This Is One Of The Worst Kinds Of Food To Eat When You First Wake Up

Its status as the day's most important meal may be one of the false facts about breakfast that most people believe, but the concept does have some merit. Your body needs fuel for the day, and though foods like yogurt and oatmeal are generally considered healthy, these and other popular morning staples can also be high in sugar depending on how they're prepared. This could lead to unwanted short- and long-term effects on the body, ranging from fatigue to heart problems. Thankfully, there are ways to enjoy these foods without ingesting too much sugar early in the day.

Counterintuitively, sugar sounds pretty appealing first thing in the morning. It makes everything tasty and provides an easy pick-me-up. Unfortunately, this leads to the most immediate physical effect. The ingredient can trigger spikes in blood sugar and release rewarding chemicals like dopamine and opioids, a combined effect often referred to as a sugar rush. Much like the name implies, these bursts of energy are very temporary depending on the meal and may leave the body feeling sluggish and less alert. In the long term, eating too much sugar can also lead to type 2 diabetes and other health complications, such as high blood pressure and possibly heart disease.

Despite benefits like probiotics, fiber, and protein, foods like yogurt and oats can act as hidden sugar agents. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended daily sugar intake is 25 grams for women and 36 for men. Popular yogurt brands like Yoplait and Chobani can range anywhere from 9 grams to 19 grams per serving, depending on the variety. Similarly, instant flavored oatmeal tends to lean on sugar as a flavor enhancer. A single packet of Quaker Oats Apple & Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal and its Kodiak competitor each contain 11 total grams of sugar, accounting for approximately 30% of men's recommended daily intake and 44% of women's. Thankfully, there are less-sugary alternatives, including Quaker Oats Lower Sugar Instant Oatmeal (which contains only 4 grams per serving), Yoplait Light (which contains 7 grams), and the self-explanatory Chobani Zero Sugar.

Worth noting is that not all sugar is bad, as some occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. Natural (as opposed to added) sugar isn't strongly linked to negative effects and is also packaged with fiber and other nutrients. This slows the digestion process, allowing the food to provide more sustainable energy and manageable blood sugar levels. Recipes like our homemade overnight oats provide an easy way to incorporate delicious, natural sugars through ingredients like Greek yogurt, blueberries, and sliced bananas.