Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, supplying you with the calories needed to rev up your energy and get you moving. Your first meal of the day also requires enough nutrition to keep you satisfied until lunch. A bagel is a healthy choice for breakfast for most people, providing a boost of calories and nutrients without a lot of fat. Bagels are quite high in sodium, however.
Calories and Toppings
A 3 3/4-oz. bagel contains 273 calories; this amount varies if you eat a bagel with flavorings, seeds or fruit in it. You are best served by a breakfast with calories ranging from 350 to 500, according to Go Ask Alice! Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service, so the toppings you use on your bagel can get this chewy baked good to the correct calorie level. For example, 1 tbsp. of cream cheese adds 34 calories, although lower-calorie cream cheese options exist. Another common topping for bagels is jelly; this can contribute 55 calories for every tbsp. You may also choose to top your bagel with smoked salmon or lox, which can layer on an additional 33 calories per ounce.
Macronutrients
One bagel has 54.3 g of carbohydrates -- a significant portion of the 130 g of carbs suggested for inclusion in your daily meal plan by the Institute of Medicine. While your carbohydrate needs may vary with your genetics and lifestyle, consuming too many carbs can contribute to weight gain. When including a bagel in your diet, cut down on carbs in your remaining meals. You will also get 9.3 g of protein in a bagel, or 16.6 to 20.2 percent of the amount you should eat each day. Bagels are low in fat, with 2.6 g per bagel.
Vitamins and Minerals
Including a bagel in your diet for breakfast helps you get the iron your body needs each day to ensure optimal oxygen levels in your tissues. One bagel provides 20 percent of the daily recommended intake of iron. You will also get 4 percent of the calcium you need daily per bagel, which contributes to the strength of your bones.
Sodium
Your meal plan should contain no more than 1500 to 2300 mg of sodium per day, and eating a bagel contributes 483.8 mg to the limit. It is particularly important for you to monitor your sodium intake if you suffer from heart disease or are at risk of heart disease, as the sodium in a bagel may increase your risk of high blood pressure.
References
- Fitbit: Nutritional Information, Diet Info and Calories in Plain Bagel
- McKinley Health Center: Macronutrients: The Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat
- Go Ask Alice; Breakfast: The First Chance to Fill Your Tank; January 22, 2009
- Fitbit: Nutritional Information, Diet Info and Calories in Cream Cheese
- Fitbit: Nutritional Information, Diet Info and Calories in Jelly
- Fitbit: Nutritional Information, Diet Info and Calories in Salmon, Chinook, Smoked Lox
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