There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to things we should eat when we start our day. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
When we think of breakfast, we usually think of fresh orange juice, a ripe banana, or even some yogurt. Unfortunately, the food choices I just mentioned are all bad choices for breakfast.
They are all poor choices for breakfast because it is the first meal of the day. This means we’re eating these items on an empty stomach.
Although some of these items are clearly healthy for us, sometimes they aren’t so good for us when eaten on an empty stomach. Read on to find out why
Let’s start off with 20 foods we should avoid on an empty stomach!
1. Shortcrust and puff pastries
Foods containing yeast irritate the lining of the stomach and may cause flatulence. You don’t want to be farting all day at work, right?
Source:
Reference.com
2. Yogurt and other fermented milk products
If you eat yogurt on an empty stomach, then hydrochloric acid is formed in the stomach. This kills the lactic acid bacteria and causes harm to our bacterial system. Eating such products for breakfast has very little benefit for your body.
3. Pears
Crude fiber found in pears can injure delicate mucous membranes of an empty stomach.
4. Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain high levels of tannic acid that can increase acidity in the stomach. In severe cases, this can eventually lead to gastric ulcers.
5. Cucumbers and other green vegetables
Raw vegetables are rich sources of amino acids. However, they can cause heartburn, flatulence, and abdominal pain, especially when consumed on an empty stomach.
6. Bananas
If you eat bananas when your stomach is empty, this will lead to a sharp increase in the amount of magnesium in the blood. This may harm your heart.
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Flickr
7. Cold carbonated drinks
Drinking carbonated beverages in the morning can damage your mucous membranes and reduce the blood supply to the stomach. As a result, food digests more slowly. Make sure you have carbonated beverages at room temperature.
8. Spices
Spicy foods can cause damage and irritation to the gastric mucosa and increase acid production in your stomach. This contributes to many common disorders of the digestive system.
9. Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits are rich in fruit acids. When eaten on an empty stomach, they can cause heartburn and also increase the risk of gastritis and even gastric ulcers.
10. Sweets
Eating sugar boosts insulin levels, which in turn significantly increases the load on the pancreas that has just “woken up.” This may lead to diabetes.
Source:
Flickr
11. Aerated drinks
Just like carbonated drinks, you also should not indulge in aerated drinks like tonic water and juice. By drinking these on an empty stomach, you are just introducing carbonated acids to mix in with your stomach acids.
Source:
Lincoln Recycling & Garbage
12. Raw Veggies
You might want to snack on some vegetables when you’re hungry and haven’t eaten, but uncooked veggies are full of coarse fiber which puts too much work on an empty stomach.
Source:
Paleo Table
13. Coffee
This might be a diet trick you’ve done before, or you just need coffee to wake up in the AM, but it is bad for you to drink coffee with no food. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach leads to acidity, which stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the digestive system and that can cause gastritis in some people.
Source:
Anil Digital via Flickr
14. Alcoholic drinks
Now, if you’ve been fasting during the day for religious reasons or something else, your first beverage should not be an alcoholic drink. The alcohol will go straight to your bloodstream and that will broaden the blood cells. You will certainly make yourself sick in this situation and almost right away.
Source:
Beverage Daily
15. Pizza
It should go without saying that pizza isn’t great for you, but eating pizza on an empty stomach is especially bad. The grease and highly refined wheat flour will wreak havoc on your digestive system.
Source:
Jets Pizza
16. White bread
Toast is a popular staple for breakfast food, as well as a popular meal to eat after having a stomach bug. But toast made with white bread is bad, because white bread is packed with refined wheat, which has virtually no nutrients and can lead to rapid spikes in blood pressure.
Source:
Martha Stewart
17. Gluten-Free Foods
Gluten-Free is one of the newest trends due to gluten intolerance. However, many gluten-free products are high in sugar, unhealthy oils, and refined grains.
Source:
Healthline
18. Processed meat
If you like to fry up a ton of bacon and sausage in the morning, you’re going to want to rethink your food choices. People who eat processed meats have a high risk of diseases like colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The grease from these processed meats will also settle poorly in your empty stomach.
Source:
EEW
19. Cereal
You might think that cereal is a good way to start the day, but most breakfast cereals are loaded with sugar and have absolutely no nutrients.
