Croissants, cereal and white toast should be off the menu for breakfast, says top nutritionists

No more croissants, cereals or white toast for breakfast if you want to be healthy.

Cutting out these items from breakfast, along with sugary drinks like fruit juice and flavored yogurt, can cut your daily intake of ultra-processed foods by more than a third.

This is the advice of food expert Professor Tim Spector of King’s College London.

He is one of a growing number of academics warning people against ultra-processed foods – foods that someone couldn’t make at home with real ingredients because they contain so many additives such as sweeteners, emulsifiers, salt, fat and artificial flavors.

After you’ve cut out the recommended breakfast items, it may seem like there’s very little left to start the day with.

Professor Spector recommends plain yogurt and mixed nuts, mixed beans or mushrooms on sourdough bread, or a spinach and cheese omelette as a substitute for traditional favourites.

Breakfast is apparently the best meal to eat less ultra-processed foods, which have been linked to obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Speaking on a podcast for his personalized food company ZOE earlier this month, Professor Spector advised people to think about their breakfast because most people have it at home, making it easier to change than food eaten at work, restaurants and cafes. or eaten at work. going.

He said, “Most people start the day with choices. They can skip breakfast, as some people do, and just drink tea or coffee.

“Or they can say, I’m not going to eat cereal—95 percent of which is ultra-processed.” That would be a reasonable start.

Professor Tim Spector recommends natural yogurt and mixed nuts, mixed beans or mushrooms on sourdough bread, or a spinach and cheese omelette as a substitute for traditional favorites

What should a balanced diet look like?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count;
• Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains;
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat granola biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole-wheat bread, and large baked potato with skin;
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose lower-fat, lower-sugar options;
• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which is fatty);
• Opt for unsaturated oils and spreads and consume in small amounts;
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day;
• Adults should consume less than 6 g of salt and 20 g of saturated fat for women or 30 g for men per day.

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide

‘Don’t take white sliced ​​bread from the supermarket, because that is also ultra-processed.

‘Don’t take yogurt with something added that isn’t completely pure.

“And that alone would probably reduce your level of ultra-processing by about a third.”

As a blow to those who can’t start the day without a buttered croissant or chocolate rolls, Professor Spector told the Mail: ‘I think the simplest switch is to move away from traditional pre-packaged and ready-to-eat meals. breakfast foods such as pastries, sugary cereals, breakfast bars, fruit juices, and cookie bars. “Simply switching to natural yogurt and kefir with chopped fruit and nuts, or an omelette with frozen spinach and cheese can make a big difference.”

There is disagreement among experts about the health effects of ultra-processed foods, with some academics arguing that the term is overused for foods that are not highly processed, and that some ultra-processed foods, such as fish fingers, may be healthy.

But even seemingly healthier breakfast foods, such as muesli and instant porridge, are ultra-processed, according to Professor Spector, which can be bad for gut health because the bacteria inside us haven’t evolved to process the artificial ingredients they contain.

The author of the book Food for Life: The New Science of Eating Well, said: “Sweet yogurt, supermarket toast and sugary breakfast cereals all contribute a lot of refined carbohydrates and chemical additives, without the benefits of beneficial fiber, polyphenols, healthy fats or proteins, or a filling meal.

“A similar warning applies to fruit juices, store-bought fruit smoothies, and sugar-sweetened coffee and tea.”

Dr. Chris van Tulleken, infectious disease doctor and presenter whose latest book is called Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food.. And Why Can’t We Stop? is a good meal to try for anyone trying to reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods.

He said: ‘I cook large pots of porridge in batches that can be kept in the refrigerator for ages, just with salt and water.

‘These heat up quickly in the microwave and I have that with milk, black coffee, sugar and a banana.

‘The same for the children, but they just have water to drink.

“On weekends I bake waffles or pancakes with the kids, which we spread with maple syrup and butter.”

Dr. Eszter Vamos, senior clinical lecturer in public health medicine at Imperial College London, said: ‘Ultra-processed foods are replacing traditional foods in our diets because they are designed to be convenient, very tasty and appealing.

Eliminating ultra-processed foods from our breakfasts can have important health benefits.

“However, it is important to say that we live in environments where our food systems are dominated by UPF, and these products are often aggressively marketed with misleading health claims.

“It’s important that we change these environments so that it becomes easier, available and affordable for people to eat healthier.”