DIET AND FITNESS:
The Full English Breakfast --Top 10
Health Dangers
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April 9, 2010
By Louise Carr, Contributing Columnist
The smell of bacon and eggs wafting through the kitchen
may be enticing. But what are you doing to your health
when you reach for the frying pan? What are the health
dangers of eating the full English Breakast?
The traditional full English breakfast is made up of eggs
(fried or scrambled), bacon, sausage, fried bread or hash
browns, baked beans, mushrooms and tomatoes.
It’s a full plate. And if you eat it every day you could be
storing up health problems for the future. With more and
more Brits and Americans suffering from high blood
pressure, here are the things you need to watch out for in
the full English breakfast.
1. High Fat Content
The full English is also known as a “fry-up”, which doesn’t
suggest you’re about to enjoy a low-fat meal. If you eat two
sausages and three rashers of bacon you are consuming
around 23 grams of fat (United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database), around a
third of your recommended daily allowance (70g for women
and 90g for men).
Not all fat is bad but we need to monitor saturated fat which
can increase blood cholesterol, thereby raising the risk of
heart disease.
Meat is a good source of protein but sausages and bacon are
high in saturated fat. Fry them in oil or butter and the health
impact skyrockets. Are you also pouring full-fat milk or
cream in the coffee you’re sipping with breakfast? Spreading
butter on your bread? Change to skim or non-fat milk and
reduced-fat spreads to cut fat from your dairy sources.
2. High Salt Content
An average English breakfast contains around 4.52g of salt,
more than half your recommended daily allowance of 6
grams a day. Under the guidelines of the American Heart
Association limiting salt intake to around 4 grams per day,
you're already over your entire day's salt limit once you
finish breakfast.
According to the National Health Service and the American
Heart Association, too much salt raises blood pressure
making it three times more likely that you will suffer from
heart disease or stroke.
Even if you don’t add salt from the shaker you’re not in the
clear, as 75% of the salt we eat comes from the pre-
packaged food we buy. Adding a portion of baked beans to
your English breakfast significantly ups your salt intake in
this way. A Food Standards Agency survey found that
standard baked beans contain on average 2.7g salt, 45% of
the recommended maximum daily intake per day. Add some
rashers of salty bacon and you’ve got a sodium disaster on
your plate.
3. Low Fiber
Starchy foods that are high in nutritious fiber should make
up around one third of everything we eat, according to the
NHS. Wholegrain bread and potatoes are a good source of
fiber so if you’re including wholemeal toast in your full
English you’re heading in the right direction. However, not
all potatoes are guilt-free. Those you coat in oil and fry as
hash browns won’t qualify for full health points.
4. High Sugar Content
Eating too much sugar can lead to obesity and increase your
risk of developing diabetes. Although fried meats and eggs
are low in sugar, what you eat with them can cause
problems. The average can of baked beans contains 20
grams of sugar and is classified as a high-sugar food, the
NHS defines this as having more than 15 grams of sugar per
100 grams. Slathering on the tomato ketchup and brown
sauce also gives an intense sugar hit.
5. High in Preservatives
When your breakfast is made up of mainly processed foods
(packaged bacon, frozen sausages, canned tomatoes and
baked beans) you’re not giving yourself the chance to pick
up the fullest range of nutrients from your food. To get the
most from a healthy diet you should aim for fresh foodstuffs
that have lower levels of artificial additives, limiting as far as
possible your intake of packaged foods that also tend to be
high in added salt and sugar.
6. High in Calories
The typical English breakfast contains around 800 calories, a
big chunk of the 2,000 calories a day for a woman and 2,500
for a man that is recommended by the NHS. Obviously not
recommended for those on a diet. In addition, swallowing so
many calories in one meal limits your ability to source your
total calorie intake from all the main food groups over the
course of the day which is nutritionally better for you.
7. Lack of Vitamins and Minerals
Fruit and vegetables are an important source of the vitamins
and minerals that help us maintain a healthy body. According
to the NHS, statistics show people who eat at least five
portions of fruit and vegetables a day decrease their risk of
stroke, heart disease and cancer. That lonely tomato in your
full English counts as a portion but you are missing a chance
to make an even better start to your five-a-day. A variety of
fruits on cereal or even a fruit smoothie would be a better
boost for your vitamin intake. Many breakfast cereals have
added vitamins or minerals.
8. Low Calcium
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases (NIAMS) quotes national surveys that show
many people consume less than half the amount of calcium
recommended to help prevent osteoporosis. A good source
of calcium is milk and other dairy products. Compared to
cereal or porridge, the English breakfast is significantly
lacking in calcium needed to help keep your bones strong.
9. Low in Omega 3
Omega 3 fatty acids may sound dangerous but they can help
prevent heart disease and stroke while reducing symptoms
of high blood pressure. Foods highest in omega 3 include
coldwater fish and nuts. Adding some smoked mackerel to
your breakfast would boost your omega 3 levels, although if
you’re not keen on fish in the morning you could also try
omega 3-enriched eggs instead of your regular brand.
10. Raises Cholesterol
The eggs in your full English contain cholesterol, although
this is the dietary kind which has less impact on blood
cholesterol than the amount of saturated fat we eat. As
explained above, the full English is a punch in the gut when
it comes to saturated fats. Many people think they should
limit their intake of eggs to minimise their blood cholesterol
but Food Standards Agency guidance suggests if you’re
eating a balanced diet you don't need to worry. Eggs are a
good source of protein, iodine and vitamins D and B2. If you
opt for a healthier way of cooking, poached or boiled, or
make scrambled eggs with skim milk and no butter they
could be one of the saving graces of the otherwise unhealthy
English breakfast.
You're just getting started. Learn more about the
relationship between your diet and your risk for other
diseases and conditions: How Much Is Too Much Salt?
/Sugar-The Disease Connection / Are Diet Sodas Bad for
Your Health? / Ideal Breakfast for Diabetics / Ideal
Breakfast for Arthritis /Healing Foods Links / Foods That
Shrink Your Waist / Foods That Lower Cholesterol/ VLDL-
The Other Cholesterol/ Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure
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