General wisdom says that people who start their day with a healthy breakfast have more energy, are more efficient at work or study and are less likely to overeat at snack and lunchtime. However, it is hard to know what makes up healthy breakfast foods. A lot of the foods sold as breakfast items are not as healthy as they seem, and if eaten alone contain way too much sugar and simple carbohydrates to help your body maintain its energy throughout the day.
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1. Complex Carbohydrates most healthy
breakfast foods consist of some type of carbohydrate, but it is important that these are complex carbohydrates and not entirely simple ones. Complex carbohydrates fuel our bodies for longer by taking more time to digest and allowing blood sugar levels to stay at a reasonable level. Excellent carbohydrate choices for breakfast would be oats, potatoes and other grains such as corn or wheat. Oats can be found in a bowl of oatmeal, a muffin or a cup of dry cereal. Potatoes are often on the breakfast plate as hash browns or home-style potatoes. Corn, wheat, and other grains are commonly found in muffins, cereals, pancakes and waffles. Any of these would form a good foundation for a complex carbohydrate breakfast.
2. Vitamins and Minerals Fruit is also a source of carbohydrates that is natural and provides lots of important vitamins and minerals to your diet. A banana, a glass of juice or a peach would be a great side dish to your breakfast. A lot of fruits are portable and make a great way to eat breakfast on the run if you don’t have time to sit down and eat. Adding frozen or fresh fruit to your muffins or pancakes can help get these important servings into your diet during the first meal of the day.
3.
Proteins A healthy breakfast should also contain some sort of protein since protein can keep us satisfied and reduces hunger throughout the day. Eggs are often eaten at breakfast and are a good and inexpensive protein choice. A slice of cheese, a glass of low-fat milk, lean bacon or a bowl of yogurt are also choices that will help you feel full. Milk products have the added
benefit of getting calcium into your diet to keep your bones strong.
Peanut butter on a slice of whole-wheat toast with a glass of orange juice and a banana would be a very healthy way to start your day and keep your motor running all morning long. A whole-wheat waffle with fruit on top and a boiled egg with a cup of juice would also qualify as healthy breakfast foods. A bowl of oatmeal is one of the best ways to feel full all morning and topped with fruit and milk it forms a very balanced breakfast to fuel your metabolism and prevent hunger for several hours.
Starting your day with
healthy breakfast foods is a smart way to boost energy after a good night’s sleep and to
keep your energy levels high throughout your busy day.
