As the most important meal of the day, breakfast 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
1. Fruit Juice
“Fresh fruit juice is a high source of fructose, which causes water to be pulled out from the body into the digestive tract, leading to bloating and dehydration. I suggest going with whole fruits instead. This holds true for any time of the day, but more so early in the morning.”, Dr Rupali Datta, Nutritionist, Consultant Nutritionist, Fortis Escorts said
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.
2. Tea and Coffee
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,
Strong tea or coffee on an empty stomach may cause irritation as both are diuretic in nature. If you can’t resist at all, have a cookie with it to control any adverse reaction. Having water before and after your morning cup of tea helps. The point is to rehydrate as sleep deprives body of water for a long time.
3. Chilled Beverages
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,
Cold or chilled beverages aren’t a good way to start your day. Lukewarm beverages work best at this time as your digestive system is just revving up. Water is the best as you haven’t had any fluid for almost 8-10 hours. It is necessary for hydrating the body.
4. Spicy Food
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.
“Spicy food on an empty stomach can wreak havoc. It irritates the stomach lining and can have serious consequences.”
5. Raw Vegetables
Raw vegetables, with their tough fibres, are awesome for the body, but not when consumed in the morning. When we wake up in the morning, our system is not fully prepared to handle the load exerted by the veggies on an empty stomach.
Dr Rupali Datta, Nutritionist, Consultant Nutritionist, Fortis Escorts
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?
