5 Foods That You Must Avoid in Breakfast (& Best Foods)

In the morning, our body is not only in need of nutrients but is also able to absorb vitamins and minerals better. This is why it’s important to eat the right breakfast. 

How energetic you feel throughout the day depends on how nutritious your breakfast is. A good breakfast satisfies your hunger and avoids overeating later in the day.

Although knowingly or unknowingly, we often eat things in breakfast that might sound healthy but are really bad for you. Here are 5 foods that you should never eat in breakfast, along with their healthier alternatives. Let’s get started.

5. Bread

Bread has become a common breakfast item in Indian homes. White bread, no doubt, is made with 100% maida. But even if you check the ingredients of brown bread or atta bread, it only has a small percentage of whole wheat flour but a fair amount of maida mixed in it. 

Even most multigrain breads contain maida. And not just maida, these breads also have refined palm oil, dough conditioners, artificial flavours, and preservatives.

We often hear things like "Apni taazi manpasand bread". In fact, this bread-like thing that we are sold is not the real bread that has been a staple food in European countries. 

While real bread is made with just 4 ingredients, this convenient bread is made with more than a dozen fillers. Shockingly, some of these ingredients are even banned in many countries.

And yet they say, "Britannia bread, har slice mein sehat". You can try baking bread at home; it will begin to get hard and mouldy in 2 days, while commercial bread stays for 7 days even without refrigeration. A bread should be bread.

What’s more disturbing is that the brown colour of brown bread is not because it has atta but due to the added colour in it. Yes, often brown breads come with an ingredient called INS150a which is nothing but dark brown colour formed by heating up sugar.

If you are a bread lover and really care for your health at the same time, there are four options:

1. Bake your own bread: It might sound daunting, but people who bake daily don’t find it difficult.
2. Find a trustworthy bakery: Look for fresh, authentic bread made nearby.
3. Choose better bread options: Some breads are healthier than commercial white bread but still not 100% healthy.
4. Switch to roti: A great Indian flatbread alternative to commercial bread.

4. Muesli

Muesli has become quite a popular breakfast option these days. People add milk to it and consider it healthy. It seems true as its pack boasts the goodness of multigrains, fruits, and nuts.

However, don’t fall for marketing tricks. Many muesli packs contain maida, 2 teaspoons of refined sugar in every serving, artificial flavours, colours, bleach, and candied fruits. Candied fruits are placed in heated sugar syrup which absorbs the moisture from within the fruit and eventually preserves it.

It’s not that you shouldn’t eat muesli, but don’t count it as healthy.

A reliable parameter to judge any such breakfast cereal is its fibre content:

Food Item	Fibre Content (per 100g)
Kellog’s Muesli Fruits and Nuts	6.4 grams
Oats	Over 10 grams
Aashirwad Atta	11.1 grams

If this packet of muesli has so many multigrains, fruits, and nuts, why then is fibre content so low? The ingredients are added after a lot of processing.

Marketing says, "Aapne power breakfast kiya?" but it’s time to ditch muesli, corn flakes, granola, chocos, and similar processed cereals. These companies have literally done PhD in fooling their customers.

Even the smartest customers might fall for their tricks. The best is to buy something with just one ingredient, like unflavoured rolled oats or millet flakes. 

Add milk to them and customise it to your liking. Or you can even make your own muesli premix high in fibre to keep you full and energetic for long. Now that’s an asli power breakfast.

3. Ready to Eat Meals

Nowadays, MTR ready-to-eat breakfast is becoming a rage in urban India. But be it ready-to-eat upma or poha, you should never buy these.

Firstly, they use ultra-refined grains, which is why their fibre content is really low. For example, a 60-gram packet of poha has just 1.5 grams of fibre, which is close to Maggi.

Worst is that they add palm oil, which is more unhealthy than refined oils. Dehydrated carrot is added to upma so they can call it veggie upma. Even MTR’s dosa mix has maida in it. And why dosa? Maida is in uttapam and even rava idli. A South Indian would never appreciate this.

If we eat this in the morning and believe that we have eaten something healthy, we will be fooling ourselves.

Better would be to eat two bananas and go to the office. And why eat from a box when poha, upma, and dosa can be freshly made at home in no time?

Similarly, avoid buying masala oats. Instead, buy normal oats and make them fresh using your favourite vegetables.

