Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But many of us skip this important meal giving the most ultimate excuse, 'I haven't got time'. Healthy breakfast foods not only rejuvenates your body to start a new day, but also has several health benefits. Scroll down to know about healthy breakfast foods list. I am sure all of us are aware of the fact that we should not skip breakfast as it keeps our energy levels up to remain active throughout the day. But how many of us follow this? In fact excuses for not having time to have breakfast are many. We prefer to spend more time dozing in bed, thereby getting late or even if we have time, we just don't bother at all to eat a healthy one. Some of us feel, a few cups of strong tea or coffee is the best way to start a day, but we forget that there are better choices to these beverages to begin afresh a new day. A good breakfast is a must for good health as it aids in giving a nutritionally complete diet. Before we know the healthy breakfast foods list, it is necessary to know ,'why breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. In the morning, after a gap of 10-12 hours after the last meal (dinner), the glucose level of our body drops. So, breakfast is important because it breaks the fasting period, refills the glucose levels in the body, and provides essential nutrients to keep us active throughout the day.
Healthy Breakfast Foods to Eat
Preparing a breakfast is not at all time-consuming if we can plan well. Given below is a healthy breakfast foods list to give you strength, concentration, improved performance and also maintain a healthy weight.
Cereals
Wheat or whole grain cereals like muesli or bran, whole grain rolls, wheat biscuits, bagels, low-fat bran muffins, crackers, or melba toast. Whole grain waffles, with fruit toppings and yoghurt or ricotta cheese and cinnamon is also an ideal breakfast. A bowl of oatmeal also makes up a healthy breakfast. You can either have the instant oatmeal or cook oats and milk. To make it yummy, add fresh fruits like pears, blueberries and peaches. You can even add sliced almonds. According to your taste, add sugar, little honey and cinnamon. This is tasty and healthy as well, as it contains complex carbohydrates, fiber and proteins.
Dairy Products
Milk is a good source of protein. Some prefer to have full-fat milk, but the best choice is to have skimmed or semi-skimmed milk. Other dairy products include low-fat yogurt, cheese (cottage or natural cheese).
Fruits and Vegetables
The benefits of fruits and vegetables are numerous. The antioxidants present in them helps prevent diseases like stoke, heart attack, vision problems, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, etc. It is a good idea to start a day with a glass of fresh fruit, herb or vegetable juices. Eating a whole fruit is more beneficial due to the extra fiber in the skin. Fruit salad with honey or few spoonfuls of low fat yoghurt, and fresh and raw vegetables with flavored yoghurt are other options you can include in a healthy breakfast foods list. You can even add grated or chopped fruits to your cereal.
Sandwich and Toast
Sandwiches are healthy and filling breakfast ideas. For a healthy sandwich, choose breads which have high fiber content and are low in calories. In case of regular breads, wholewheat varieties are best choices. For sandwich spreads, you can opt for mayonnaise, salad dressings, salsa, horseradish, and vinegar. There are various choices for making sandwich fillings. Some of the healthy options include turkey, salmon, shrimp, tuna, canned chicken and veggies like lettuce, tomato, cucumber, mushroom, sprout, spinach, etc.
For those who prefer to have toast for breakfast, it's good to have wholemeal bread instead of the white one. Use thin scraping of butter, margarine, or healthy toast toppings such as peanut butter, low-fat cheese, etc. You can also try other alternatives like rye bread, pitta bread, granary bread, etc.
Eggs
Egg is the most nutritious protein breakfast. You can have eggs in various forms; poached, scrambled, fried, soft-boiled, hard-boiled or an omelette. Egg whites are more healthier. You can make scramble eggs tastier by adding a little olive oil, and pepper. It goes well with a slice of toast. Read more on breakfast egg recipes.
Fruit Smoothies
Fruit smoothies require minimum preparation time and are very nutritious. Here are some healthy fruit smoothie recipes and protein smoothie recipes for you.
Few more healthy breakfast ideas and easy breakfast recipes to help you plan your daily breakfast menus. For people who are always on the go and do not have time to prepare a healthy breakfast, check out these quick breakfast ideas and healthy breakfast foods on the go, to start your day with a nutritious and filling meal.
Healthy breakfast foods are particularly necessary for children and adolescents. If the habit of eating a healthy breakfast, is inculcated in kids in their formative years, it will help them in the long run. Studies have shown that importance of breakfast for children and importance of breakfast for students are numerous. Children who eat a healthy breakfast have better concentration and performance levels in their daily tasks, are active and alert, have the power to withstand stress and engage in physical activities. According to researches, children who skip breakfast weigh significantly more than those who eat breakfast. Moreover, eating a nutritious breakfast, means children would not indulge in unhealthy snacking during the day.
Kids are more likely to eat breakfast on a regular basis if easy to prepare breakfast foods are available at home. Besides, you can even engage your children in making simple breakfast recipes. It'll be a fun experience for them, and they will also enjoy eating it. Here are some easy to make and healthy breakfast foods for kids, which they will love.
Porridge (use quick oats)
Muffins or crumpets
Cereals such as wheat biscuits, muesli or bran cereals, with low fat milk, and topped with fresh fruits like banana, strawberries, blueberries, etc.
Fruit juices
Fruit salads
Fruit and yogurt smoothie
Homemade French toast
Whole grain pancakes or waffles
Brown rice cakes with toppings of fresh fruit slices
Refer to these healthy breakfast foods list for children:
Breakfast Recipes for Kids
Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Toddlers
In adults, eating a healthy breakfast on a regular basis keeps them physically active, controls weight gain, lowers cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. According to researches, people who skip breakfast are more resistant to insulin, which in the long run increases the risk of diabetes.
Healthy Breakfast Foods List for Weight Control
As mentioned above, the benefits of a healthy breakfast is closely related to weight control. Let us discuss in brief the importance of breakfast for weight loss.
Breakfast skippers tend to weigh more than breakfast eaters
It cuts down on your cravings to eat unhealthy mid-day snacks
It boosts up your energy levels to remain active
Eating a healthy breakfast assists in making healthy choices in your diet throughtout the day
Skipping breakfast is linked with low energy levels, lesser physical activity, eventually increasing the risk of weight gain
So for all weight watchers and those on a diet to shed those extra pounds, check out these healthy breakfast foods to lose weight.
Knowing the healthy breakfast foods list is not enough. Develop the habit of eating a well-balanced and nutritious breakfast in the morning, to enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
No comments:
Post a Comment