I read just an article—a health blog actually—that asked the question, “Which is Better: A Doughnut or Skipping Breakfast?”* I had a feeling I wouldn’t agree with the writer’s answer even before clicking and reading. Sure enough, she proposed that eating a doughnut is better than not eating breakfast at all.
This kind of question isn’t unique. I can think of a trendy health book, called “Eat This, Not That” by David Zinczenko, asking “which is better” questions about a whole slew of foods. Often I am left with a whole slew of unsatisfactory answers. Why would I choose between the lesser of two evils when I could avoid all the evils?
The doughnut vs. skipping breakfast blog mostly concerns me because of the message it sends. It’s not that I’m saying someone should never eat a doughnut, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that we are doing our bodies a favor by it.
The strongest point made by the doughnut proponent is that eating a doughnut will rev the metabolism. It might sound okay scientifically, but take in mind the psychological aspect. Most people who eat a doughnut for breakfast are more inclined to make poor choices the rest of the day. Would a person have an appetite for a healthy lunch after a breakfast like that? Probably not.
I don’t think an article like this is doing a reader any favors, at least when it comes to instructing on healthier living. What the article did best was entertain; it was a catchy question and a controversial opinion. But let’s keep it real. If I’m going to eat a doughnut, I should at least be sensible enough to call it part of the “other” group.
*Which is Better: A Doughnut or Skipping Breakfast?” by Tanya Jolliffe
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=which_is_better_a_doughnut_or_skipping_breakfast
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