Worst foods you should NEVER EAT for breakfast

You know that eating breakfast is very important. Eating a healthy breakfast every morning can reduce the risk for diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Here you will get the scoop on which breakfast foods to avoid.

Bacon, ham and sausage

Processed meat has nitrates that are associated with colorectal cancer. In fact, the Institute for Cancer Research published a list of the top ten things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer. Avoiding nitrates is a number one of them. What does that mean for morning meat eaters? It is time to find a different breakfast option..

Packaged pancakes with artificial maple syrup

While natural maple syrup is a healthy sweetener, there are many artificial types of syrup on the market that are full of high fructose corn syrup. The sweetener, which is derived from corn, is also present in most processed and packaged foods. High fructose corn syrup can lead to more abdominal obesity and visceral fat, which is stored between the organs. This is the fat that leads to cancer. A recent study in one journal also linked high fructose corn syrup consumption to diabetes.

Supermarket Boxed sugary Cereals

Fruit Loops, Cocoa Puffs, Honey Nut Cheerios, you’re familiar with the store-bought cereals that are meant to appeal to the sweet teeth of big and little kids as they wander the grocery aisles. Most of these processed cereals are jam-packed with sugar and will only lead to an energy crash sometime after 10:30am. Plus, the recommended serving size of ¼ cup will never satiate your appetite. You’re bound to consume double or triple the amount of empty calories and sugar in your bowl.

Smoothies 

Do you ever wonder why breakfast smoothies are so sweet? Well, because they are full of refined sugar—that’s why. Most store-bought varieties contain full fat milk, or worse, cream or (gasp) ice cream, so it’s really more of a dessert shake than a breakfast beverage. Instead of buying your smoothie at the local café, blend a healthy version up at home using Greek yogurt, unsweetened almond or skim milk, fresh fruit and a handful of mixed greens (i.e., like baby spinach).

Donuts

Regardless of if your favorite breakfast donut is jam-filled, sugar-coated, or honey-glazed, they are full of fat and sugar, and will hardly satisfy anything but your morning sweet tooth…and an eventual trip to the dentist. Especially considering an average old cake donut contains about 6 grams of fat and 250 calories. While the average apple fritter or cream-filled goodie contains at least 9 grams of fat and over 300 calories—and one is hardly enough to get your through until lunch. Do yourself and your waistline a favor and opt for a whole wheat bagel that you toast at home.

Granola's 

Sure, it looks like a health mixture of honey, brown sugar, oats, and dried fruit, but think again. Most store-bought boxes of granola contain up to 10 grams of fat and 400 calories per serving, which outweighs a glazed donut. Many boxed granola's contain a whole whack of hidden sugar, unless you’re reading labels and consciously buying an organic or natural variety made with simple sugars, or making your own at home. Otherwise, you’re basically eating dessert for breakfast!

Take-Away Breakfast Sandwich

Sure, it has the makings of a balanced breakfast—with egg, meat, cheese, and toast—but when you really break down that breakfast sandwich or croissant, you’re getting a greasy fried egg, processed ham or bacon, full fat cheese, butter, and a biscuit with no fiber whatsoever. Instead, make one at home using a poached egg, low fat cheese, and two slices of dark rye toast, no butter!

Burritos 

Microwavable, munch-while-you-drive appropriate breakfast burritos sure do seem convenient. However, most contain an entire day’s worth of saturated fat regardless of the fact that you need more than one to satisfy your breakfast hunger. Did you really think there was any nutritional value to that massive tortilla stuffed with half a processed pig, full fat processed cheese, fatty egg substitute, and, yuck, hash browns?