It’s an old but imperative saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Break-the-fast!” To this day, that same sentiment rings true. Eating breakfast gets your energy up, metabolism going, reduces cravings and also helps to control overall calorie consumption throughout the day. Yet, so many people rush around in the morning, leaving the house with just a coffee in hand. Ideally, breakfast should be eaten within the first half-hour of waking, accompanied with water (or non-fat milk, or 100% Fruit Juice if it fits into your fueling plan), and should consist of minimally processed food items that are high in fiber and balance carbs, protein and fat.
Some breakfast ideas, on the healthier side:
1 – Egg Breakfast varieties: Eggs or Egg Whites (scrambled, poached, hard-boiled), a choice of whole wheat toast/tortillas/sweet potatoes/quinoa/gluten free, flour-less muffins, with a grapefruit or fruit/vegetable of choice
2- Dairy based varieties: Low-fat Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese, with Sliced Pineapple and topped with shredded wheat or a high-fiber cereal
3- Cereal varieties: A choice of Oatmeal/Cream of Buckwheat/Quinoa Flakes/Kashi Go Lean crunch (or any high-fiber cereal, low in sugar) with non-fat milk or almond/soy/hemp milk and sliced bananas. Depending on your fueling needs, try adding raw almonds or almond butter.
4- Quick and Traditional: Whole Wheat Bread or Brown Rice or Corn Tortilla with natural nut butter and a sliced banana or apple.
5- Leftovers: Heat up left-overs from dinner! Or try a breakfast that is not so traditional: turkey sandwich, chicken and quinoa, quinoa fruit and nut salad, bean and rice burrito with avocado.
Most important, choose healthy food items that are going to encourage you to eat breakfast most consistently!
I often post recipes that I like from the Clean Eating magazine. In each magazine they also offer a supermarket guide to particular food items they approve of. In their July 2011 issue, they offer insight to 5 cereals they have approved to start your day off right, that I thought I would share with you. Generally when looking at cereals, I aim for the ones that have the fewest ingredients, offer beneficial nutrients like fiber (3g or more per serving is great) and calcium and are low in sugar (<10g ideal), sodium and fat.
Clean Eating Magazine approved cereals and nutrition content per serving:
1 – Barbara’s Shredded Wheat: The crunchy cereal has 5 g Fiber, 1 g Fat, 0 g Sugar, 4 g Protein, 0 mg Sodium
2- Nature’s Path Organic Mesa Sunrise: Gluten and Wheat Free cereal with 3 g Fiber, 1 g Fat, 4 g Sugar, 3 g Protein, 125 mg Sodium
3- Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin: Sprouted grains with natural sweetness containing 2g Fiber, 2.5 g Fat, 8 g Sugar, 7 g Protein, 160 mg Sodium
4- Kashi 7 Whole Grain Honey Puffs – 22 grains in every bowl with 2 g Fiber, 1 g Fat, 6 g Sugar, 3 g Protein, 0 mg Sodium
5- Bob’s Red Mill 7-Grain Hot Cereal: High-protein grains with a mild, nutty flavor and 6 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 1 g Sugar, 6 g Protein, 0 mg Sodium
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