When you think of unhealthy food, your mind jumps to fast food or sweet treats - but your everyday breakfast could actually be worse for you.
A doctor has revealed what the 'most dangerous meal' in the world is and to many people's surprise, it's something the majority of people consumer every single day.
We've long been told the importance of eating a healthy diet and in more recent years, interest in whole foods has sky-rocketed, with many people becoming aware of the damage a diet high in ultra-processed foods can do to our bodies.
Taking to TikTok, Dr Eric Berg, an American doctor and health educator, outlined the reasons why one simple breakfast item could be doing harm to your body.
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"Many people think this meal is actually healthy and it's been normalized because so many people do it, including myself growing up," he explained.
Dr Berg went on to describe the dish as a 'sugar bomb' and 'massive fructose overload', before naming the combination of cereal and a glass of orange juice as the 'most dangerous meal' a human can eat.
A bowl of cereal and glass of fruit juice is a simple breakfast for many out there, with studies implying that a bowl of cereal if the number one breakfast choice for Brits.
While there's plenty of variety when it comes to cereal, with healthier options like wholegrain of high-fibre on offer, the most popular options tend to be the ones that are highly processed and contain a lot of sugar.
This means you are essentially eating a bowl of sweets (plus milk) for breakfast.
Several popular brans contain artificial flavorings, colorings and seed oils, in addition to large quantities of sugar, Dr Berg explained.
"It's the perfect definition of ultra processed foods. [The] ingredients that have been so altered [that] it no longer resembles its original structure," he said.
He went on to add that constantly consuming highly processed and sugary cereals can damage your liver, eventually leading to the development of a fatty liver.
Healthline advises: "Breakfast cereals are highly processed, often packed with added sugar and refined carbs.
"If you eat cereal, read the ingredients list and approach health claims with skepticism. The best cereals are high in fibre and low in sugar."
As for orange juice, you may be wondering how it can be considered a bad option when it's literally one of your five-a-day.
However, it's still not as healthy as eating an orange due to added sugar.
"Orange juice is going in my room 101 of pet hates, because people think it’s healthy when actually, has the same concentration of sugar as a glass of Coke," Giles Yeo, author of Why Calories Don't Count, told the Telegraph.
A healthy alternative, if you have the time and patience, is to squeeze your own orange juice, as this will be free from the added sugar and preservatives found in juices purchased from a store.
In moderation, orange juice is a good source of fibre and can help to lower inflammation.
Topics: Health, Food And Drink
Danni King