NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan has encouraged his followers to opt for an enjoyable breakfast that not only benefits the health of your gut, but can also boost your stress level too
Some say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and whilst that may not be scientifically proven, there are ways to ensure you make the most of your health in the morning. Indeed, Dr Karan Rajan has suggested one particular source of food is great for the gut – and surprisingly, it’s delicious.
A recent survey of 2,000 Brits found that a quarter regularly skip the first meal of the day, with a lack of variety, time constraints, and saving themselves for a larger lunch being cited as the main reasons. Meanwhile, the majority of those who do eat breakfast say they enjoy it – with 47% of the opinion it is in fact most important meal of the day.
So what does Dr Rajan suggest we eat? “This is my legal argument to explain why croissants should be considered a gut health food,” he began in a video shared to Instagram.
The doctor continued, pointing out that in order for the croissant to be healthy, it must come in traditional form – i.e. made using a laminated yeast dough that undergoes a slow fermentation process.
“This process allows the yeast and lactic acid bacteria to partially break down some of the starches and gluten,” he elaborated. “This makes the final product easy to digest compared to unfermented white bread.”
Dr Rajan continued, explaining that fermentation can also lead to the production of organic acids, which can improve the glycemic response. “When you have a freshly-baked croissant and allow it to cool before eating, a portion of its starch retrogrades into resistant starch,” he said.
“This resistant starch isn’t digested in the small intestine, but travels to the colon where it feeds good bacteria – and then produces colon-nourishing short-chain fatty acids like butyrate.”
So how do we benefit from this?” The doctor explained that butyrate is useful for maintaining a healthy gut lining, and on top of that, having foods and drinks that are more enjoyable to indulge in can improve stress levels too.
“We know that chronic stress is a disruptor of the gut-brain axis,” Dr Rajan added. “A croissant savoured in a mindful breakfast setting may sometimes be better for you than eating perfect foods under constant guilt.”
Writing in response, a dietician backed up the doctor’s suggestion. “Croissants are something I recommend to my clients with diabetes who are struggling with feeing restricted!” exclaimed Annabelle Johnson. “The ratio of fat to carbs in them actually make them pretty mild on most people’s blood sugar!”
She added: “Having protein and fat with a meal can lower the glycemic load of that meal. Having toast with avocado and eggs would lend to less of a peak in blood sugar as opposed to just toast alone.”
It’s recommended by the NHS to eat a healthy, balanced diet as a way of maintaining good health. It’s recommended to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, base meals on higher fibre starchy foods, include some dairy or dairy alternatives, eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein, and drink plenty of fluids.
Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol int he blood, which increases the risk of developing heart disease. If in doubt, speak to your GP.