Avoid This Breakfast Food If You Want To Live Longer

Many people believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Starting your day with a substantial amount of food can help you stay energized and ward off cravings later on. However, while eating breakfast is important, what you eat is just as crucial. Many breakfast foods, while tasty, are loaded with less than ideal ingredients. Some options are so unhealthy that they might even shave a few years off your life if you eat them consistently.

According to Healthline, cereal is usually a poor breakfast option because many boxes are loaded with sugar. "Added sugar may very well be the single worst ingredient in the modern diet," said Healthline. A diet high in sugar can lead to a variety of diseases, including obesity, chronic inflammation, and heart disease. "The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke," Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Harvard Health Publishing. Some breakfast cereals are relatively low in sugar, but they can be tricky to find.

Unfortunately, cereal isn't the only food you need to avoid at breakfast. According to Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, many breakfast foods have an "extremely high sugar and processed carbohydrate content, which is known to lead to poor gut health and increase aging" (via Eat This, Not That!). Pancakes, for example, contain a lot of butter, sugar, and processed ingredients. Eating these frequently can lead to weight gain, inflammation, and faster aging.

Processed meats like bacon and sausage should also be avoided if you want to live longer. "These types of meat usually contain a preservative called nitrate," Courtney D'Angelo, MS, RD, told Eat This, Not That!. "which has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease." If you want to add these meats to your breakfast occasionally, opt for uncured options. Pastries should also be avoided because they are loaded with fat and sugar. Healthy foods to eat for breakfast include eggs, avocados, and unsweetened oatmeal. If you do want to eat processed foods, try to find products that are low in added sugar and sodium.