Which breakfast is the worst for your gut? Cappuccino and croissant.

Too little protein and too much sugar. Low fiber, too many calories, and poor satiety.

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Cappuccino and croissant served on a bar table

Italians' favorite breakfast, the classic cappuccino and croissant, especially when they go to the café, is also the most unhealthy. It's low in protein and high in sugar, refined fats, and lactose. This combination poses the primary risk of altering the gut flora and slowing digestion , leading to bloating, inflammation, and impaired intestinal transit.

The main reasons why the classic breakfast of cappuccino and croissant is harmful to the intestines are these:

  • Low protein. If breakfast consists mostly of milk and a croissant, protein is relatively low. Protein increases the feeling of satiety and helps maintain blood sugar levels.
  • Too many refined flours and sugars. A traditional croissant provides a lot of rapidly absorbed carbohydrates. This can lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar followed by a crash, leaving you hungry by mid-morning.
  • Saturated fat. They are present in high doses in croissant dough, and slow stomach emptying, can irritate the intestinal walls and trigger local inflammatory mechanisms.
  • Lactose and casein. Cappuccino contains lactose, which often causes abnormal fermentation and bloating if you have an undiagnosed sensitivity or intolerance. Furthermore, the bond between milk proteins and coffee tannins creates compounds that are more difficult for the stomach to digest.
  • Poor fiber. Le fibers They promote intestinal health, nourish the microbiota, and contribute to more regular digestion. A croissant contains very few of them.
  • Unfavorable calorie/satiety ratio. A breakfast with cappuccino and croissant can provide 300-500 kcal, but it leaves you fuller for less time than a breakfast with yogurt, fruit, and whole grains.

A final downside of a cappuccino and croissant breakfast, when it becomes a habit, is that it alters the growth of intestinal bacteria, damaging the basic conditions for the development of the microbiota. Nutritionists say the microbiota should be as diverse as a riverine forest, yet the combination of refined sugars and saturated fats in the cappuccino-croissant combo acts like an agricultural monoculture in our gut, reducing the growth of different microorganism species present in the intestine.

Breakfast with yogurt, oats, fresh fruit and whole wheat bread

To promote a healthy microbiota, a breakfast could include:

  • yogurt natural or kefir;
  • oatmeal or whole wheat bread;
  • fresh fruit (e.g. kiwi, berries or apple);
  • a small amount of nuts or seeds.

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