When it comes to how fast or how well we age, what we eat plays a crucial role, so it is up to you to make the best dietary decisions to help you age well. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you owe it to yourself to eat foods rich in fibre and antioxidants. So, whether you skip it or make poor nutritional choices, you may be missing out on opportunities to keep looking and feeling younger. Your breakfast habits just might be the best anti-ageing hack there is.
“Breakfast gives you an opportunity to hit your fruit and veggie goals for the day, and can provide you with dietary fibre and antioxidant-rich food,”
Roxana Ehsani
Here are five breakfast habits that you should stop and why
Drinking sweetened coffee drinks
Drinking high-calorie sugary coffee beverages like a flavoured latte or frozen blended coffee drinks in the morning may give you some calories from the milk, syrups and other sweeteners used. However, calories will not provide a steady release of energy over time as a well-balanced meal would. You’ll likely get a sugar rush from the sugar and caffeine. However, not eating anything else will see your energy levels fall again. Consider choosing a not-so-sugary version, and ensure you have more than just your morning coffee for breakfast.
Eating processed types of meat
Consuming breakfast meats like bacon and sausage may taste divine, but they’re not great for anti-ageing. Bacon and sausage lack fibre; they are high in saturated fat and have nitrates that can cause stress on the body. All of these can later lead to ageing if consumed regularly.
Not including antioxidant-rich foods on your plate.
If your breakfast plate is full of bland-looking foods, you’re likely missing lots of vitamins and nutrients in colourful, fresh foods. In other words, not adding any veggies or fruits to your plate means you are missing out on eating antioxidants, which are vital to helping you prevent disease and prolong longevity.
Not having the adequate fluid-intake
Hydration not only keeps your skin supple, but it also carries the nutrients around the body. So, ensure you’re drinking a lot of water. No sodas, water.
Skipping breakfast altogether
Many people are guilty of this, especially working-class adults. The hurry to beat traffic and meet up with daily appointments often leads to skipping breakfast, which is not a good health decision. It speeds up your ageing process according to health experts. Consuming breakfast regularly can also prevent overeating later on in the day. And if you feel like you are too full to eat in the morning, maybe you are overeating at dinner time.