The Healthiest Breakfast Choices
Breakfast isn’t as important as the food industry would have you believe for a reason that has absolutely — ABSOLUTELY!!! — nothing to do with money because being dishonest for the sake of profits isn’t how capitalism works.
Nevertheless, while you don’t have to eat breakfast and nothing bad is going to befall you if you skip it, studies show that people who eat something to start their day are more successful at achieving and maintaining a healthy weight than those who don’t. That sounds like a good reason to eat breakfast, right?
Right!
But not just any breakfast will do, though…
Eat the wrong thing and you’ll set yourself up to feel ravenous later in the day, which can trigger less than ideal food choices and result in weight gain and health-related issues if done consistently over time. Eat the right thing and that won’t happen!
So what’s the right thing to eat for breakfast?
Well, the ideal breakfast should contain a combination of slow-digesting carbs for sustained energy and to help replenish glycogen stores that are depleted as we fast during sleep; fiber to keep you feeling full; and protein and fat to suppress hunger hormones. The following is a list of foods and beverages you can use to build yourself a healthy breakfast that has all those key features.
Healthiest Breakfast Choices:
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Cherries
• Berries1e.g. raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc.
• Grapefruit
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe
• Guava
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Papaya
• Kale
• Spinach
• Bell Peppers
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Butternut Squash
• Beets
• Carrots
• Radishes
• Turnips
• Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Muesli2Untoasted.
• Oatmeal3Rolled or steel-cut.
• Oat Bran
• Wheat Germ
• Buckwheat
• 100% Whole Grain Bread, Rolls, Bagels, English Muffins, Waffles, Pancakes, etc.
• Quinoa
• Lentils
• Nuts4e.g. almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, etc.
• Seeds5e.g. sesame, chia, pumpkin, flax, etc.
• Hummus
• Greek Yogurt
• Kefir
• Feta Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese6Part-skim.
• Ricotta Cheese7Reduced fat.
• Eggs
• Ground Turkey
• Turkey Bacon
• Turkey Sausage
• Crab
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Tofu
• Coffee
• Black Tea
• Green Tea
• 100% Fruit Juice8No added sugar.
• Milk9Skim or low-fat.
Your breakfast should consist of a combination of the above to get the most benefit from it.
Now, that’s what you should eat for breakfast. As to when you should eat it, you should have breakfast at least 1-2 hours upon waking up and always before lifting weights in the morning. If performing AM cardio, however, and you’re under the mistaken impression that doing so fasted does something magical,then get something in you at least 30-45 minutes after your fasted cardio bout.
Glossary: cardio, dietary fat, hormones
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