2. Nutella

If you like to spread Nutella on bread, roti, parantha, or even dosa because they say, "Asli hazelnuts aur premium cocoa se bana iska swaad", then probably it’s time for filing another lawsuit.

Nutella has only 13% hazelnuts with artificial flavour added. 55% of Nutella is plain sugar, which is even more than Dairy Milk. After charging ₹847 per kilo, they add the cheapest oil in the market.

Forget it as a breakfast food. Even rasgulla is healthier than Nutella.

If you really like eating hazelnut spread, some brands spend more energy choosing the right ingredients than advertising them. Mixed fruit jam is another food you should stop eating for breakfast—maybe for dessert.

Why? Because 100 grams of mixed fruit jam has 15 spoons of sugar. If mixed fruit jam is made with 8 fruits, why then is the dietary fibre less than 1 gram? What kind of fruits are these?

If your kid really loves jam, make it at home using desi khaand or thread mishri powder. Once made, it can be kept in the refrigerator without preservatives for a month. Some brands have now started making healthy jams which you can try.

Also Read: 7 Sex Mistakes that Everyone Should Avoid

1. Deep Fried Food

For breakfast, when the body is in dire need of nutrition, if we eat deep-fried foods like chhole bhature and kachori, then forget nutrition; it will rather make your metabolism very slow.

Eating deep-fried stuff is like walking with an extra load. Bhature and kachori are firstly made with 100% maida and then deep-fried. When eaten outside, the same oil is reused multiple times, almost turning it black.

It’s well known today that when oil is reheated, it produces trans fats and acrylamides which cause heart blockage, fatty liver, diabetes, and even cancer.

When 100 grams of potatoes are deep-fried, calories shoot up by almost 4 times, but more importantly, bad fats increase by 20 times.

It’s important to limit the intake of deep-fried foods like poori, bhature, and kachori. Preferably make them at home once in a while and never reuse the oil.

Summary: Foods to Avoid and Better Breakfast Choices

• Bread: Avoid commercial breads with maida and preservatives. Bake your own, buy fresh from trusted bakeries, or switch to roti.
• Muesli: Avoid processed muesli with maida and sugar. Choose unflavoured rolled oats or millet flakes.
• Ready to Eat Meals: Avoid packaged upma, poha, dosa mixes with refined grains and palm oil. Make fresh meals at home.
• Nutella and Mixed Fruit Jam: Avoid spreads high in sugar and artificial flavours. Opt for homemade jams or healthier nut butters.
• Deep Fried Foods: Limit intake of bhature, kachori, and other deep-fried breakfast items. Prefer homemade versions with fresh oil.

Healthier Breakfast Alternatives

For breakfast, you should ideally choose whole grains, nuts, seeds, fresh seasonal fruits, and vegetables. Make authentic recipes according to your own region.

Some quick and healthy breakfast ideas include:

• Rolled oats or millet flakes with milk and nuts
• Fresh homemade muesli premix high in fibre
• Freshly made poha or upma with vegetables
• Whole wheat roti with vegetable or dal side
• Natural nut butters and homemade jams on whole grain bread or roti

Final Thoughts

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and choosing the right foods can set the tone for your health and energy. Avoiding these 5 commonly eaten but unhealthy breakfast foods will help you stay fit and energetic.

Switch to whole grains, fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, and home-cooked meals for an authentic and nutritious start to your day. Your body will thank you!

FAQs

Why is breakfast so important for energy throughout the day?

Breakfast provides essential nutrients and fuels your body after a night’s fast. Eating a nutritious breakfast helps maintain energy levels and prevents overeating later.

Is brown bread healthier than white bread?

Not always. Many commercial brown breads get their colour from additives like INS150a (heated sugar), and still contain maida and preservatives, making them less healthy.

Are muesli and granola healthy breakfast options?

Often, store-bought muesli and granola contain refined flour, sugar, artificial flavours, and low fibre content. Choosing unflavoured rolled oats or homemade mixes is a better option.

Can I eat ready-to-eat breakfast meals like upma or poha?

It’s better to avoid packaged ready-to-eat meals as they often contain refined grains, palm oil, and preservatives. Freshly made meals at home are healthier.

Is Nutella a good breakfast spread?

No. Nutella contains a high amount of sugar and low hazelnut content with artificial flavours. Healthier nut butters or homemade spreads are better alternatives.

How harmful are deep-fried breakfast foods?

Deep-fried foods increase calories and unhealthy fats significantly, especially when oil is reused. They can slow metabolism and increase risks for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.