Unlocking the Power of Breakfast: Nutrient-Packed Foods for a Productive Day
Starting off the day with a nutrient-rich breakfast allows you to power through and make better decisions. Skipping it and depriving your body of essential nutrients will leave you feeling lethargic, mess up blood sugar levels, and even create brain fog.
A nutrient-dense breakfast increases concentration, lowers the chances of developing diabetes, manages cholesterol, and keeps you chipper. But which foods will do the trick? Is avocado on the list? What about yogurt? What makes wild salmon a great breakfast choice? Today we will be talking about all the breakfast foods that guarantee a productive day!
1. Egg
Starting off with one of the most popular and nutritional foods, eggs have been a popular breakfast choice since anyone can remember. Is it worth the hype? Definitely! Both the yolk and white parts are amazing sources of protein and heart-friendly unsaturated fats. What’s a better way of starting the day than getting the right dose of your essential minerals and vitamins? Extremely versatile, eggs can be cooked in a variety of different ways. No matter how you make it, they are immensely filling and will keep you full till lunchtime. This cuts out the unhealthy snacking in between meals that causes weight gain. Nutritious, filling, tasty, and easily available, they can also be paired up with sweet potatoes or ground turkey for a wholesome breakfast. What is your go-to method for cooking eggs in the morning? Tell us in the comments section below!
2. Unsweetened Plain Greek Yogurt
Yogurt is a great starter for the day. When you think about it, the overwhelming amount of good bacteria is something that first comes to mind. But there’s more benefits than that. Adding yogurt to your breakfast is a good idea, especially for anyone looking to lose a couple of pounds. The nutritional content will keep you energized throughout the day while maintaining digestive health. Rich in calcium and packed with probiotics, you can even add your favorite fruit for a hint of nutritious sweetness. If a morning workout is your routine then it can become your best friend! Diluting some yogurt in water and mixing it all up with a pinch of rock salt to make buttermilk is a great post-workout drink that will soothe and heal your muscles.
3. Oatmeal
Watching your weight? Looking for gluten-free breakfast options? Oatmeal is the safest and most nutritious way to go. It has got to be one of the top foods for breakfast. A comforting bowl of oatmeal is a powerhouse of nutrients. This rather simple meal, that can be whipped up in just a couple of minutes, contains insoluble fiber that lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar which makes you feel fuller. Antioxidants are another important element along with certain natural heart-protecting anti-inflammatory properties. The combination of cooked oats, with organic nut butter and fresh fruits, minus the artificial sweeteners, will keep you away from that vending machine for sure.
4. Nut Butter
What can’t butter do? Nut butter is delicious, creamy, and nutritious made from nuts like almonds, peanuts, or walnuts. Filled with the goodness of heart-healthy saturated fats and protein, tree nuts in general have been linked with weight loss and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Nut butter is a great way to include protein in your diet, especially if you’re vegetarian or vegan. Did you know that people who eat nut-based butter are less likely to be overweight as compared to people who don’t? That’s true! Adding a spoonful of your favorite nut butter in your morning green smoothie, salad bowl, or sandwich will be a great way to kick start your day.
5. Chia Seeds
The chia seed health craze is one bandwagon you need to jump on! This superfood shot to fame as one of the healthiest seeds in the world. What makes it ideal for breakfast? The antioxidants, fiber, calcium, and a host of other vital nutrients protect your body from the attack of toxins. Sprinkling some on a bowl of yogurt with fruit or salad will give your meal the right amount of nutritional benefits along with a delicious crunch. Naturally packed with omega-3 fatty acids, these healthy seeds induce the feeling of fullness – something to help you along your weight loss journey. Add them to your morning by adding them to oatmeal, smoothies, cereal, or puddings.
