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What is A Healthy Breakfast?

Updated: Aug 4, 2023


What exactly is a healthy breakfast you may ask? Most of us really do not know. There are many benefits to eating a healthy breakfast. It helps you control your blood sugar and weight. It prevents you from developing serious illness. A healthy breakfast has protein, fiber, and healthy fat. Too much sugar and carbs can cause health problems.





Foods to Avoid Too Much Of


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You should avoid foods with too much sugar like donuts, pastries, croissants, sweet cereals, and white bread. Cut down on fatty meats such as bacon, and sausage. Instead of having these food items every day try once or twice a week. Start small to change your daily breakfast menu.


Look for vegan bacon and sausage or meats without hormones, antibiotics and sodium nitrate added. Overall, you are not eating a healthy breakfast if you eat a donut or pastry, cereal with high sugar, or pancakes, waffles, eggs with grilled meats every morning. Eat these foods in moderation.



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Foods Recommended For Breakfast by Nutritionists


Oatmeal is recommended by dietitians whether it is steel cut oats, instant, or gluten free. You can add fruit, seeds or nuts to oatmeal for extra nutrition. Oatmeal has protein and will satisfy your hunger. Shredded wheat contains no sugar or sodium and is a good choice unless you are allergic to wheat.

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Any cereal with low sugar, salt, vitamins, and fiber whether hot or cold is a good choice. Other cereals to consider are cream of wheat, cornmeal, millet, and gluten free varieties.


Most nutritionists recommended Greek yogurt but plain yogurt without sugar is a good choice too. You can add fruit to your yogurt, seeds, and nuts. It is filling and when you are in a hurry quick to make. You can bring it to work and have it on your daily break. It is recommended for gut health too.


Eat Whole grain bread instead of white bread. Try wheat, rye, and pumpernickel because these breads have more fiber and nutrition. They go well with eggs and make delicious breakfast sandwiches and toast. You can add peanut butter to bread, nut butters, jam, avocados, bananas, and other topping to make a healthy breakfast. When you have an allergy to wheat gluten free breads are a good alternative.


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Eggs are good source of protein, and you can have them scrambled, hard boiled, over easy, just egg whites, and poached. You can cook eggs in olive oil or a moderate amount of butter. There are egg substitutes if you cannot eat eggs due to chronic illness.



Remember moderation is the key to eating eggs and using butter. Many nutritionists say a moderate amount of butter adds flavor to foods that otherwise might be bland.


Nutritionists do not recommend bacon and sausage but there are vegan options. If you want to eat real bacon and sausage look for varieties without hormones, antibiotics, and harmful sodium additives. Your local supermarket or health food store sell it. Eat a few pieces with your eggs or waffles once or twice a week.


Nuts and seeds added to cereal, pancake mixes, and yogurt add nutrition to your breakfast. There are many types of seeds to try flax, pumpkin, chia, and many others. There are a variety of nuts on the market that provide vitamins and nutrients.



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Berries contain vitamins and nutrients. They are low in calories and go well in cereal, yogurt, on top of waffles, and pancakes. Fresh fruit can be added to cereal, yogurt, waffles, and pancakes.


Don't give up waffles and pancakes look for whole grain waffles or pancake mixes or the frozen variety. They have gluten free frozen waffles too. The frozen waffles and pancakes are easy to make just pop them in your toaster for a few minutes and eat.


A moderate amount of coffee consumption with your breakfast is acceptable according to the Harvard Department of Nutrition. This would mean 2 to 5 cups per day. Moderate coffee consumption is linked to reducing your chances of getting chronic illness. Tea and water can be added to this list.


Check with your doctor or practitioner if you suffer from a chronic disease or are on a special diet due to your health For healthy recipes check out Eating Well, The Real Food Dietitians Breakfast Recipes, and Bon Appetit.



Prepare your breakfast or menu the night before. Get the pan or pot out that you plan to use if you plan to cook eggs, make pancakes, or waffle. Put the ingredients in the refrigerator on a shelf where you can just grab the ingredients. Set the table for yourself and the family the night before.


Keep in simple if you do not have time or do not like to cook. Yogurt and fruit, instant hot cereal or cold, frozen waffles, pancakes, French toast, or plain toast you just put in the toaster and heat. Add peanut butter, jam, or nut butter on whole grain bread instead of white.


Try to eat a variety of healthy foods for breakfast not the same thing every day. On Monday eat an egg and whole wheat toast, Tuesday: peanut butter and bananas on bread, Wednesday: yogurt and fruit with seeds, Thursday: cereal and milk, Friday: an omelet, toast, and bacon, and Saturday: a whole grain bagel and cream cheese.






References:


Eating Well


The Real Food Dietitians Breakfast Recipes


Bon Appetit.


Tips For Planning A Healthy Breakfast

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