Source:
Wikipedia
20. Canned soup
It is much easier to eat canned soup than make your own, but most pre-packaged soups are packed with sodium (around 1,000 mg per cup), which is terrible for your blood pressure and cholesterol.
Source:
Flickr
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1. Oatmeal
Here are 20 things that we should eat on an empty stomach. We’ll start with Oatmeal. It creates a protective coating around the lining of your stomach which prevents hydrochloric acid from causing damage to the stomach walls. Oatmeal contains soluble figure which is beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels in your body.
2. Buckwheat
Buckwheat gently stimulates the digestive system. It is also an excellent source of protein, iron, and vitamins.
3. Cornmeal porridge
It helps to remove toxins and heavy metals from your system, normalizes intestinal microflora, and gives you a feeling of satiety for a long time.
4. Wheat germ
2 tablespoons of wheat germ provides you with about 15% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin E and 10% of the recommended daily value for folic acid. It also helps keep your digestive system running smoothly.
Source:
More Than Just Dessert
5. Eggs
Researchers have found that eating eggs for breakfast can cut your daily calorie intake significantly.
6. Watermelon
Eating watermelon on an empty stomach provides you with a good amount of fluid. Moreover, it is good for the health of your eyes and heart because it is high in lycopene.
7. Blueberries
According to recent research, eating blueberries on a regular basis improves your memory, and regulates blood pressure and metabolism, especially if you eat them for breakfast.
8. Whole grain bread with no yeast.
Carbohydrates and other useful nutrients found in bread are necessary for your body. The best time to eat this product is early in the morning.
9. Nuts
Nuts, if eaten for breakfast, improve your digestive health and normalize the pH in your stomach.
10. Honey
Honey helps you awaken your body in the morning and provides strength and energy to your system. This product also boosts your brain activity and increases the level of the “feel-good” hormone, serotonin.
11. Raisins
Raisins (AKA dried grapes) have high concentrations of calcium, iron, and potassium. The natural sugars in grapes are a quick way to boost your energy first thing in the morning. Raisins can also neutralize the harmful acids in your stomach.
Source:
Nuts.com
12. Papaya
If you’re looking to eat something healthy and detox your body, you will want to eat papaya to cleanse. It ensures for an easy bowel movement will help lower bad cholesterol. Don’t immediately eat a full breakfast after snacking on papaya, wait 45 minutes.
Source:
Natural Food Series
13. Chia seeds
Chia seeds are one of the top healthy foods to eat because they are back with fiber, protein, antioxidants, Omega 3s, and calcium. They’re best eaten when soaked overnight, then they are able to expand in your stomach and keep you full for longer.
Source:
Dr. Weil
14. Cheese
Who needs an excuse to eat cheese? If you haven’t eaten a meal yet, snacking on a few slices or cubes of cheese is the perfect way to go. If you’re sensitive to dairy, you’ll want to get some low-sodium crackers to go with that cheese.
Source:
Jenna Eats World
15. Cauliflower
While most green veggies aren’t always best to eat on an empty stomach, broccoli’s cousin cauliflower is! Cooked cauliflower can help with keeping your stomach from being bubbly and causing unwanted gas.
Source:
Dr Axe
16. Carrots
Another safe-to-eat veggie when your stomach is empty is carrots. They are very easy to digest and they are an excellent source of vitamin A.
Source:
Old Farmer's Almanac
17. Soaked almonds
Now, you can eat plenty of nuts on an empty stomach, but soaked almonds are the best way to go. You can soak them in water overnight and eat a handful of almonds first thing to get a snack packed with essential nutrients.
Source:
Organic Facts
18. Dates
If you barely can get out of bed in the morning, dates will kick your butt into gear with a boost of energy. Dates are full of soluble fibers, these fibers are essential for good digestive health because they draw water into the digestive tract.
Source:
Natural Food Series
19. Apples
Apples are packed with vitamin B and vitamin C, as well as insoluble fibers. The fiber and water in an apple help up your stomach fast!
[/imgsrc]20. Vegetable Juice
If you’re not in the mood to chew first thing, you can opt for healthy veggies in the form of a smoothie for your first meal on an empty stomach.
Source:
This Savory Vegan
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