20 Foods to Eat and Avoid on an Empty Stomach
How many times have you heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?
Plenty, right? Well, as it turns out, there is a ton of medical, dietary, and scientific research to back up the importance of starting your day with a nutritional meal that will set the tone for the rest of the day. But, all of these studies also conclude that just eating something to break your fast is not the healthiest way to greet the day. There are actually good foods and bad foods to eat on an empty stomach. We have done the research for you and here are the top 10 foods to enjoy and the top 10 foods to avoid for breakfast.
10 Foods to Enjoy for Breakfast
- Oatmeal: A perfect solution for cereal lovers, without any of the hidden sugars. It has a moderate amount of protein and an abundance of soluble fiber, which has positive attributes in helping you lower bad cholesterol levels. The oats are rich in antioxidants that support normal blood pressure and a healthy heart performance.
- Buckwheat: This is actually a fruit seed and does not contain any gluten. It stimulates your digestive system, supports normal cholesterol levels, and enhances your energy levels. It is a source of iron and vitamins. There are approximately 6 grams of protein in one cup of cooked buckwheat.
- Warm Cornmeal Cereal: Cornmeal porridge is high in fiber, helps release toxins and metals from your system, increases energy, and supports mental clarity. This food reduces bad cholesterol levels and supports healthy blood sugar levels. It is low in calories and helps with weight loss.
- Wheat Germ: Two tablespoons of wheat germ contain a powerhouse of fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and the antioxidant properties of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is heart healthy and essential for healthy nails, skin, and hair. It has phytosterols that reduce the production of bad cholesterol levels.
- Eggs: An egg is one valuable superfood. As a good source of rich protein, eggs can help with weight management. It has amino acid leucine that helps with insulin levels that regulate fat metabolism. It has a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Add some milk and enjoy a plate of scrambled eggs.
- Watermelon: This fruit is a complete superfood. Because of its water content, it is a natural diuretic. It is a great source of potassium that is essential for supporting nerves and muscle performance. It is high in lycopene levels that support your heart and your eyes. It also contains vitamins, trace minerals, fiber, and a small amount of rich protein.
- Blueberries: This fruit has a list of positive benefits, it’s not possible to list them all here. The most compelling reasons to choose blueberries for breakfast are their ability to protect your brain from degeneration, to support normal blood pressure levels, and to energise your metabolism.
- Whole Grain Bread with No Yeast: This type of bread provides you with important, complex carbohydrates, micronutrients, protein, good fats, and antioxidants. The combination of these components works to support and protect your overall health wellness. As a breakfast food, whole grain bread can help with weight management.
- Nuts: Nuts are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and fiber. This means that they will satisfy your hunger and you will feel fuller longer so you will not be tempted to eat snacks before lunch time. They support good digestive performance and help to balance the pH levels in your stomach.
- Honey: The most powerful form of honey is pure and raw. It has flavonoid and antioxidant properties that support heart health and normal blood sugar levels. Honey helps to enhance your mental activities and increase your supply of serotonin. A great way to start any day.
10 Foods to Avoid for Breakfast
- Short-Crust and Puff Pastries: Whether as a puff pastry or as the short-crust pastry dough used for the base of a tart or quiche, the yeast contain in the dough can upset the delicate lining of an empty stomach. The result of this type of irritation is the tendency to cause flatulence, also known as the release of toxic bodily gases. This is not how you want to start your day.
- Sweets: Eating sugary sweets, like cookies or cereal, for breakfast puts a lot of refined sugar and simple carbohydrates in your body. This can cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, which can overload your pancreas. Sweets only provide a short term energy boost that is followed by a metabolic slowdown, which generally results in more eating. High blood sugar levels contribute to diabetes.
- Yogurt and Fermented Milk Products: Yogurt is a great snack or as a lunchtime supplement, but it has little to no value as a breakfast food. The hydrochloric acid formed by yogurt acts to destroy lactic acid bacteria in your stomach. This form of bacteria plays an important part in supporting your intestinal regularity and assists in the healthy circulation of your blood. Loss of this bacteria can contribute to constipation, not a situation you want to deal with on a daily basis.
- Pears: A healthy supply of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber is the goal for starting your day off right. While pears are a good source of crude fiber, they are not a good choice for breakfast. Your stomach relies on its delicate mucous membranes to break down and process the foods as they pass through your system. The crude fiber in pears can damage those essential membranes in an empty stomach.
- Tomatoes: Whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable, it contains a high amount of tannic acid. When this acid is ingested on an empty stomach, it can contribute to gastritis and, in extreme cases, can lead to the formation of gastric ulcers.
- Cucumbers and Other Raw Green Vegetables: Fresh raw green vegetables are excellent sources of amino acids, the essential building blocks from which the body makes its own protein. But, when eaten on an empty stomach, these vegetables contribute to heartburn and abdominal pain. They also can create flatulence, the release of toxic body gases. Green vegetables are best eaten as a side dish or in a salad for lunch or dinner.
- Bananas: Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, but they also can increase the level of magnesium in your blood stream when eaten on an empty stomach. This can cause harm to your heart health. Bananas are best eaten as a mid-morning or afternoon snack, but not as a source of energy when you are starting your day.
- Spices: Spices and spicy foods on an empty stomach increases the production of gastric acid. This can irritate your mucous membranes and contribute to a variety of intestinal and digestive problems.
- Cold Carbonated Beverages: Cold carbonated drinks may be appropriate for cooling down your body on a hot day, but they are not a good source of breakfast fluid. Cold carbonation slows down your digestion and decreases the blood supply to your stomach. On an empty stomach, this source of liquid can damage your mucous membranes and lead to gastric problems.
- Citrus Fruits: These fruits are rich in vitamins, potassium, copper, and magnesium. But, they also have high levels of fruit acids that can cause heartburn and acid reflux when eaten on an empty stomach. Too much fruit acid can contribute to gastric ulcers. Citrus fruits are best eaten as a snack or as an ingredient in a smoothie for a mid-morning or afternoon snack.
While all of these foods have nutritional benefits, some of them are just more beneficial as breakfast foods than others.
— By Brad Russell, Owner of IsaTonic & Nutritional Cleanse