Eating a healthy breakfast before starting your day kick starts your metabolism and gives you the energy you need.
Nutrition experts recommend eating a breakfast high in fibre, protein and fruit.
If you don’t have time to cook a full meal, try a smoothie for a quick and nutritious way to start the day. Add kefir to boost your protein and calcium intake, and finish with a sprinkle of nuts for healthy fats.
Protein
Protein is an important part of a healthy breakfast because it helps you feel full for longer and balances blood sugar levels. It also supports muscle health and weight loss, and it reduces calorie intake later in the day by improving the levels of appetite-regulating hormones.
Adding a high-protein breakfast to your diet can help you lose more weight than skipping it. In fact, one study found that teens who replaced their usual cereal-based breakfast with an egg-rich meal lost 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) more body fat than those who skipped breakfast or ate a lower-protein breakfast.
Fiber
A healthy breakfast is a perfect time to get in your recommended daily dose of fiber. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults eat at least 28 grams of fiber per day.
A high-fiber diet can help minimize constipation, regulate hunger cues, keep blood sugar in check, slow glucose absorption, promote heart health and more.
The best way to increase your dietary fiber is by including a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes in your meals.
Soluble fiber, such as the pectin found in citrus fruits, helps prevent constipation and maintain a normal bowel function. It also reduces the risk of certain diseases, such as colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Soluble fiber can also aid in lowering low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol.
Fruit
Fruit is one of the most nutritious breakfast options. It’s high in vitamin C, potassium, fiber and low in calories.
It also aids in weight loss and detoxification. Eating a bowl of fruits in the morning will help improve your energy levels and give you clearer thinking.
Whether you prefer a fresh fruit salad or a smoothie, eating fruit in the morning will make you feel fuller for longer and won’t cause you to overeat later on. In fact, it can even help you lose belly fat!
Vegetables
Vegetables are a great source of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. They are also high in dietary fiber and antioxidants that protect the body from disease.
Vegetables come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with different parts of the plant used to make food. These include root, stem, flower, leaf, and fruit vegetables.
Aside from being a great source of nutrition, vegetables are also low in calories and fat. This makes them an ideal choice for healthy breakfasts!
To help you get the most out of your veggies, be sure to eat them in combination with other nutritious foods. Try adding a serving of vegetables to a meal that contains protein and whole grains like oatmeal or a big omelet.
Whole grains
Adding whole grains to your breakfast can boost your intake of plant-based protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. A serving of whole grains provides about 6 grams of fiber and a variety of important nutrients, including B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, iron, zinc, and thiamine.
According to MyPlate, a healthy diet should include at least six 1-ounce servings of grains per day. Ideally, three of these servings should be whole grains (such as brown rice, barley, quinoa, millet, and amaranth).
Whole grains retain all the components of the original grain kernel–the bran, germ, and endosperm–which means they provide more fiber than refined grains do. They also offer heart-healthy soluble fiber, which can help control appetite and promote a feeling of fullness.