When you start your day with a healthy breakfast, you can boost your productivity, improve your concentration and get more of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. You're also likely to take in less fat and cholesterol during the day. Regularly eating a good breakfast helps with weight management and can even help lower your cholesterol. You have several options for building a balanced meal with healthy breakfast products.
Components
Build your breakfast meal with nutrient-dense components that get you going in the morning and help you feel full. Include three to four breakfast products, making your selections from a variety of food groups to ensure balance. Choose from whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy and fruits and vegetables. Limit added sugar, fat and sodium from condiments such as jelly, butter and syrup. Keep your portions in line with your calorie needs. Processed breakfast products, such as cereal bars, pop-tarts and frozen waffles, should be limited in a healthy diet.
Whole Grains
Reduce your intake of refined grains, such as white bread and biscuits, opting instead for whole grain breakfast products. Oatmeal, whole wheat bread, granola, bran muffins, muesli and shredded wheat make good options. When you shop for ready-to-eat cereal, look for products that are whole grain, high in fiber and that contain no added sugar. A food is a good source of dietary fiber if it contains at least 2.5 g, which is 10 percent of the daily reference value established by the Food and Drug Administration.
Lean Protein and Dairy
Include a lean protein or dairy product with your breakfast to provide a healthful balance of nutrients. Good protein options include eggs, peanut butter, walnuts, chicken or turkey. You can add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter to a slice of whole wheat bread, for example, or sprinkle chopped walnuts in your oatmeal. Use fat-free or low-fat milk or soy milk in your cereal or as a beverage with your breakfast.
Fruits and Vegetables
A breakfast omelet with tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach, or any combination of veggies, gives you a healthy way to incorporate vegetables into your morning meal. Berries make ideal breakfast products, adding sweetness to hot or cold cereal. Any variety of fruit, whether fresh, frozen, canned or dried, makes a healthy breakfast choice. However, you should watch for added sugar or syrup in frozen or canned fruit products. You should get most of your fruit servings from whole or cut-up fruit, and consuming juice less often, noting that 1/2 cup of 100 percent juice counts as one serving from the fruit group.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Breakfast: Quick, Flexible Options to Grab at Home
- Weight-Control Information Network: Better Health and You
- Harris Teeter: Eating a Healthy Breakfast
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Q&A
- American Council on Exercise: Don't Skip Breakfast to Cut Calories
- MedlinePlus: Carbohydrates
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