Sweet or Savory: Which Is a Healthier Breakfast Option?
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In my pursuit to lead a healthier lifestyle and adopt a more nutritious diet, my search history and browser cookies have been filled with health-maniac content. From scientific articles to Facebook reels and YouTube videos of random self-proclaimed nutritionists and health gurus preaching about the best way to go. High-intensity exercise tutorials, trying out celebrities’ diets for 24/7 vlogs, podcasts of physicians and gym coaches enlisting dos and don’ts, etc., it was no surprise that I found myself getting looped into an endless discussion about breakfasts.
Breakfasts are considered by many, including myself, to be the most important meal. It does not just get me fueled up for the day, but a good hearty breakfast is something I look forward to the night before. Naturally, the ongoing breakfast saga includes endless comparisons about which country or culture has the best meal. Of course, the term “best meal” is quite ambiguous; it can refer to a healthy nutritious, or simply a delicious breakfast.
Generally, there are two kinds of breakfasts out there: sweet and savory. When you think of a sweet breakfast, a typical American or European breakfast would come to mind with fruits rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers. However, less healthy and more processed sweet breakfast menu items such as pastries, cereals, or pancakes with syrup are associated with causing a spike in blood sugar levels, poor metabolic health, and appetite dysregulation. When you consume sugar-filled foods first thing in the morning, your blood sugar levels increase rapidly leading you to feel irritable and hungry once insulin takes effect.
On the other hand, a savory breakfast is usually made up of eggs, lean meats, and vegetables. It was found that a savory breakfast that does not spike blood sugar levels can also boost energy and concentration levels. Although a savory breakfast is seen as a healthy alternative, especially if put into comparison against its sweet alternative, a too-rich savory meal can be high in sodium and unhealthy fats, in the case of processed meats or high-fat cheese.
That is why balance is the key when attempting to lead a healthy and nutritious diet. With each category posing its long list of pros and cons, it is quite evident that no certain breakfast option is considered better. However, how you choose to have your first significant meal of the day can be tweaked further.
If you see yourself having a sweet tooth often, it might be worth incorporating balancing nutrients, such as oatmeal with fresh fruits, Greek yogurt with honey and berries, or whole grain toast with nut butter and banana slices. For savory breakfast lovers who want to stay lightweight throughout the day, they might need to choose whole-grain toast with avocado and a poached egg, a veggie omelet, etc.
Remember you do not need to starve yourself or omit certain favorite foods, you just need to learn to choose wiser and better.
References
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
healthline.com
womenshealthmag.com
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