Before you consider rushing out the door without eating a healthy breakfast, consider this: If you skip breakfast, you set yourself up to overeating later on in the day. But if you have a healthy meal in the a.m., you satisfy your appetite and give yourself energy and most importantly you set the stage to make smart decisions all day long.
Aim for a breakfast that includes good carbs and fiber mixed with some protein. Here’s a look at our favorite breakfast, along with tips on why it is the perfect way to start your day off right.
We start our day with oatmeal and add fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, flaxseed, coconut oil and protein powder and enjoy it with a cup of coffee.
Oatmeal
Oats contain a unique fiber called beta-glucan, which has many impressive health benefits, but most importantly can help reduce cholesterol. Additionally, the fiber promotes the feeling of being full, which prevents overeating later on. Oats are also highly loaded with antioxidants that may help promote heart health and decrease blood pressure.
Berries
Our favorite fruit to add to the oatmeal are berries… raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are low in sugar and provide an impressive 8 grams of fiber per cup. The delicious berries are packed with antioxidants and contain only 50-85 calories per cup. The best thing about berries is their antioxidant anthocyanin, which, like all antioxidants protects your heart, but also may help you age better. Berries are also known to reduce inflammation and keep the cell lining of your blood vessels healthy. The bottom line is, berries are high in fiber and low in calories, rich in antioxidants and may decrease the risk of disease.
Fruit
Depending on the time of year, we switch up the berries with whatever fruit is in season right now. Fresh fruit is high in fiber and water and is an excellent source of vitamins and potassium. Additionally, fruit contains antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of disease.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is creamier than regular yogurt and contains more concentrated protein. Protein has been known to reduce feelings of hunger and also increases your metabolic rate after eating. Greek yogurt increases the levels of hormones that promote fullness and contains conjugated linoleic acid, which may aid in promoting fat loss. If you are looking to control your weight, Greek yogurt may just be your answer. Make sure your Greek yoghurt is a good source of probiotics. Look for ‘contains live and active cultures’ on the label.
Flaxseed
Two table spoons of flaxseed are packed with 3 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Flaxseed is incredibly healthy and may be beneficial to control insulin sensitivity, reduce blood sugar levels and protect against breast cancer. Make sure that you buy ground flaxseed or grind it yourself, because whole flaxseed can not be absorbed by your gut and will simply just pass through your system.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is high in natural saturated fats that not only increase the good cholesterol (HDL), but may also help to convert the bad cholesterol (LDL) into good ones. This is essential to promote a healthy heart and lower the risk of disease. Coconut oil is easy to digest and gives you longer, sustained energy and increases your metabolism. Coconut oil improves your digestion as it helps your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, calcium and magnesium. If you take omega-3 fatty acids at the same time like we do, it can make coconut oil twice as effective. Coconut oil has so many benefits that we will go more in depth into it, so keep your eyes open for a blog on coconut oil coming soon.
Protein Powder
Adding protein powder to your oatmeal will give you a boost in protein that helps promote fullness and stabilize your blood sugar levels. You can use several types of protein powder, including whey, egg, pea, rice and soy protein, however, whey protein is absorbed most quickly and has also been studied the most.
Coffee
We love coffee and it’s a great drink to start your day with. Because of the high caffeine content, coffee has been shown to improve your mood and mental alertness and performance. Coffee can also increase your metabolic rate and aid in fat burning. Additionally, coffee is rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, decrease the risk of diabetes and liver disease and protects the cell linings of your blood vessels. Depending on how strong your coffee is, you shouldn’t drink more than 3-4 cups a day.
If you don’t drink coffee, have your breakfast with Green Tea, which is one of the healthiest drinks on the planet. It contains caffeine and promotes the same benefits as coffee, additionally green tea contains the antioxidant EGCG, which may help protect your brain, heart and nervous system from damage.
Whatever you eat for breakfast, is a personal choice, but you want to make sure you start your day off right by fueling your body with nutrient-dense and healthy foods that will sustain your body and mind for the whole day.
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What’s YOUR favorite breakfast?
Joschi & Monika
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