Some tasty jam on a toasted slice of bread is one of the most favored breakfasts of all time. For decades, kids have been raised on this delicious breakfast. It seems like a wonderful way to start a day. Although, it is a tasty way of starting one’s day, it is not very healthy for sure. Bread is made up of carbohydrates which after breaking down inside our guts to provide simple sugars. Jellies and jams are predominantly made up of sugar. So, when we eat the classic combination of bread and jam, our bodies get loaded with sugar. And when our day starts with such a high amount of sugar, our bodies keep craving for more for the rest of the day.
This classic breakfast was a favored breakfast in the earlier days because high levels of sugar were required for providing instant energy. During earlier times, people were way more physically active than today. They used to commute using cycles and also walking. Unfortunately, technological advancements have made us lazier and our lives have become sedentary. So, it is not a great idea to start our days with a sugar rush.
Risk Of Developing Insulin Resistance
When we start our mornings with bread and jam, the sugar levels spike up very fast in our blood. Insulin is released soon after by the pancreas. Insulin brings down the sugar level by transporting sugar to our cells. But when our bodies are constantly being provided with high amounts of sugar, insulin keeps transporting it to the cells. Due to our lazy lifestyles, our cells do not need to produce so much energy. Hence, our cells start developing insulin resistance which gives rise to type 2 diabetes. As per the American Diabetes Association, high amounts of sugar can hamper insulin activity and can create bigger problems in the long run.
Considering our lifestyles, too much sugar in our breakfasts will end up doing more harm than good. There are many healthier options that we can choose, instead of sugar rush inducing jam and jelly.
1. Homemade Fruity Delights
You can choose healthier alternatives like fruit salsa and compote over jams and jellies. A compote is a jelly-like topping made from fruits. A compote is prepared by cooking chopped fruits to perfection till it becomes a gooey spread. A fruit salsa is made from chopped fruits topped with some acidic garnish. These preparations consist of fresh fruits and are much healthier than processed jams and jellies.
2. Tasty Savories
Toast is a great base for many wonderful toppings and savories. There are many culinary options that can replace jams. Some of those options are grilled chicken breast slices, fried or poached eggs, low fat cheese, cottage cheese with nuts and ricotta cheese with slices of tomatoes. These are only a few options. You can create innumerable combinations of savories with a little bit of creativity. The wonderful thing about these savories is that these contain a good amount of protein and healthy fats which can help in keeping our blood sugar in control. According to a published study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, protein can help us in keeping our appetites in check.
3. Nutty Relish
Nuts are a wonderful source of healthy fats which can help in maintaining a balanced level of blood sugar, longer sense of satiety and a healthy heart. According to an article published by the American Heart Association, people who consume nuts as a part of their daily diet have low content of bad cholesterol in their blood. These people were found to have healthier hearts in comparison to their counterparts who don’t consume nuts often. Thus, you can replace your jams with nuts or seeds butter like cashew butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter. These are only a few options.
So, give your bread and jam a skip for a while and replace it with healthier alternatives to see the difference in your health and energy.
