Expert Advice: How Five Types of Breakfast Eaters Can Balance Their Diet
Among common breakfast food types, people are categorized into five groups based on their food choices. The first group consists of those who habitually eat bread and milk; the second group are fans of fried dough sticks and baked sesame cakes; the third group typically eats congee with small side dishes; the fourth group prefers biscuits and snacks; and the fifth group consists of vegetable and fruit eaters. According to experts from the Sichuan Health Management Association, each of these groups has both nutritional advantages and disadvantages. See which group you belong to and what changes you might need.
Type A: Bread and Milk Group
Due to convenience, this group often consists of young people. This type of food is high in sugar. A breakfast with too much sugar can cause blood sugar to spike and then quickly drop, easily leading to symptoms like fatigue and poor concentration. Bread is often highly processed, and many nutrients are lost in the process, so it is not very nutritious.
Expert Advice: For this group, it is recommended to choose bread with less filling, as these types of bread are higher in calories and fat than regular bread. If you want sweet bread, you can add some jam to avoid spreading cream and thus increasing fat intake. You can also pair it with lettuce, tomatoes, or cucumbers for a more balanced nutrition.
Type B: Fried Dough Stick and Baked Sesame Cake Group
Fried dough sticks and baked sesame cakes, often paired with soy milk, are a traditional Chinese breakfast. The biggest drawback of this food group is its high fat content, which can easily lead to weight gain. Foods that are deep-fried at high temperatures not only have a high oil content but are also difficult to digest. Furthermore, nutrients are destroyed during the high-temperature frying process, and carcinogenic substances can be produced. The harm is even greater if alum is added to the fried dough sticks.
Expert Advice: This group should change their breakfast habits and eat less fried food. When eating baked sesame cakes, you can pair them with more vegetables. It is recommended to drink soy milk without sugar or with only a small amount of sugar to avoid excessive sugar intake.
Type C: Congee and Small Side Dishes Group
Some elderly people prefer a light breakfast of congee and simple side dishes. This combination lacks protein, making it unsuitable for young people who are still growing. While congee with side dishes doesn't have the problem of being high in fat, the pickles, fermented tofu, and other accompaniments are often too salty, leading to a high sodium content, which is not good for elderly people with hypertension.
Expert Advice: When cooking congee, you can add some whole grains to make it more nutritious and filling. Don't just eat it with pickles; also add a poached egg or some lean meat to get enough protein. It's best to add a plate of stir-fried greens to make the meal more nutritionally balanced.
Type D: Biscuits and Snacks Group
Many office workers, who either wake up too late or have a long commute to work, often skip breakfast in favor of biscuits and snacks. Most snacks are dry foods, which are not easy to digest and absorb for the body, which is in a semi-dehydrated state in the morning. Moreover, snacks like biscuits are mainly made from grains and can provide energy in the short term, but they also make people feel hungry again quickly. Eating snacks for breakfast can easily lead to malnutrition, a weakened constitution, and make one more susceptible to various diseases.
Expert Advice: Never replace breakfast with snacks, and especially don't eat too many dry foods; make sure to get enough fluids in the morning. These foods mainly create a feeling of fullness but have low nutritional value. If you are short on time, you can bring an egg, a carton of milk, and some fruit to eat at work to supplement some nutrients.
Type E: Vegetables and Fruits Group
Many people, especially women, now eat only vegetables and fruits for breakfast to lose weight. Breakfast is an important source of energy for the whole day and requires staple foods to provide calories. The calorie content of vegetables and fruits is too low to fully meet the body's energy needs in the morning.
Expert Advice: The food combination for this breakfast group is seriously lacking in calories. You should add some grains and an egg to increase energy and protein intake. At the same time, this type of meal lacks water. Since the body is in a semi-dehydrated state in the morning, it is recommended to drink milk or soy milk to replenish body fluids. By Xu Jinlong, West China Metropolis Daily Reporter