The most important meal of the day should be just that—important! While it’s tempting to think of breakfast as an indulgence, it’s one of the best ways to get the nutrients you need without filling up on empty calories.
Start your day off right with one of these ten foods and you won’t have to worry about skipping breakfast later in the day.
1) Berries
When you think of healthy breakfast options, berries probably aren’t one of them. These popular fruits are often overlooked as something sweet to eat for dessert, but berries are chock-full of antioxidants and other vitamins that can help give you a boost before you start your day.
Blueberries and raspberries, in particular, are both rich in vitamin C and manganese, which play an important role in converting food into energy.
Have a handful of either with some low-fat Greek yogurt for added protein and some crunchy granola for added texture!
2) Eggs
Eggs are loaded with protein, making them a great way to start your day. But if you’re looking for something other than scrambled or over-easy, try one of these options: Eggs Benedict is an egg dish that consists of an English muffin topped with ham or Canadian bacon and poached eggs.
In its simplest form, it’s made with just ham and hollandaise sauce. But you can also add spinach or asparagus for some green in your breakfast; add cheese to make it even more filling; add potatoes to turn it into a full meal.
3) Spinach
Popeye was onto something with his spinach obsession. Spinach is an excellent source of iron, magnesium, B vitamins, and antioxidants like beta-carotene and lutein, which help protect against certain types of cancer.
Spinach also contains a slew of other nutrients that have been shown to aid in eye health and support bone strength (bonus: it’s low-calorie).
Toss some fresh spinach into a smoothie or try it sautéed in garlic oil for an easy side dish that would pair perfectly with your morning eggs.
4) Bananas
Bananas are high in fiber but low in fat and sugar. They’re also packed with nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, and B6. Plus, bananas contain tryptophan which helps your body produce serotonin—the happy hormone that regulates appetite and is crucial for a healthy mood.
If you want to rev up your metabolism and improve digestion, add more bananas to your diet. And, of course, there’s all that potassium! Potassium keeps our electrolytes balanced (which helps prevent muscle cramps), maintains bone health, and supports cardiac function.
5) Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great option for breakfast. The soluble fiber in oatmeal can help you feel full for hours and helps stabilize blood sugar levels to keep you from getting hungry again too soon.
But don’t just grab any oatmeal off the shelf: Be sure to choose regular, whole-grain oats over instant varieties, which have lost much of their fiber during processing.
While there are lots of different ways to prepare oatmeal—try steel-cut oats or rolled oats—one of our favorites is to simply add milk and let it sit for about 20 minutes before eating it as porridge with fresh fruit on top!
6) Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are loaded with good fats (like omega-3 fatty acids) that help you lose weight. They’re also filled with fiber, which will keep you feeling full, prevent overeating, and boost heart health.
Some of our favorites include walnuts, pistachios, almonds, flaxseed (1/4 cup), chia seeds (1/4 cup), peanuts (1/4 cup), sunflower seeds (2 Tbsp.), pumpkin seeds (2 Tbsp.), sesame seeds (1 Tbsp.), and hemp seeds or sunflower seed butter.
If nut butter is more your style try almond or peanut butter instead. Eat 2 Tbsp., 2–3 times a day to get a healthy dose of fat in your diet.
7) Whole grains
Whole grains have been shown to have a beneficial effect on health and can help you lose weight. Whole grains contain fiber, which aids in digestion and keeps blood sugar levels steady.
Not only that, but according to a study from UCLA, people who eat at least three servings of whole grains per day are 42 percent less likely to be overweight than those who don’t.
Try starting your day with wheat berries (another name for hard red wheat) or whole-grain cereal like Special K.
Use whole grain flour when making pancakes, muffins, and cookies, or for thickening soups and stews—it’s tastier than white flour!
And remember the more words on your food label that start with whole, multi, or stone, the better!
8) Coffee
After dinner, your body slows down the production of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and speeds up the production of leptin (the satiety hormone).
That makes it easier to fall asleep on a full stomach. When you wake up in the morning, that pattern is reversed. If you drink coffee just before bed, you’ll stay up later because caffeine keeps your brain alert.
And when you sleep fewer hours than usual, your metabolism slows down to compensate for all those extra calories you consumed while watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
In other words: Coffee has a bad reputation for packing on pounds, but if it’s part of a healthy breakfast routine—i.e., one that also includes protein and fiber—it can have a slimming effect.
9) Almond milk
Almond milk is made from blanched almonds and can be used in place of cow’s milk for everything from cereal to smoothies.
Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, which helps prevent cell damage, so you get protection from free radicals that can lead to cancer, heart disease, and premature aging.
In addition, almond milk is low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol or lactose (meaning it’s easier on your digestive system).
It’s also a good source of calcium, which helps maintain strong bones; phosphorus, a nutrient that supports healthy energy metabolism; manganese, a trace mineral needed for enzyme function; and magnesium and potassium, which promote heart health.
10) Avocado
Despite its buttery, fatty reputation, an avocado contains good-for-you monounsaturated fats and can be one of your best bets for breakfast. With more potassium than a banana, avocados help fight high blood pressure and fatigue.
If you’re looking to add some healthy fat to your morning meal, you can’t go wrong with half of an avocado.
If you have trouble getting all that goodness down at once, spread some on toast for some slow-burning energy throughout your morning.
One whole avocado packs about four grams of fiber—that’s twice as much as what most people get in their daily diet!
Add Comment