It’s hard to overestimate the importance of eating breakfast. Studies show that people who take time for a morning meal consume fewer calories over the course of the day, have stronger cognitive skills, and are 30 percent less likely to be overweight or obese. Beyond that, people who skip breakfast are more likely to drink alcohol and smoke, and they’re less likely to exercise.But just because breakfast is the most important meal of the day doesn’t grant you permission to go into a feeding frenzy. But that’s exactly what many of the country’s most popular breakfast joints are setting you up for, by peddling fatty scrambles, misguided muffins, and pancakes that look like manhole covers.
These foods are loaded with unhealthy fats, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates, which catapult your blood sugar, sap your energy levels, and tell your body to store fat.To help you avoid the morning mishaps, I searched out the good, the bad, and the greasy, and uncovered some of the worst breakfast foods in North America. I Have presented a sampling of the worst offenders below and some of the best.
Worst Side Dish
Burger King Hash Browns (large)
620 calories
40 g fat (11 g saturated; 13 g trans)
1,200 mg sodium
60 g carbs
Yes, you’re ingesting more than a meal’s worth of calories from a side dish, but the real cause for concern here is that these little potato cakes pack seven times more trans fats than you’re supposed to eat all day! Until BK learns to cut out the partially hydrogenated oils, avoid encounters with potatoes of any kind at that fatty food joint.
Worst Pastry
Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll
813 calories
32 g fat (5 g trans fat)
117 g carbs
You wouldn’t start your day with three brownies, would you? As far as your body knows, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing if you wake up with this cinnamon-swirled disaster area. In fact, because Cinnabon offers no healthy alternatives, you’ll have to invite friends (or enemies?) to share the risky roll, or steer clear of Cinnabon altogether.
Worst Combo Meal
McDonald’s Deluxe Breakfast
1,360 calories
64 g fat (22 g saturated)
2,325 mg sodium
160 g carbs
49 g sugars
With four vehicles for refined carbohydrates (biscuit, hash browns, hotcakes, syrup), this “deluxe” disaster will send your blood sugar soaring. Why blow nearly an entire day’s calories under the arches, when a perfectly satisfying Egg McMuffin will save you more than 1,000 calories?
Eat This Instead!
McDonald’s Egg McMuffin with coffee
310 calories
12 g fat (5 g saturated)
820 mg sodium
30 g carbs
3 g sugars
Worst Omelet
IHOP Big Steak Omelet
1,490 calories
(No additional nutrition information available)
IHOP doesn’t provide nutritional information aside from calorie counts, but with a boatload of steak, a bucket of cheese, and handfuls of hash browns, this omelet’s fat and sodium numbers are surely just as appalling.
Eat This Instead!
IHOP For Me Garden Scramble
440 calories
Q: I know eating breakfast is important for weight loss, but what should I have? Whole grains or protein? —Sandra McPhail (Calgary)
A: The perfect breakfast has three parts: produce, whole grains and protein! This morning trio helps with weight loss by helping us feel full and fight cravings. I consider a healthy breakfast a "prevention" meal, because it prevents you from overeating and over-snacking throughout the entire day. Although we know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, according to a 2007 survey conducted by the International Food Information Council, only half of us eat breakfast every day.
Research on breakfast shows that cooked cereal, such as oatmeal, might actually be your most filling choice. If you choose to go the hot cereal route, a packet of plain instant oatmeal is as healthy as the long-cooking stuff and has only 100 calories per packet and 3 grams of fiber. Add a few tablespoons of chopped nuts for protein and some fresh fruit. Two of my favorite oatmeal toppings are chopped almonds and blueberries. If the plain oatmeal isn't sweet enough for you, drizzle on 1 teaspoon of honey or pure maple syrup.
And if you're just not feeling the cereal vibe, here are some additional breakfast suggestions that contain the three diet-friendly ingredients:
• Top 2 pieces whole-grain toast with 4 ounces low-fat cottage cheese and 1 sliced peach.
• Top 1 whole-grain English muffin with 2 eggs scrambled with 1 cup chopped vegetables.
• Top 1 whole-grain waffle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 1 small sliced apple.
As Dr Laura would say "Now go take on the day"
