14. White Toast with Jam
This combination is a breakfast staple in many households, largely because it’s quick, cheap, and familiar. Unfortunately, both halves of this pairing work against you nutritionally. White bread is made from flour that’s had the bran and germ, the fibre-rich parts of the wheat grain, removed during processing. What’s left digests quickly, causing the same fast blood sugar rise and subsequent dip seen throughout this list.
Jam compounds the issue. While it’s made from fruit, the fruit is cooked down and combined with a large amount of added sugar to achieve its thick, spreadable texture and long shelf life. A couple of tablespoons of jam can contain several teaspoons’ worth of sugar, layered directly on top of the fast-digesting white bread underneath it.
Together, white toast and jam create a breakfast that offers a quick burst of energy and very little else: minimal fibre, minimal protein, and very few of the vitamins or minerals you’d want to start your day with. It’s satisfying in the moment but rarely keeps you full until lunch.
Better choice: Swap to a wholegrain or seeded bread for extra fibre, and replace the jam with mashed avocado, a nut butter, or a thin layer of jam alongside some protein, like a boiled egg, to balance out the meal and keep you fuller for longer.