fat consumption and health." Booth SL.Nutr Rev. 1998 May;56(5 Pt 2):S3-19; discussion S19-28.

Behall KM, Scholfield DJ, Hallfrisch J.J Am Diet Assoc. "Whole-grain diets reduce blood pressure in mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women." 2006 Sep;106(9):1445-9.

Stevenson EJ, Williams C, Mash LE, Phillips B, Nute ML. "Influence of high-carbohydrate mixed meals with different glycemic indexes on substrate utilization during subsequent exercise in women." Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Aug;84(2):354-60.

Ciok J, Dolna A. "Carbohydrates and mental performance--the role of glycemic index of food products." Pol Merkuriusz Lek. 2006 Mar;20(117):367-70.

Vander Wal JS, Marth JM, Khosla P, Jen KL, Dhurandhar NV. "Short-term effect of eggs on satiety in overweight and obese subjects." J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 Dec;24(6):510-5.

Blom WA, Lluch A, Stafleu A, Vinoy S, Holst JJ, Schaafsma G, Hendriks HF. "Effect of a high-protein breakfast on the postprandial ghrelin response." Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb;83(2):211-20.

Kleinman RE, Hall S, Green H, Korzec-Ramirez D, Patton K, Pagano ME, Murphy JM. "Diet, breakfast, and academic performance in children." Ann Nutr Metab. 2002;46 Suppl 1:24-30

Readers Respond: Top Fast and Easy Breakfast Ideas

Reader stories are not monitored by About.com's Medical Review Board.

Explore Nutrition
About.com Special Features

Learn how you can reduce your your numbers with these nutrition and exercise tips. More >

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Nutrition
  4. Healthy Eating
  5. Healthy Cooking
  6. Healthy Breakfast - How to Ruin Breakfast a Healthy Breakfast

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.