Why you should, and how to do it
Eating a great breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to set up your body and mind for a great day.
Breaking your overnight fast (“break-fast”) sets your digestion and metabolism up to do their work most efficiently. Not only does a healthy breakfast give you more energy, but it also helps you eat less throughout the rest of the day. That’s right. Eat well in the morning and your meals will be smaller all day. You’ll have fewer cravings (= less unhealthy snacking), you’ll be better at controlling your portions and you’ll even make better decisions as to what you eat. People who eat breakfast also have an easier time losing weight and have more stable moods. Pushing your food/caloric intake earlier in the day and sticking to a lighter dinner will serve you well.
I should make it clear that everything I just said does NOT apply to those who eat the typical dessert-like foods for breakfast.
Some facts about commonly-eaten pastries and cereals:
- A Starbucks cinnamon raisin bagel has 270 calories, 58 grams of carbs, and 11 grams of sugar.
- A Starbucks blueberry scone has 420 calories, 61 grams of carbs, and 20 grams of sugar.
- A slice of Starbucks banana nut bread has 420 calories, 52 grams of carbs, and 30 grams of sugar(almost 8 teaspoons!)
- A Starbucks chocolate chunk muffin has 440 calories, 60 grams of carbs, and 39 grams of sugar(almost 10 teaspoons!)
- 1 cup of Post Honey Bunches of Oats (without milk) has 173 calories, 35 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of sugar.
- 1 cup of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran (without milk) has 190 calories, 46 grams of carbs, and 17 grams of sugar And let’s face it, who has just one cup of cereal?
Let me remind you that an average adult woman should be taking in no more than 25 grams of sugar per day based on WHO recommendations. The carb and sugar load of these foods can send your blood sugar soaring. Insulin soars to get all that sugar into your cells…. and then 1-2 hours later you are HANGRY because your blood sugar has dropped. The sugar roller coaster continues when you grab the closest thing to eat and start the cycle all over again.
So if you’re not going to eat muffins and cereal in the morning, what should you have instead?
You could go with eggs and anything – because eggs are awesome and nutritious.
- A quick egg and spinach scramble drizzled with olive oil will surely give you a great start to your day.
- Or try making baked egg muffins. They’re easy to make, and super-satisfying. Bake a dozen or two and freeze them so you can just zap them in the morning before you head out.
Egg Muffin Tin instructions:
- Grease up your muffin tins with real butter or coconut oil.
- Fill them about half way with your favorite meat (cooked ham, sausage, or bacon… even try with some leftover roasted chicken or turkey) and veggies – including healthy greens
- Then either crack an egg into each “muffin” or scramble 12 eggs and divide the mixture evenly among the 12 muffins.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes and let them sit for a bit before you use a knife to help lift them out.
- Get creative with these! Kids love them too.
Not a fan of eggs? That’s okay. Breakfast doesn’t have to always include eggs (even though I love them).
Outside-the-box breakfast ideas:
- Take half an avocado plus tomato slices and serve over greens sautéed in garlic and olive oil – makes for a “breakfast salad” that is nutritious and delicious
- Sautéed veggies with either rice or quinoa (used leftover rice or quinoa to make it even easier)
- Breakfast quinoa porridge – can be made like oatmeal with some almond milk, just a bit of maple syrup, and coconut oil (plus or minus some grass-fed butter) – top it with some cinnamon and fruit of your choice and there’s breakfast. Make it ahead and freeze in muffin tins for convenience.
- Heat up your leftovers and chow down!
The point is you can think outside the box when it comes to what you eat in the mornings, and that will serve you well throughout the day. Most importantly, avoid the typical dessert-like “breakfast” foods that will be counterproductive to your goals.
What about your morning drink?
We all have a morning drink. I personally prefer to drink something warm in the morning. Are you a coffee or tea drinker? Smoothie or protein shake? Juice? Warm water with lemon?
Whatever you drink, first be careful of its sugar content.
A grande mocha frappuccino has 61 grams of sugar! Not a frappuccino drinker? A grande vanilla latte has 35 grams. I used to drink these all the time. That’s way more than your daily allotment right there. If you drink a glass or orange juice – know that you’re getting 23-25 grams of sugar in an 8-oz glass of the store-bought stuff.
I also caution against empty calories
Make sure everything you eat or drink has nutritional value!
So first, let’s talk about amping up the nutrition of your morning coffee.
Are you a creamer kinda gal? Have you ever read what’s in those? Here’s a popular brand of French Vanilla creamer’s ingredients:
WATER, SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL (HIGH OLEIC SOYBEAN AND/OR HIGH OLEIC CANOLA), AND LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)**, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, CELLULOSE GEL , CELLULOSE GUM, CARRAGEENAN.
Let’s replace it with a healthier version:
- Try this dairy-free version from Against All Grain
- Or this version that’s made with dairy from Deliciously Organic
(Decrease the amount of syrup and/or honey to decrease your overall sugar intake.)
Or you can skip the creamer and make your coffee a health drink filled with good fats to keep your brain and body happy for hours.
Here’s my version:
- 2 shots of espresso (organic if possible)
- 12 oz of heated almond milk (unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (here’s the one I buy)**
- 1 heaping tablespoon organic coconut oil (here’s the one I buy)** and/or 1 tablespoon of MCT oil (I currently get mine at Costco)
- 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter (I buy Kerrygold or Organic Valley) – Leave this out if sensitive to dairy
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed collagen hydrolysate (here’s the one I use)** – Leave this out if doing intermittent fasting and drinking this during your fast
- Put all ingredients together and blend with a hand blender or in a blender.
Don’t love coffee? Do the same thing with matcha (my current favorite – here’s the one I buy)** or even your favorite hot tea. My amped-up matcha latte keeps me satisfied until lunchtime!
Green smoothies | Green juice | Protein shakes
If you like to drink something cold in the morning, then it’s a perfect time to make yourself a green smoothieloaded with some healthy veggies, good fats (like avocado, coconut oil, hemp seeds or flax seeds), and antioxidant-rich fruit. Add collagen hydrolysate** for added protein and nutrition. Need your caffeine? Add matcha powder** for a green source of extra energy.
To make this more convenient, pre-pack your smoothie fixins in gallon-sized freezer bags. Portion out your greens and fruit so all you have to add is your fat/protein and liquid. And make sure your liquid is unsweetened (i.e., no juice) to avoid the extra sugar load.
Some ideas for your liquid: coconut water, unsweetened coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk or water. If you fill your smoothie with enough nutrition and go easy on the fruits and sugar, this could be your entire breakfast.
If you love to juice and have the time to do it, a green juice is a great way to start your day. Drink on an empty stomach and make sure to eat something about 30 minutes later. You’ll get lots of vitamins and nutrition from the juice but you still need some healthy fats and protein to keep you going strong all morning.
What about protein shakes? I’m often asked how I feel about protein shakes. I don’t love the idea of a “meal replacement” with anything that comes in a powder or bar form. I prefer that you get your protein from the actual sources like quality meats, eggs, and plant-based sources. Most protein powders out there have ingredients I’m not comfortable with, like artificial sweeteners, and are highly processed. But if this is a staple for you, there are some good choices out there. Look for limited ingredients, using hemp or pea protein, and without artificial additives and chemicals. While you’re at it, throw some extra nutrition into it with some frozen greens and fruit.
What’s your favorite morning drink? Do you ever skip breakfast? How do you feel on the days you do?
Praying for Vibrant Health for you and those you love,
Originally published 8/7/2016
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