MNN.COM > Lifestyle > My Green Day

How to green your breakfast

By Russell McLendon
Fri, Nov 14 2008 at 10:07 AM EST
Read more: HEALTHY EATING, HEALTHY LIVING, ORGANIC FOODS

 
Want greener eggs and ham? Worried about your jelly doughnut's CO2 legacy and cellulite future? You're right to be concerned, but you have lots of options. Let MNN help you break the fast without breaking your health, the environment or the bank.
 

The worst breakfast foods


Photo: Dan4th Nicholas/Flickr
 
You may have heard that you are what you eat, but you're also not what you don't eat. No need to avoid these breakfast foods like the plague; maybe just avoid them like obesity, heart disease, wastewater runoff and global warming.
 
Fast food: Why would you trust the food from any restaurant so rushed it fuses words together (Frescuit, Croissan'wich) or can't be bothered to spell out conjunctions (Big N' Tasty, Biscuit 'N' Gravy)? While it's true fast-food companies are scrambling to revamp their images in the post-Super Size Me era, and some have made nutritional improvements, the industry's environmental impacts haven't gotten as much attention. Fast-food chains have huge carbon footprints, support factory farming and produce a massive amount of packaging waste every year.
 
Cinnamon rolls, doughnuts and pastries: Depending where you get your pastries, you might be better off eating a piece of birthday cake for breakfast. A lot depends on the source and how it's made, though, so try for healthier or more sustainable alternatives. Get a whole-wheat doughnut instead of Boston cream, or a low-fat cinnamon roll instead of a Honey Bun. And if you do eat a cinnamon roll, for your own sake, don't do this.
 
Pork: Getting early-morning protein from bacon, ham and sausage can actually ward off hunger later in the day. Unfortunately, most pork comes from industrial hog farms that produce mountains of manure and emit greenhouse gases, ammonia and foul smells that encroach on neighbors. Look for fresh, organic pork that doesn't contain preservatives (PDF) and wasn't fed antibiotics, or buy low-sodium and low-fat products. Center-cut bacon often has at least 20 percent less fat than traditional cuts, and turkey bacon has about a third less. If you're feeling eco-conscious and adventurous, try soy-based veggie bacon, which has less saturated fat and cholesterol than any meat variety.
 
Whole eggs: Eggs are the champions of breakfast, the foundation on which the traditional American morning is built. A whole fried egg has about double the protein of a slice of bacon, and is high in essential nutrients such as selenium and choline. But eggs' downside is their yolks, which are high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Eating egg whites instead essentially eliminates those problems, but both whole eggs and egg whites still have a bit much sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure.
 
Pancakes, waffles, and French toast with butter and syrup: Actually, the main problem with these is just the butter and syrup, so no need to throw out your waffle iron. If you can skip both condiments in favor of real fruit preserves or raw honey, or at least opt for low-fat versions, you'll be doing yourself a favor. If you're making French toast yourself, use egg whites and skim milk to cut down on cholesterol and fat.
 
• For more on breakfast foods to avoid, see Men's Health's "8 Worst Breakfasts in America."
 


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Comments(11)

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Posted By Ivy - Wed, Nov 04 2009 at 8:38 PM EST

We have much more options

Well we have so many options, what about fruits??!!!!! is not necessary have pastries, fat a lot of calories for breakfast, somehow it is necessary but not everyday, In my case I change everyday and I love eggs as well but it doesnt mean I have to eat them everyday....i think the best way to enjoy food is try a bit of everything if you like bacon,,,eat it!! but not everyday...in fact I think the range of organic products is growing everyday, we pay a bit more but we get a better quality
Just.... More

Posted By A Nony.Mouse - Thu, Aug 13 2009 at 5:54 AM EST

It didn't say trans fat

The article never once stated that eggs have trans fat. It said "...eggs' downside is their yolks, which are high in cholesterol and saturated fat." It was Anonymous, posting back in January, who mistakenly added the phrase trans fat. If he had paid a wee bit more attention, he would have realized that as well.
And yes, high sodium intake is related to high blood pressure - I've known this since I was a kid back in the 90s when my mother was diagnosed with high blood pressure and the.... More

Posted By Hannah S. - Mon, Jul 27 2009 at 4:40 PM EST

Isoron...

I was just at the doctor's the other day and she said to me that high sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure. I trust she knows what she's talking about.

Posted By Anonymous - Mon, Jul 06 2009 at 12:11 PM EST

Egg whites and skim milk

Why even bother making French toast if you're just going to use egg whites and skim milk substitutes? It's misguided to generalize all fats as "worst foods." Read some Michael Pollan, and you'll see how Americans are becoming less healthy from our fat substitutes.

Posted By Millytant - Wed, Apr 15 2009 at 12:26 PM EST

Salt and Blood Pressure

Many breakfast items are very high in salt (sodium). Bread, pastries, cereals and processed meat all have way too much salt for our needs and leads to high blood pressure.

Help your heart - try to eat more fresh fruit and choose cereals that have little added to them - combined with exercise early in the morning this should help lower your blood pressure.

Posted By Isoron - Mon, Jul 27 2009 at 12:11 AM EST

You are wrong

Cite me the most recent scientific articles connecting high sodium and high blood pressure.

Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 19 2009 at 10:37 AM EST

Read any anatomy book

You can read any anatomy book on how sodium effect the heart for that, easy!

Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Jan 14 2009 at 12:20 PM EST

Eggs contain TRANS fat?

"But eggs' downside is their yolks, which are high in cholesterol, saturated fat and TRANS FAT"

Excuse me -- eggs contain manmade transfat? How do you figure that?

Posted By Quilter - Fri, Mar 13 2009 at 1:24 PM EST

I love eggs!

I also would like to know how this guy got Trans Fat inside of an egg? Sometimes I can't get organic but I get eggs as fresh as possible and enjoy 2 every morning. My only illnesses are job and/or smoking related and I'm past 60.

Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Feb 19 2009 at 4:52 PM EST

Everything in MODERATION People

This is bad for you, this isn't. This is. This isn't. Freakin' exercise a bit and have WHATEVER you want in moderation. I often wonder how my granparents have lived so long, (NINTIES) with out all these 'green' jobs and 'green' AH HA's! That we have now. Sheesh. Waste of time. Common Sense can play a BIG roll in our daily lives. Eat freakin eggs if you want some freakin' eggs!

Posted By Cucina Futuristica - Tue, Jan 13 2009 at 7:33 PM EST

What`s the common diet plan

What`s the common diet plan lacking most ? Leaf vegetables !

Why not add them to your breakfast table ? How ? Try Nettle Jam; the Stinging Nettle Marmalade.

The Pesto-Principle applied to a sweet breadspread is the revolution for breakfast, to replace Jams and Jellies made of fruit that would´ve been healthier consumed fresh without all the sugar anyway and therefore add a new food item like Stinging Nettle. This plant is widely available, even for beginners easy to identify.... More

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