"What Are the 4 Unhealthy Breakfast Choices, Including One Favored by Women?"
Although many working individuals, particularly females, adopt the habit of skipping breakfast in pursuit of weight loss, it is imperative to underscore the significance of breakfast for everyone. Breakfast furnishes the body with the most crucial nutrients of the day, thus rendering it indispensable. However, does every breakfast option cater to office workers' needs? Absolutely not. Some breakfast choices, when consumed improperly, can inflict considerable harm on one's health. Here are four breakfast options to avoid during workdays:
1. Cold Fruit and Vegetable Juices
Numerous females prefer sipping vegetable juices in the morning. While these provide direct nourishment from fruits and vegetables, aiding in waste elimination, a crucial aspect is often overlooked: the body thrives in a warm environment. Proper microcirculation, essential for the smooth transportation of oxygen, nutrients, and waste, is optimized when the body is warm. Therefore, avoid consuming chilled vegetable juices, iced coffee, iced fruit juices, iced black tea, chilled mung bean soup, or iced milk during breakfast. Initially, one might not feel any ill effects, but in the long run, it can lead to a weakened constitution.
2. Spicy Foods
For similar reasons, the stomach in the morning should be spared from irritation. Spicy foods undoubtedly harm the stomach, rendering them a strict no-no for breakfast.
3. Unheated Leftovers
It's common to see individuals grabbing leftovers from the previous night's meal for breakfast. This is detrimental as overnight storage of food leads to microbial changes, fostering harmful bacteria that can easily lead to oral issues.
4. Cold Processed Meats and Dishes
This aligns with the aforementioned point. Ninety percent of processed meats should be heated before consumption to prevent bacterial growth. Moreover, opt for homemade processed meats whenever possible, as even market-bought ones, though tasty, might not guarantee freshness.
Breakfast Considerations
1. Prioritize Cereals
An ideal breakfast comprises three components: cereal-based foods (e.g., wholemeal bread, eight-treasure porridge, black rice bread, steamed bun, fennel bun), fruits, and dairy products, preferably low-fat milk. Such a breakfast offers a trifecta of benefits: ample carbohydrates, low fat content, and rich vitamins and minerals.
2. Mindful of Vitamin and Folate Intake
Breakfasts for women aged 25-40 should fulfill at least 50% of their daily vitamin and folate requirements, particularly vitamins C and iron. Many women fail to obtain adequate iron and folate from their diet; hence, supplementation through lunch and dinner is advisable. Meat, organ meats, millet, and fennel can meet daily iron needs (10-18mg). Vitamin B can be sourced from lean meat, fish, liver, wholemeal bread, potatoes, and peanuts.
3. Nourishing Soups for Specific Needs
- Cordyceps and Old Turtle Soup: Ideal for insomniacs and those with dull skin, it enhances spleen function, soothes the nerves, and brightens skin.
- Cordyceps and Duck Soup: Primarily nourishes the lungs and kidneys, arrests bleeding, and resolves phlegm. However, due to its cooling nature, it's more suitable for summer consumption. People with spleen and stomach weakness or gastric ulcers should avoid it.
- Red Dates and Black-Boned Chicken Soup: Rich in blood-enriching properties, it also nourishes Yin and is especially beneficial for women, addressing menstrual irregularities and promoting beauty.
4. Moderate Fat Intake
Women should manage their total calorie intake, limiting fat consumption and avoiding fried foods to prevent overweight and obesity. The recommended fat intake should constitute 20-25% of total energy, yet many exceed 30%. Excessive fat intake can elevate lipid peroxide levels, decreasing physical endurance and impairing work efficiency.
