It isn’t a myth. Your parents were right: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Want to improve your overall health, lose or maintain weight and concentrate better? Then don’t even think about skipping your breakfast. Instead, kick-start your mornings with a balanced, nutritional and healthy breakfast to prepare you for your long day.
It’s essential to eat a proper breakfast rather than filling up on carbs and sugar. A study shows that a protein-filled breakfast (say about 35 grams or more) can get rid of pointless snacking and can control your appetite throughout the day. It’s also suggested that “eating protein early in the day seems to affect gastrointestinal hormones, which signal the brain to adjust appetite and satiety.” So, forget about the toast and start replacing it with things like eggs, oats, nuts and Greek yogurt. Of course, if you’re looking for something quick and easy, you can always make a smoothie and add your yogurt along with fresh berries and a natural protein powder.
Before we move on to some of our favourite healthy breakfast options, let us share a tip. Start your morning with a glass of water and fresh lemon. Remember, you’ve been sleeping for at least 6-7 hours, which means your body needs hydration. The juice from half a lemon contains vitamin C, which supports your immune system. Lemon juice also aids digestion, repairs skin, reduces appetite, cleanses the urinary tract, promotes overall health, freshens breath and detoxifies your body. Okay, one more tip: try to have your breakfast within one hour of waking up. And now, let’s talk delicious and healthy breakfast ideas.
Beans, Cheese & Salsa
Think Mexican flavours: yummy, nutritional and rich in protein. Add it to an egg-white omelette with cheese and salsa if you have leftover chilli from the night before. If you like it a bit creamier but don’t want all the fat, replace the sour cream with plain Greek Yogurt.
Fruit Parfaits
Some people can’t handle the chilli in the morning. No problem. Fruit parfaits are sweet, easy to make, still nutritious and contain just the right amount of protein. Mix in your favourite berries with nuts, seeds (Flax, Hemp & Chia are great options) and Greek Yogurt and stay full all morning. The perfect breakfast for those with a sweet tooth.
Omelette
Eggs are easy and straightforward. You can have ’em in many ways. If you’re counting your calories or are worried about your cholesterol, use egg whites. Add your favourite veggies, herbs and some feta cheese to make it extra tasty.
Oatmeal
A perfect and traditional breakfast for those cold winter mornings. All you need is plain instant oat (don’t buy the packaged ones, though, they’re filled with sugar), low-fat milk, sliced almonds, flax seeds, chia seeds or hemp for some extra protein. Then, add vanilla yogurt and honey to make it sweeter. The good thing about oatmeal is adding whatever flavour you desire most. Anything from ginger, cinnamon, cocoa or plain vanilla will do.
A nutritional and healthy breakfast is the most important meal you’ll eat all day. It’s linked to many health benefits that can help you control your weight improve performance, focus and energy level. Most importantly, though, it’s the most leisurely meal to prepare, giving you no excuse to skip it.
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