Nephrologist shares 4 common breakfast mistakes that may hurt kidney health

Are you making breakfast mistakes that may be undermining your health goals? Your kidneys are likely to be one of the first organs to feel the adverse impacts.

A healthy breakfast is essential to keep your energy levels up throughout the day. It also supports vital functions like maintaining blood sugar levels and reducing stress on the kidneys. To understand which morning breakfast habits you should opt for and which to skip, HT Lifestyle reached out to Dr V Chandrasekaran, nephrologist and transplant physician at MGM Healthcare, Chennai, who revealed that breakfast mistakes can put kidney health in serious danger. Since the kidney is responsible for major functions like removing toxins and filtering waste from the blood, the first meal's mistakes cannot be overlooked, otherwise the adverse impact may be extensive.

Sandwich is one of the common breakfast option but the processed bread may not be healthy for kidney health. (Picture credit: Unsplash)

1. Skipping breakfast

Skipping breakfast is common among people who follow intermittent fasting. They usually delay it to noon, especially if it's the 16/8 method, where you fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours. This habit is also seen among those who are in a rush and are getting late for work.

Sharing the kidney-related dangers of missing breakfast, the nephrologist added, “Skipping breakfast disturbs glucose metabolism and promotes insulin resistance, leading to overeating later in the day, a direct path to obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.”

Instead, Dr Chandrasekaran recommended eating a balanced breakfast with complex carbs like oats, millets, lean proteins like eggs, paneer or sprouts and fibre-rich fruits.

2. Eating processed food

They are instant, ready-to-eat and convenient. Processed foods may seem easy to put together, but they are high in preservative content and salt, which may pose a major problem for the kidneys. The doctor said, “ Hidden salt in processed foods like bread, pickles, and cheese increases blood pressure and stresses the kidneys."

If you are wondering what the daily salt intake should be, the doctor recommended it to be under one teaspoon daily at breakfast. If you are looking for savoury foods, Dr Chandrasekaran shared home-cooked, low-salt Indian foods like idli, poha, or upma made without pickles

3. Eating food with too much sugar

Avoid sugary cereals for breakfast! (Picture credit: Freepik)

Similarly, just like salt, another common breakfast mistake is too much sugar! It can creep into breakfast cereals or baked goods. The doctor noted that even sweetened tea, packaged juices, and bakery products need to be monitored because they can spike blood sugar and cause insulin resistance, which is bad for kidney health. He suggested choosing fresh, whole foods like fruit, whole grains or a sugar-free cup of tea or coffee.

4.Processed meats

Choose the better protein and think twice before adding bacon to your breakfast, at least not regularly because they are processed in nature. (Picture credit: Freepik)

Popular breakfasts usually include processed meats like bacon, sausages, and ham. These meats contain high amounts of salt and phosphates that strain kidney functions. It's better to opt for natural proteins like boiled eggs, paneer or nuts.

The nephrologist also shed light on common Indian dishes, which may not be healthy for breakfast every day, like paratha puri, as they contain excess ghee or salt and are deep-fried. He called it ‘kidney-unfriendly.’ Likewise for idli, dosa, he also suggested reducing salt in the batter and highly recommended skipping added oil, pickle and choosing healthy, home-made tomato, mint chutney.

If you are looking for an ideal breakfast that contain all your favourites while also balancing nutrition and kidney health, Dr Chandrasekaransaid, “Two idlis or one dosa (lightly oiled), one boiled egg or sprouts/paneer cubes, a small bowl of fruit (papaya, apple, or orange), nuts, and one to two glasses of water before chai or coffee.”

In the end, it is important to note that your daily breakfast habits are responsible for shaping your health and supporting major physiological functions.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.