Have you ever wanted to just tell someone where they can go when they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?
Whether or not you find that person annoying, they might be onto something; a good breakfast can often be the cornerstone of a good day. With a good, healthy breakfast, you give yourself a steady, sustainable stream of energy that doesn’t make you burn out too fast but doesn’t make you slow to start either.
The question is, “What is a healthy breakfast?”
Well, what IS a healthy breakfast?
A healthy breakfast will provide a good balance of carbs, proteins, and fats, along with providing several other micronutrients and vitamins.
That sounds like a lot of work, but the truth is, nature has done most of the hard work for us by inventing a wide variety of foods that work great as a full breakfast.
Specifically, we have oats. Oats work as an excellent start for a healthy breakfast, because they have a good ratio of carbs to protein for a grain, with a little over a 4 to one ratio.
While that sounds like an overload on carbs, remember that your body has just awakened from a long night’s sleep, and will need to be refilled quickly. Because carbs are so easily processed compared to protein and fat, the body needs a good amount of carbs in the morning to get kick started into gear.
Add to this the fact that oats contain antioxidants galore and several grams of soluble fiber. All of this together makes oats a great way to start your day.
Further, oats are endlessly customizable. While oatmeal is often thought to be a sweet breakfast, oats can be made savory as well. Numerous recipes exist mixing oats with eggs and bacon, among other breakfast stables.
And with the advent of oat bars, a healthy breakfast can even be eaten on the go!
Other options for a healthy breakfast
Let’s assume that you’re not necessarily interested in eating oats every day for breakfast. That’s understandable, eating the same thing every day does get boring. But, with meals, there are no specific rules you have to follow. You can, for example, eat pizza for breakfast if you’re so inclined.
Note: the article is not endorsing that you eat pizza for breakfast, only saying that you could, if you wanted to.
The most important thing to bear in mind, when coming up with breakfast, is that you should eat a breakfast which keeps you full and powers you through your morning, to keep you from snacking too much or making a bad choice around lunch (such as, for example, eating that pizza that you were considering for breakfast).
You could consider for breakfast, among other things, eating a salad topped with nuts and fruit, or perhaps making a rice dish. As non-traditional as these may sound, dishes based around salads and/or rice can make a solid breakfast.
When making your choice of breakfast, whether “traditional” or not, just remember that you should have a good mix of carbs (your best option, should you not have an intolerance, is some kind of whole grain; should you have an intolerance, leafy greens work very well, too), proteins (meats and eggs work well for this, although you can substitute beans if you are a vegetarian), and fats (try to stick to unsaturated fats when you can).
Though it is much easier, especially when you’re in a rush, to have an oat bar at the ready if you don’t feel up to cooking breakfast, or you simply don’t have time in the mornings.
One last important thing to remember; drink water. While it’s fine to have coffee with your breakfast, remember that your body needs extra hydration after you wake up, and water will help you to process some of the things you’re taking in.
