My favorite breakfast is milk tea! Nutritionist: Be careful of excessive refined sugar

Among the three meals, breakfast is the most important. The survey pointed out that more than 90% of the people are accustomed to buying breakfast in breakfast shops, and nearly 30% of the people most often buy tea drinks such as milk tea, black tea, and green tea. Among them, 40% of the people think that breakfast drinks can be delicious as long as they are delicious, and whether the drinks are healthy and nutritious is a secondary condition, indicating that the concept of healthy and nutritious breakfast drinks still needs to be strengthened.

Chinese people generally lack the concept of nutritional value when it comes to breakfast drinks. Nutritionists recommend choosing more high-quality protein to make breakfast healthier.

Dr. Wu Ying-jung, executive director of the Taiwan Nutrition Foundation, said that Taiwan has a rich variety of breakfast dishes, with many options available, whether it is Chinese egg pancakes, radish cakes, or Western sandwiches and bread; however, when it comes to breakfast drinks, many people regard them as "supporting roles" and ignore the "importance of the first cup of breakfast."

The most popular breakfast beverages: milk tea, black tea

According to the results of the "Breakfast Beverage Purchasing Behavior Survey" conducted by the Taiwan Nutrition Foundation, 90.0% of the people most often buy breakfast at breakfast shops because it is convenient (71.9%) and fast (65.8%). As for cheapness (43.3%) and hygiene (31.0%), they are secondary considerations.

The most popular breakfast drink among Taiwanese people is tea drinks such as milk tea, black tea or green tea (26.6%), because they taste good (41.0%) and can bring plenty of energy (25.3%). Soy milk came in second (25.7%), and more than half (52.9%) of them drank soy milk to meet their health and nutrition needs.

Dr. Wu Ying-Rong emphasized that it is obvious from the survey that the younger the Taiwanese consumers are, the more they pay attention to the taste of the beverages and ignore other added values, while the older they are, the more they pay attention to health, nutrition and hygiene.

Dr. Wu Yingrong (pictured) stressed that drinking too many sugary drinks for breakfast can make it difficult to concentrate. (Photo/Reporter Zhang Shijie)

Beware of increased risk of metabolic abnormalities from sugary drinks

However, people should be reminded that although the drinks at breakfast shops taste good, if you are not careful in choosing, you can easily consume too much refined sugars, especially sugary drinks which have calories but no nutrition. Drinking too much will only make you feel listless and cause a "compensation mentality". You may have the urge to eat more at noon, or the chances of consuming more high-calorie snacks will increase significantly. Not only will you have trouble concentrating, but in the long run your risk of developing metabolic syndrome will also increase significantly.

In addition, the creamer added to milk tea also has the risk of trans fat, which will increase the risk of cholesterol, make blood vessels more susceptible to blockage and inflammation, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is a health killer that people cannot feel. On the other hand, the survey shows that only 2.5% of consumers choose fresh milk as a breakfast drink, which is completely different from the traditional concept of drinking fresh milk for breakfast.

Dr. Wu Yingrong also reminded that most Chinese people do not have the habit of drinking fresh milk for lunch and dinner. If they do not drink fresh milk for breakfast, they cannot meet the nutritional recommendation of 2 servings of milk per day. If they do not know how to take high-calcium foods, they will face the risk of calcium deficiency in the long term. Therefore, it is recommended that people should drink more high-quality fresh milk beverages to nourish their bones as early as possible to prevent osteoporosis in the elderly and calcium deficiency crisis.

In addition, nutritionist Li Wanping also suggested that the most perfect breakfast must contain 3 proportions:

1. Staple foods: The proportion is about 50%~60%, such as wheat flakes, oats or bagels.

2. Egg white: 20% ratio, can be eaten with soy milk or milk, etc.

3. Oils: Use healthy oils from nuts, such as almonds or sesame seeds, at a ratio of 30%.

Nutritionist Li Wanping (pictured) reminds us to carefully choose the source of breakfast drinks so that we can drink them more healthily and safely. (Photo/Reporter Zhang Shijie)

Extra points for fresh milk, soy milk, and yogurt breakfast drinks

It is actually very simple for those who eat out to have an extra breakfast. Fresh milk, soy milk and yogurt each have their own strengths. According to the "6 major food categories in the daily dietary guidelines", fresh milk and yogurt belong to the "dairy category", while soy milk belongs to the "beans, fish, meat and eggs category". Drinking them in turn for breakfast can make the nutrition more balanced. Fresh milk has a high calcium content and good absorption rate, making it the best food source for calcium supplementation.

In addition, soy milk is rich in plant protein and soy isoflavones. High-fiber soy milk is more filling, which helps improve concentration and make reactions more flexible. Yogurt, like fresh milk, contains high-quality protein and high-quality good bacteria that can inhibit bad intestinal bacteria and maintain a good bacterial phase. If the body has more good bacteria, constipation is less likely, which can help smooth intestinal function.