You’re late for work and running on empty. You decide to grab a bagel on the way. Well, you think to yourself, it’s much better nutritionally than fast food or doughnuts. Or is it?
Some folks who are 100% pro the Dr. Atkins’ Diet would beg to differ, but I think occasional carbs for breakfast
Back to the Bagel. It is a round bread, with a hole in the middle, made of gluten flour, salt, water, yeast and malt. Its dough is boiled, then baked, and it possess a yeasty, chewy inner texture. To me, a bagel is irresistible! Doughnuts on the other hand, I do not like much. Even the plain kind, is perhaps one of the most fattening breakfast options available. However, that doesn’t stop millions of people from indulging in them terrible doughnuts for breakfast. Bagels, on the other hand, can be considered a much healthier option for breakfast than doughnuts ever will be.
It is impossible to make a blanket statement that all bagels are good or all bagels are bad. If you eat too many bagels, they can be bad for you. However, if you select the right type, bagels can be a good choice for breakfast as a part of a well-balanced diet.
For example, a medium plain bagel contains about 289 calories and 1.68 g of fat. It has no cholesterol, but it does contain 561 g of sodium. However, it also contains 2.4 g of fiber and 11.03 g of protein. On its own, a plain bagel is not loaded with bad ingredients. If you’re too obsessed with the carbs in your diet then there are also supplements you can take, which can block the carbohydrates, and they are simply known as carbo blockers. Normally these are taken a half hour before meals.
The type of bagel matters when you look at it from a nutritional angle. A multigrain or whole-wheat bagel is healthier, since it will be higher in fiber and made with unrefined flour. However, many flavored bagels have additional sugar, cheese or other ingredients that might lessen the nutritional value.
Unhealthful toppings can make bagels bad for you, while healthful ones can help make bagels a good choice for breakfast or a snack. Cream cheese and butter are a definite no-no. These toppings are popular but loaded with fat and empty calories. However, low-fat peanut butter, low-fat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, pesto or fresh fruit are great alternatives that will not add unwanted fats to the meal.
The bottom line:
If you are on a diet or watching your weight, bagels may not be the best breakfast option for you. If you are not watching your weight, then bagels with some low fat and low sugar toppings are a really good supplement and energy booster to start your day off with.
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