I’m sure you’ve heard WHO’s warnings about red meat in general and processed meat in particular. As the latter also includes bacon, one might wonder what to eat for breakfast now that everybody’s favourite morning food (and in my case, favourite day and evening food) has become a pariah. How fortunate then that I happen to be in Spain at the moment and can recommend an alternative that includes absolutely no meat whatsoever.

Say hi to churros: a churro is a deep-fried pastry, the dough of which consists of flour, water and salt. It can vary in shape and size, but it’s always golden and crunchy and very, very fatty. It’s also often dipped in hot chocolate or at least sprinkled with sugar, to further increase the… non-meat factor.

I am constantly amazed that the Spaniards (and many people in Latin America) do in fact eat these for breakfast. I’m a big fan, but seriously, a portion of churros makes bacon and eggs seem like a kale and spirulina smoothie. My attitude to breakfast churros is a mixture of horror and awe with a bit of nutrition knowledge mixed in: respected nutritionists do actually say that IF you’re going to eat something sweet, morning is the best time to do it.

Churros are something I never make myself – not so much for the health reasons, but because it involves deep frying and that’s just too much hassle for me. I do eat them every single time I’m in Spain, though, and usually more than once. If you’re a deep frying queen, you can of course make these yourself. Or have some at your local Spanish restaurant and raise a glass of Sangria to WHO.