Garden Fresh: Breakfast Options that Seem Healthy But Aren’t

When we want to start making lifestyle changes to become healthier individuals, we usually start exercising, eating better, drinking more water and even meditating. These practices are all great, and it’s hard to go wrong with them… or so we think!

When we talk about exercising, drinking more water, or meditating, we just need to set up our minds and get it done. We sweat to release endorphins and burn calories, we drink more water to stay hydrated and release toxins, and we meditate to stay present and regain clarity.

Now, when we talk about eating better, healthier, cleaner, or whatever you want to call it, things can be a bit trickier. With the power of marketing and advertising, we come to believe that some products are good for our bodies when they’re actually pretty toxic.

Here’re some good tips to follow when it comes to natural eating:

– Avoid foods that have more than 5 ingredients on the list.

– Only allow 20% of the foods you eat to be pre-packaged.

– If you can’t pronounce an ingredient on the list don’t eat it.

Now here’re some of the breakfast foods that we conventionally think are healthier choices but actually are not. I’m also sharing some good swaps to give your body what it really needs to start the day!

–Cereals: They are usually full of sugars. Every time that you read that they’re fortified with anything, don’t buy them; that means that they’ve added chemicals. Even if a cereal is marketed as high fiber, check the sugar content, and avoid anything that has over 8g of sugar per serving. And, of course, stick to one serving size. Swap: Try plain oatmeal with berries.

–Skim and fat-free yogurt, cheese, or milk: The way companies compensate for flavor when getting rid of fat is by adding hidden sugars, even if they are not listed in the content table! It’s way better to indulge in a small portion of the full fat version of dairy products than eating these processed versions. Swap: Try plain Greek yogurt, raw cheese, or unsweetened nut milk.

–Granola: Much like cereals, granola is usually full of sugar. The best thing you can do is to make your own at home. This is really easy and fast. Check out one of my favorite recipes here. Swap: Try homemade granola.

–Multigrain bread: This bread is basically white bread with seeds and extra grains added, so it’ll turn into sugar after you eat it. Swap: Try sprouted grain bread or 100% whole wheat bread.

These are only some breakfast staples that you can start swapping out to become a happier, healthier, and better version of yourself!