A healthful breakfast is the one that contains nutritious foods that can provide energy and make a person feel full, which can therefore help in preventing overeating later in the day.
Below are some of your favorite breakfast foods, and some tips in making them even healthier.
Best Breakfast Foods for Health:
1. Bananas
Bananas are a convenient and quick addition to a nutritious breakfast. Also, they make a good mid-morning snack to keep hunger at bay.
Bananas contain resistant starch. As the body does not digest resistant starch, therefore, it travels through your body unchanged, which helps support digestive health. Unripe bananas contain more resistant starch as compared to ripe bananas, which have more natural sugars.
Also, bananas are a great source of potassium, which may support healthy blood pressure in some people. Bananas are great on top of cereal, oatmeal or with nut butter.
2. Berries
Berries are packed with antioxidants. Popular types include raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. Berries are lower in sugar than most fruits, but, higher in fiber.
Raspberries and blackberries each provide an impressive 8 grams of fiber per 1 cup or 120-145 grams, respectively. Also, 1 cup of berries contains only 50–85 calories depending on the type.
Berries are also rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help you age better and protect your heart.
Also, berries have been known to prevent blood cholesterol from oxidizing, reduce markers of inflammation, and keep the cells lining your blood vessels healthy.
A great way to add berries into your breakfast is to consume them with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
3. Eggs
Eggs are very popular breakfast food. They contain high-quality protein and are very nutritious.
Some people think that eggs are not healthful due to the amount of cholesterol they contain. But, research has reported that the dietary cholesterol from eggs, only have minor impact on low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, in the blood.
A small study on people who are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes, found that consuming whole eggs and moderately reducing carbohydrate consumption resulted in improvements in blood cholesterol levels. Also, it reduced weight, waist circumference, and body fat.
4. Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and fiber.
The health benefits of flaxseed include improving insulin sensitivity, lowering blood levels of cholesterol, lowering blood sugar, and even protecting against breast cancer.
You can sprinkle flaxseeds on yogurt or oatmeal, or blend them into smoothies. It is important to buy ground flaxseed, or just to grind the seeds at home, because whole flaxseeds will pass through the body without breaking down.
5. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a source of protein to eat in the morning. Greek yogurt is creamy, thick and contains more protein than the regular strained yogurt.
Also, Greek yogurt is rich in calcium, and contains probiotics that help to support a healthy immune system and gut.
You can pair this high-protein, low-fat, food or with other foods on this list.
6. Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Steel-cut oatmeal is a whole grain that everyone, that includes gluten-intolerant or not, can benefit from by adding into their daily diet, according to Vandana R. Sheth, R.D.N., C.D.E., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
In a 2015 Harvard University study of more than 100,000 people, those who consumed at least 33 grams of whole grains daily, which is the equivalent of a single bowl of oatmeal, reduce their risk of early death by at least 9%, as compared to those who rarely, if ever, consumed whole grains.
Oatmeals are loaded in antioxidants to reduce blood pressure and help protect heart health. Also, oatmeal is perfect for healthy breakfast mix-ins including milk, seeds, nuts, berries, and antioxidant-loaded cinnamon.
7. Tea
Tea has less caffeine, and hydrates you more effectively than coffee. Also, it is a rich source of the immunity-boosting antioxidants called catechins.
All tea, including green, black, or white, provides antioxidants, but green tea may be the healthiest of all. Research suggests that drinking at least 5 cups a daily can help to increase your body’s metabolism, and help you lose more weight around the middle.
Sources:
Medicalnewstoday
Health
Healthline
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