Expert warns against including this item in your next Full English
Rachael Davis
Featured Image Credit: Andrea Kennard Photography via Getty Images
A Full English has plenty of nutrition to it, especially if you’re partial to including beans, tomatoes, and mushrooms alongside the eggs, sausages, and bacon.
Of course, this nutrition is somewhat tempered by the hefty amount of grease and complex carbohydrates that come with it. If you love a slice of fried toast, the grease speaks for itself.
BBC Good Food reckons the average one will contain 807 calories, amounting to about 34% of the 2,500 daily intake recommended for men and 42% of the 2,000 calories recommended for women.
That’s a hefty chunk of the day’s calories, but the big glut of grub should keep your appetite at bay and your energy levels high for a fair old while.
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The exact makeup of a Full English varies from household to household and greasy spoon to greasy spoon, but there are a few staples that most won’t do without.
A 2021 X poll posted by LADBible found that followers viewed sausages as the most vital of Full English ingredients.
According to Daniel Herman, a nutrition expert and founder of Bio-Synergy, there’s one ingredient that’s best excluded.
Herman told the Daily Express: "Breakfast is definitely my favourite meal, and a full English is a real treat, however it does have some drawbacks.
He then deals the hammer blow squarely on the aforementioned fried toast.
"Frying bread in butter adds a significant amount of saturated fat to the dish, which can result in an increased risk of heart disease and high cholesterol levels," he said.
"Fried bread provides very few essential nutrients compared to whole grain bread or other healthier alternatives. It lacks fibre, vitamins, and minerals that are important for overall health."
He added fried foods are generally “associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other chronic health conditions”. As with most things, fried grub is best enjoyed in moderation.
Alanna Kate Derrick, a personal trainer and nutrition coach from Gold BJJ, said that fried bread isn’t worth the health implications, even though she “absolutely gets the appeal”.
"But from a nutritional perspective, fried white bread tends to be calorically dense yet lacking in vitamins, minerals, fibre and other beneficial nutrients our bodies need," she said.
"The high heat and oil it's cooked in can also render some of the existing nutrients less bioavailable."
Herman did note, however, that plenty of Full English ingredients are worth eating, namely the eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and beans.
He also recommended a good alternative to the much-loved fried toast.
“Mash up some avocado and spread it on whole grain toast for a nutritious and delicious alternative to fried bread," he added.
"Avocado provides healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals."