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Do you reach out for a cup of coffee as soon as you wake up? Or is bed tea your idea of a perfect start to the day? Either way, you aren’t starting your day on a healthy note. And it doesn’t stop here. Chances are, you might be doing your breakfast all wrong – from reaching out for a banana to setting your eyes on that sumptuous plate of chole bhature.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets the tone for the rest of the day, and therefore, has to be done right. With a ton of advice on what’s the best food when you get your hunger pangs, we got in touch with clinical nutritionist Dr Rupali Datta for some clarity. Here are 5 foods you must avoid on an empty stomach:
Juices rich in citric acid must be avoided on an empty stomach. They can lead to acidity and slow down the digestive process. This is true of tomatoes (rich in tannic acid) as well. Stick to dry fruits instead. And fruits can take care of your mid-morning hunger pangs too.
Many of us run on chai and coffee. I for instance, cannot imagine starting my day without a brewing cup of coffee. Unfortunately, having tea or coffee first thing in the morning is bound to cause health trouble in the form of indigestion, acidity and heartburn. Confirms Dr Datta,
We have all grown up on a staple diet of chole bhature, poori chane, aloo de parathe and several spicy breakfast options. In fact, on Sunday mornings, the mere thought of rolling out of bed and satiating the rumblings of the stomach through a special breakfast seems heavenly.
But eating heavy spices and chillies can contribute to digestive problems. Often, we couple parathe or bhature with yoghurt based dishes such as dahi and lassi, which again does little for digestive health. Eating yoghurt in the morning renders its healthy lactic acid bacteria ineffective, leading to few health benefits.
Dietics vouch by the health benefits of starting the day with a glass of lukewarm water with freshly squeezed lemon and a drop of honey. But quite often, we give in to the temptation of gulping down cold water, or even aerated chilled drinks instead. If you are guilty of having a chilled cola with the very first meal of the day, stop now. Chilled carbonated beverages might disrupt blood supply to the stomach. They can also damage the gastric mucosa, slowing down digestion process early in the day. Dr Datta shares the apprehension,
My life seems a lie! We have all gown up on the myth that salads are great for health and can be eaten any time of the day. Apparently, this is true, but only partially. Raw veggies and salads are great but not when consumed first thing in the morning. They might cause gastritis, and may even lead to abdominal pain. Why would you want to go through that?
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Published: 16 Aug 2017,05:11 PM IST