Your cozy fall breakfast might be making you colder and more tired
Coffee and a bagel feel like comfort, but cozy foods like sweet potatoes and oatmeal are what actually keep you warm.
That coffee and bagel can leave you feeling colder
That hot coffee and toasted bagel might feel like the perfect breakfast on a chilly fall morning. But what if they’re actually setting you up to feel colder and more tired later?
As temperatures drop, your body has to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. It has to use energy on top of that to break down food, absorb nutrients and process them.
Protein generally requires the most energy to digest, followed by carbohydrates and fat.
Why do you sometimes feel colder after eating?
A breakfast built mostly around refined carbohydrates (like a sugary coffee and bagel) can be digested relatively quickly.
(MORE: Why some produce tastes better in the fall)
Your blood sugar rises rapidly and the resulting energy boost can be short-lived.
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When blood sugar falls again, you may feel sluggish, tired and, for some people, chilly.
That’s because after you eat, blood flow increases to your digestive system to help process the meal.
The combination of digestion, blood-flow changes and a post-meal energy slump can make you perceive the cold more strongly.
How to keep your meals (and body) cozy
Give your internal furnace longer-burning fuel.
Think oatmeal, sweet potatoes, winter squash and other root vegetables that are already popular this time of year.
(MORE: Types of squash every home gardener should know)
Their complex carbohydrates and fiber provide a steadier source of energy.
Add protein and healthy fats like eggs with sweet potato, nuts on oatmeal or avocado on whole-grain toast, and you've got a breakfast that can keep you fueled for longer.
Good news for your pumpkin spice latte
You can still keep that fun fall coffee. Just don't let caffeine and refined carbs do all the heavy lifting.
(MORE: Stay warm with this classic hot mulled cider recipe)
Because a cozy meal shouldn't just feel warm. It should help your body do what it does best, even when the weather outside is anything but cozy.
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