Breakfast: No wonder it's considered the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is your body's chance to break the overnight fast and give your brain its first source of energy for the day.
As a nutritional psychiatrist, I know first-hand that properly fuelling your body and brain with breakfast is the key to focus, clarity, and energy throughout the day.
Some breakfast options are great for brain health, and some aren't so great.
Here are the 7 worst breakfast foods for your brain:
1. “Detective” aka Donut and Coffee Combination
Donuts and coffee are simple, portable, and widely available, but they don’t provide a good foundation for sustained focus and mood throughout the day. Donuts are high in refined
carbohydrates and are often fried in inflammatory oils, which can lead to brain fog in the short term and memory loss in the long term. Add in one or more doses of caffeine and he will start his day with a severely biased nutritional profile.
2. Fruit Yogurt
I love fruits with a low glycemic index, such as B. Berries have the gut microbiome-supporting properties of whole milk Greek yogurt (or dairy-free alternatives) in addition to their dietary fiber and polyphenol benefits making it one of the healthy breakfast choices. Fruit-flavored yogurt is also a hidden source of carbohydrates disguised as a balanced breakfast.
Is Fruit Yogurt one of the healthy breakfast choices?
It’s important to check the nutritional information. So make sure your “healthy” breakfast yogurt doesn’t contain 6-8 teaspoons of sugar. I always recommend starting with unsweetened whole yogurt, adding your favorite chopped fruit, and garnishing with a dollop of cinnamon and honey.
3. Breakfast Burrito
Although breakfast burritos can be made with healthy ingredients, the wrap itself contains unnecessary simple carbohydrates and refined starches. For a brain-healthy burrito, go unwrapped and scramble free-range eggs with organic non-GMO tofu, fresh vegetables, black beans, and a dollop of spicy salsa.
4. Grain
Okay, okay, listen! Few breakfast foods are as easy to prepare as cereal (just add milk!), but the type of cereal you choose has an important impact on your cognitive function for the rest of the day.
Is Cereal one of the best options for stress management through diet?
When it comes to cereal, I love ones that are rich in whole grains, nuts, healthy fats, and fiber that nourishes the gut. However, commercially available cereals are often low in these nutrients, Missing out on the first brain-boosting nutrients of the day? Try making homemade granola or granola mix to control carbohydrates and increase your nutritional intake. You can find out which combination suits you for stress management through diet.
5. Loaded Coffee
Ah, coffee. For many people, including myself, drinking a good cup of coffee is a popular way to start the day. However, when we talk about coffee, we can mean several things: a cup of black coffee, a cappuccino with almond milk, or a sweet treat. “Loaded coffee” infused with artificial flavors, refined sugar, and dairy products is known to increase inflammation in the body and brain. Inflammation is associated with increased symptoms of mental illness and cognitive impairment.
6. Fruity Breakfast Bowl
Is a fruity breakfast bowl one of the stress-inducing breakfast foods?
Antioxidants are rich in fruit at breakfast, and a fruit-based breakfast bowl is often enough to feed an entire family. It is topped with novelties such as muesli, sweet coconut flakes, and honey and often contains a spoonful of refined sugar. Thereby it is not exactly one of the stress-inducing breakfast foods but one has to always check what suits them and maintain their diet accordingly.
7. Pure Fruit Smoothie
I often recommend smoothies as an easy and portable way to get a lot of protein and phytonutrients, but there are also plenty of smoothies disguised as really sweet milkshakes. In particular, fruit-based smoothies (often bananas and mangoes have a high glycemic index) sherbet and fruit-flavored yogurt contain large amounts of sugar.
Without the fat and protein to blunt the blood sugar-boosting effect, these smoothies can give you a burst of energy that can leave you feeling unwell after just a few hours, causing fatigue, anxiety, and irritability.
What you eat and drink can help reduce stress and anxiety. Foods that may immediately reduce anxiety include avocados, eggs, and oranges. Various antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins can help reduce anxiety symptoms. For example, vitamin C is an antioxidant found in oranges that helps reduce stress.
You may want to avoid or limit foods and drinks that can make stress and anxiety worse, such as those high in sugar or fat. If you have difficulty managing your symptoms at home, consider seeing a mental health professional who can provide counseling and treatment options.
Anxiety causes intense fear and panic and affects approximately 19% of people in the United States each year. Learn how diet affects anxiety and which foods can instantly reduce anxiety when part of a balanced diet.
