Eating a healthy breakfast is extremely important to your overall health and weight goals. While it may be tempting to skip the first meal of the day if you're trying to lose weight in an effort to reduce calories, failing to eat breakfast can lead you to overeating from increased hunger later and reduce your energy levels, making it harder to exercise. Making healthy choices at breakfast also helps you meet your vitamin and mineral requirements, increases your concentration and can even lower your cholesterol.
Dairy
Dairy products provide calcium, vitamin D and other vitamins and nutrients that help you feel full and promote strong bones and a healthy immune system. Since dairy products can be fattening, opt for low-fat products with your breakfast, such as a glass of reduced fat milk, low-fat cheese in an omelet or a small bowl of cottage cheese with fresh fruit. Yogurt is also a healthy breakfast choice because it provides valuable nutrients as well as probiotics, healthy bacteria that keep your digestive system healthy. If you're not a fan of yogurt alone, try blending it with fresh fruit and ice to make a smoothie or mixing in whole grain cereal or nuts for added nutrition and texture.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables help you feel full longer due to the fiber content and include several vitamins and nutrients to give you energy to start your day. All fresh fruits and vegetables are suitable choices, and you can add them in with sugar-free fruit juice or low-sodium vegetable juices if you prefer. If the thought of eating vegetables first thing in the morning isn't appealing, try mixing them in an omelet or adding them to a breakfast burrito in a whole grain tortilla with low-fat cheese.
Grains
Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates, giving your body the fuel it needs to begin your day. Stay away from refined products like white bread and sugary, processed cereals. Whole grain bagels and bread make a delicious toasted treat in the morning. If you don't feel like eating much, munching on a few whole wheat crackers or a bran muffin along with some fruit and yogurt or a glass of milk helps you get the nutrients you need without a large plate of food.
Protein
Incorporating protein into your breakfast can help you reduce your hunger through the rest of your day, according to a 2011 study conducted by Heather Leidy, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri. The study found that teenagers who consumed a healthy breakfast high in protein reduced hunger levels as measured by brain signals and hormone levels related to food motivation compared to other teens who skipped breakfast. The more protein the teens consumed, the less hungry they felt before lunch. Choosing low-fat options, such as chicken or turkey or low-fat peanut butter, helps you control calories while providing your body with protein. Try adding peanut butter to apple slices or celery sticks or adding turkey bacon or whole grain cereal to your morning to add in protein.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Breakfast: How Does It Help Weight Control?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Breakfast: Quick, Flexible Options to Grab at Home
- KidsHealth: Ready, Set, Breakfast!
- Dairy Council of California: Nutrients in Milk
- Science Daily; Eat a Protein-Rich Breakfast to Reduce Food Cravings, Prevent Overeating Later, Researcher Finds; May 2011
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