What to Include in a Healthy Breakfast

This post answers the question of what to include in a healthy breakfast.

There are a lot of us who would love nothing more than to eat healthier but aren’t exactly sure where to start.

We try diet after diet over and over again only to fall back into our old eating habits.

While there may be countless reasons for this, we likely try to do too much way too soon and become overwhelmed.

However, science has soon found that the most effective changes tend to take place incrementally.

Therefore, if you desire more nutritious meals, why not start at the beginning of the day?

In this post, we’re going to discuss what elements to include in a healthy breakfast.

Because after all, if you can nail breakfast, you’ll gain the confidence needed to improve the rest of your diet.

Benefits of Eating Healthier

So, we know healthy eating has loads of benefits and can help reduce the risk of developing certain medical conditions like heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

On the flip side, healthier eating may also work to reverse some of these conditions.

And there is always time to do something about your health.

Making small, simple changes to your lifestyle such as improving your diet can go a long way to building harmony back into the body.

And with harmony comes health.

What Makes a Healthy Breakfast?

In general, when choosing the foods to consume for a healthy breakfast, you want to consider at least these three food groups:

Whole grains

Protein

Fruit/ Vegetables

How much you eat depends on factors such as age, activity level, and overall nutritional or dietary goals.

Ideally, one’s plate should contain around 25% protein, 25% Carbs, and 50% fruit/vegetable.

Whole grains

Whole grains are the healthiest grains by far that one can consume.

It provides a better source of fiber, selenium, potassium, and magnesium than all the rest of the grains.

They also help you feel fuller longer and aid in weight management.

Whole grains are linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and other health problems.

Tips for Eating Whole Grain

Try to make at least half of the grains in your diet whole grains

If you’re unsure of whether something is considered a whole grain, check the label and look for the word “whole”. Whole grains should be among the first items on the ingredients list.

Look for grains that have been fortified with folate (folic acid) such as with some cereals.

Examples of whole grains foods are whole grain bread, oatmeal, barley, quinoa, and crackers.

Protein

Proteins are found in just about everything from your hair to your skin, and bones.

They are essential for things like energy and the transportation of oxygen through the blood.

Proteins make antibodies that fight off infections and illnesses.

They even help keep cells healthy and create new ones.

Not getting enough protein can result in health issues like muscle loss, for example.

On the other hand, consuming too much will cause the body to store it as fat.

Protein becomes increasingly more critical the older one gets because after age 40 muscle mass begins to deplete.

Tips for Eating Proteins

Animal products such as chicken and beef make for the best sources of protein since they can be readily absorbed into the body.

But that doesn’t mean you can obtain all the necessary proteins you need from other plant-based sources like tofu, nuts, and legumes.

Most people need no more than 30% in calories from protein each day.

With that said, try to limit your intake of processed meats, such as cold cuts as these protein sources can lead to various health issues.

Fruit/Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients making them an important component of a healthy diet.

They also come with a host of benefits for the body like reducing the risk of heart disease, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

These foods may also prevent certain cancers, improve digestive issues, and assist in weight management.

Tips for Eating Fruit/Vegetables

Try to eat at least 5 different kinds of vegetables and 2 kinds of fruit a day.

Eat with the seasons. The food tends to be fresher, tastes better, and is usually healthier than when eaten out of season.

Foods of similar colors generally contain similar protective compounds.

Red Foods: Red bell peppers and watermelons contain lycopene which may help fight prostate cancer and heart disease.

Orange Foods: Carrots and pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene which contributes to eye health, a strong immune system, and healthy skin.

Green Foods: Spinach and Asian pears have lutein and zeaxanthin which may protect against slow aging and sun damage. It may also help improve the appearance of the skin.

Blue & Violet Foods: Black rice and blueberries are rich in anthocyanin which possesses anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects.

White Foods: Garlic and bananas are high in potassium, a mineral that regulates the heartbeat, promotes bone health, and lowers the risk of high blood pressure.

Building Your Ideal Healthy Breakfast

As you can see, there are so many options one can include in a healthy breakfast.

You can start slow, gradually swapping out the things you already eat for healthier options.

For instance, if you usually eat toast with white bread, maybe find a whole-grain option that you can use instead.

And perhaps instead of using jelly, slather a nut butter with a handful of nutritious seeds. Add fruit to your meal, like a banana which is a quick option. Or an orange.

You could additionally switch out a bowl of cereal for a whole-grain version or oatmeal with a few blueberries.

Include yogurt, fruit, and homemade granola.

The possibilities are endless and extremely simple.

Remember, you should enjoy the process…and the breakfast, because after all, food can be extremely delicious and highly nutritious at the same time!

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