6. Avocado
Speaking of superfoods for breakfast, avocado toast topped with freshly diced tomatoes, onions, and salt and pepper is enough to power you through the day. Do you know that the compounds found in avocados protect the body the same way as olive oil does? Considered to be one of the finest foods for weight loss, starting a new day with this amazing fruit paired with an egg is an award-winning breakfast for champions. Needless to say, it will increase satiety and decrease your want for snacking in between meals. The unique unsaturated fats found naturally cannot be produced in the body. These good fats can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and even cancer related to unhealthy lifestyles.
7. Banana
Bananas are the unopposed superstar of potassium. However, their goodness is not limited to just that. Packed with filling fiber and other valuable nutrients, tossing some diced bananas in your fruit bowl or smoothie will lift up your mood, giving you an energized start to the day. What makes bananas awesome is the resistant starch that supports digestive health and doesn’t leave you feeling bloated or lethargic. Including them for breakfast also means lowering blood pressure levels that keep the heart in good shape. A fun way to incorporate them would be to add them to your oatmeal with nut butter, topped with some chia, pumpkin, or flax seeds.
8. Spinach
Greens are always a great choice for breakfast. This leafy green, the crux for any healthy green juice, consists of a good amount of folate and muscle-building fiber. Spinach can decrease the chances of developing osteoporosis or heart disease, two of the most common problems faced by Americans. Simply adding a handful of this superfood, which is healthier than kale, will make a whole world of difference on how you approach your day. Along with protecting muscle from degeneration, eating this healthy green every morning will also increase blood flow in the body. Sick of just eating eggs and toast for breakfast? To make your breakfast more nutrient-dense you can add just 1 cup of spinach into your omelets, egg sandwiches, and juices!
9. Berries
Berries win the title for being one of the healthiest breakfast foods on the planet. Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and others are not only rich in heart-friendly antioxidants, but adding them to your breakfast also gives you a boost of energy. These colorful nutritious fruits contain large amounts of powerful vitamins which amp up your breakfast tenfold. If losing weight is your goal then an assortment of berries is what you need to start your day with. Did you know that they stop fat from forming in the body? Along with weight loss, adding just 1 cup of different berries in your oatmeal, cereal, or shakes will protect
the cells and give your blood circulation a major boost!
10. Sweet Potato
Ever thought about starting your day by eating these flavor and nutrition-packed vibrant tubers? If not then, maybe you should start? Packed with compounds that burn fat, sweet potatoes are the perfect way of starting the day. Being low on the glycemic index they manage to offer a certain level of fullness – at least till lunch. If you’re bored of eating cereal or eggs and bacon every morning then sweet potatoes are something that will offer nutrients while adding a fresh new option. Swapping your usual morning bagel, muffin, or pastry with this low carb veggie will give you what you need to face the day. You can also pair sweet potato hash with eggs and vegetables for a complete breakfast.
11. Black Tea
Normally underrated, black tea is a crucial part of a complete diet. Do you love your morning cuppa joe? Try making the switch to black tea, it will wake you right up! Getting your caffeine fix from black tea will not just fight lethargy but will also increase mental alertness. Robust and strong in flavor, it may take some time for you to get used to it but once you do, it’s a great beverage that will keep you focused through the day. Just boil some water and add tea leaves. Let it sit there for a couple of minutes before running it through a strainer to give you a rejuvenating cup of tea.
12. Wild Salmon
Salmon for breakfast? As odd as it sounds, this fatty fish when paired with some scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast creates a delicious, filling, and a rather unique meal. Salmon is already considered a superfood for the brain because of the high omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re looking to switch up the breakfast game then adding it, at least twice a week, will do the trick. Being a nutrition powerhouse and packing clean protein, starting your day with wild salmon will help you meet everyday nutritional needs even if you eat not-so-healthy foods for the rest of the day.
It goes without saying that breakfast should be healthy and not skipped. Having the right choice of food for the first meal of the day will help you fill up on healthy nutrients and give your immune system a boost. You can also…
Check out these breakfast foods that will help in losing weight. Or Try These superfoods should also be included in your everyday diet. These 2 videos will be the perfect care package you need for a healthy day! What do you eat for breakfast? Share your ideas and suggestions in the comments section.
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