Fruit and yoghurt is NOT the healthy breakfast you've been sold.
Minute For Your Health #54
My inner nutritional therapist cringes every time someone mentions their ‘healthy’ breakfast of fruit and yoghurt 💆♀️
I apologise in advance if that’s you and I’m about to ruin your favourite breakfast. But hear me out and read until the end to learn why and how you might want to make some changes to your morning meal.
What’s wrong with fruit and yoghurt?!
…I hear you ask.
For many years they have been sold as a healthy, nutritious and nourishing start to the day. Some of you may even have switched to a breakfast of fruit and yoghurt in order to be healthier.
I don’t recommend it because research shows that starting your day with a breakfast rich in protein and nourishing fats:
Keeps your blood sugar stable throughout the day
Results in less snacking and cravings later in the day
Helps you maintain a higher level of energy throughout the day
Aids concentration and focus
Fruit and (most) yoghurts are neither rich in protein nor nourishing fats. Most are rich in fructose and glucose - both of which result in quick but unsustained energy levels resulting in sugar crashes, energy dips, poor concentration and mood swings.
Fruit is rich in fructose, which results in quick but unsustained energy
Most yoghurt, particularly fruit yoghurts or low fat yoghurts, are high in sugar and low in protein and fat
There are vitamins and minerals in fruit and yoghurt - which makes them a better choice than cornflakes and skimmed milk - but it's still not a breakfast that sets you up for a great day.
What can you do about it?
Choose full fat greek yoghurt for a yoghurt richer in fat and protein
A 'no added sugar’ ‘light’ yoghurt contains 6g sugars, 0.1g fat and 4.4g protein
A full fat greek yoghurt contains 4g sugars, 7.6g fat and 4g protein - the fat is actually really important for good energy levels, satiety and nutrient absorption.
If you would prefer to avoid the fat then at least choose a protein rich option like Skyr
Skyr may contain around 0.5g fat, 10g protein and 4g sugar
By comparison a typical organic fruit yoghurt marketed as ‘healthy’ may contain 4g fat, 11.1g sugar and 4g protein
Eat a smaller portion of fruit and yoghurt and add a side rich in protein and nourishing fats like an egg with wholegrain toast, avocado on rye or smoked salmon with cream cheese and sourdough.
Add plenty of seeds and nuts to your fruit and yoghurt to up the protein and healthy fats.
Always choose organic yoghurt to avoid the hormones and antibiotics that may be found in conventional milk, which can affect your metabolism, immunity and fertility.
Summary:
Fruit and yoghurt are commonly high in fructose and glucose, whilst low in fat and protein. This can lead to energy dips, cravings, poor concentration and excess eating throughout the day.
Switch your breakfast to an option higher in protein and fat, or choose full fat greek yoghurt/skyr, add nuts and seeds or a side of a more high protein/fat food like egg.
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Links and references:
Ratliff, J., Leite, J.O., de Ogburn, R., Puglisi, M.J., VanHeest, J. and Fernandez, M.L., 2010. Consuming eggs for breakfast influences plasma glucose and ghrelin, while reducing energy intake during the next 24 hours in adult men. Nutrition Research, 30(2), pp.96-103.
Kevin C Maki, Alyssa K Phillips-Eakley, Kristen N Smith, The Effects of Breakfast Consumption and Composition on Metabolic Wellness with a Focus on Carbohydrate Metabolism, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 7, Issue 3, May 2016, Pages 613S–621S, https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.010314
Welsh, J., Braun, H., Brown, N., Um, C., Ehret, K., Figueroa, J., & Boyd Barr, D. (2019). Production-related contaminants (pesticides, antibiotics and hormones) in organic and conventionally produced milk samples sold in the USA. Public Health Nutrition, 22(16), 2972-2980. doi:10.1017/S136898001900106X
In Season:
Spinach is in season the colder months of the year (March-May and September-November ish) in the Western Hemisphere.
I think by now most of us know spinach is rich in important vitamins and minerals like folate and iron. I can recommend my green smoothie recipe to help you incorporate spinach in your diet on a daily basis.
But actually it's incredibly easy to throw a handful of baby leaf spinach into whatever sauce, stew, stir fry or soup you are making during the last few minutes of cooking for a simple nutrient boost.