Eating right is essential for health and well-being. Ever heard of the saying, “you are what you eat”? We all eat to live. What you are eating is as important as what you are not. Avoiding certain foods on an empty stomach is advisable, as is eating foods that are good for you.
Learn how your body is working and optimize the food you eat. This can improve digestion and lead to maximum absorption of primary nutrients your body needs to survive and thrive. Here’s what you need to eat on an empty stomach and what you should avoid, for a healthy, fit, and toned body.
Foods You Should Avoid
1. Short-Crust and Puff Pastries
Foods containing yeast irritate the stomach lining and lead to flatulence(1). This type of food early in the morning should be avoided at all costs.
2. Sweets
Sugary foods or drinks can be a real deterrent for healthy living, especially first thing in the morning. It is not fit to start the day with fruit juice concentrate or cereals bursting with artificial sugars, chemicals, and flavors.
This kind of food can put an additional load on the pancreas waking up after long periods of rest, due to excessive insulin triggering the possibility of diabetes. As the stomach is empty, sugar causes a liver overload. Avoid breakfast desserts or super sweet smoothies for the same reason.
3. Aerated Drinks
Drinking aerated beverages early in the morning can damage the mucous membranes(2). It reduces blood supply to the stomach. Consequently, food digests slower as a result of this. When consumed on an empty stomach, carbonated drinks can cause health issues like nausea. Stomach acid secreted to help in digestion of food may encounter soda or cola drinks and introduce additional acid into the digestive system leading to stomach cramps and pains.
4. Cold Beverages
You may be under the misimpression that starting the day with a cold beverage on a hot summer day is okay. In reality, chugging that iced drink damages the mucous membrane and makes digestion sluggish across the day, even as warm beverages kickstart the system and the metabolism.
5. Spicy Foods
This type of food damages the gastric mucous and trigger excessive acid production. This further contributes to digestive system disorders.
6. Citrus Fruits
Although fruits are healthy, they should be eaten at the right time. Eating citrus fruits on an empty stomach triggers acid production. Too much fructose and fiber in the diet can slow down the digestive system if eaten on an empty stomach.
Avoid eating fruits with hard grains like oranges and guavas in the morning time. Heartburn, gastritis, and stomach ulcers are the result of eating such citrus fruits.
7. Bananas
Bananas on an empty stomach increase levels of magnesium in the body and trigger a heart attack, in some cases.
8. Raw Vegetables
Raw vegetables are especially beneficial for those who are diet-conscious and believe salads are a great choice. Salads or fresh veggies may not, however, be the best thing to eat early in the morning. This can trigger flatulence and abdominal pain when consumed on an empty stomach. Tomatoes are another raw vegetable you should avoid because these contain tannins, which lead to gastric ulcers.
9. Coffee
Starting the day with a single cup of coffee is a standard method. It may be an easy way to break away from sleep, yet drinking coffee on an empty stomach triggers acidity. It stimulates hydrochloric acid secretion in the digestive system, leading to gastritis in some individuals.
10. Pears
The crude fiber in pears can also damage the mucous membrane of the stomach and harm your digestive system, when taken on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning.
11. Yogurt and Other Fermented Products
If yogurt is consumed on an empty stomach, hydrochloric acid(3) in the stomach forms, destroying lactic acid bacteria. Eating such products for breakfast has almost no benefit for the body.
Foods to Eat on an Empty Stomach1. Oatmeal
Oatmeal creates a protective lining around the stomach, which prevents hydrochloric acid from damaging the stomach walls. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber that lowers the body’s cholesterol levels, too.
2. Buckwheat
Another great choice is buckwheat, which gently stimulates the digestive system. It also contains significant levels of protein, iron, and vitamins.
3. Cornmeal Porridge
This satisfying meal induces high satiety levels and removes toxins and heavy metals from the bodily systems. It balances and stabilizes gut microbiota and stimulates a sense of satiety and fullness, which sustains you throughout the day.
[Read: Home Remedies for Stomach Ulcers]
4. Wheatgerm
Around two tablespoons of wheatgerm fills 15% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin E and the 10% recommended daily allowance of folic acid. It ensures the digestive system keeps running smoothly.
5. Eggs
Researchers have also found eggs are another valuable addition for a calorific intake that is reduced. At the same time, eggs offer nutrition in the form of protein and healthy fats.
6. Watermelon
Eating watermelon offers the right amount of fluid. It contains lycopene, which improves vision and heart health.
7. Blueberries
These superfoods are excellent for blood pressure and metabolism. They contain a rich set of nutrients and antioxidants that also undoes the damage.
8. Wholegrain bread With Zero Yeast
This contains carbs, which are essential nutrients for your body to feel full in the morning.
9. Nuts
If eaten for breakfast, nuts can stabilize acidity-alkalinity levels in the body and improve digestive health.
[Read: Home Remedies to Cure Stomach Pain]
10. Honey
Honey is excellent for providing strength and energy first thing in the morning. It boosts good brain activity and the generation of the neurotransmitter, serotonin.
Bottom Line
This article sums up the type of foods you should and should not have early in the morning. Building active reserves of health for a fit, toned, and svelte body can keep you stronger. It can also make your immunity stronger and rev up the capability of your body to ward off infections. Do eat right
[Also Read: Best Foods To Eat Before Yoga ]
