It's true (ish) what they say about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. However, breakfast literally means "break-fast", or your first meal of the day.
So this means your first meal of the day is the most important meal of the day. If you're following Intermittent Fasting, you're still eating a "break-fast".
Regardless of which eating pattern you choose, breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it can either set you up for success or failure.
If you eat a nutrient dense meal that contains high quality sources of protein, fat and fiber, then this will result in more stable blood sugar levels, less hunger and less sugar cravings throughout the day.
On the flip side, if a breakfast is low in protein, fat or fiber, then this could lead to more unstable blood sugar levels and significantly higher hunger and sugar cravings.
Which I'm sure you can see the downstream impacts of both of these situations.
The great breakfast can help support a weight loss or wellness goal while the breakfast low in important foods will directly work against those same goals.
When creating a breakfast rich in protein, fat and fiber, it's also important to choose ingredients that are nutrient dense and preferably have additional benefits outside of macronutrient quality.
This will support other wellness goals such as metabolic, heart and bone health.
So today, I'm sharing 8 of the healthiest foods to eat for breakfast as well as some meal ideas using each of these ingredients.
Let's dive into it.
Eggs
Eggs are high in protein and fat making it a very satiating (filling) ingredient. In fact, studies comparing eggs to other "healthy" breakfast food items (like oatmeal) found that eggs helped to prevent hunger longer and naturally reduce food intake at lunch than the oatmeal option.(1)
Eggs are also rich in important nutrients like choline (needed for brain and liver health) and vitamin K2 (required for bone health).
Just make sure to eat the whole egg and not just the egg white!
Nearly all of the benefits of an egg are derived from the yolk.
Full Fat Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is an amazing source of protein.
Just 1.25 cups cottage cheese provides a whopping 30 grams of complete protein!
Plus, cottage cheese (particularly the full fat variety) contains vitamin K2.
This is different than vitamin K1 which is mostly found in plants.
Vitamin K2 is crucial for getting calcium out of the arteries and into the bones, making it very important for heart and bone health.
But low fat dairy products contain significantly less vitamin K2 than the full fat variety. This is because vitamin K2 is a fat soluble vitamin, so when you remove/reduce the fat, you also remove/reduce vitamin K2.(2)
Full Fat Greek Yogurt (or Skyr)
Full fat greek yogurt (or skyr) have similar benefits as cottage cheese. However, if you're not a fan of the texture of cottage cheese, then you might prefer greek yogurt or skyr instead.
I personally prefer skyr, as it's a bit higher in protein than greek yogurt.
You only need about 1.25 cups of skyr to get 30 grams of complete protein versus 1.5 cups of greek yogurt.
Both are much higher in protein than regular yogurt, which only comes in at around 8-9 grams per cup.
If you choose to use skyr, make sure to specifically seek out a full fat option, as most skyr is made with skim milk. I've found the brand Siggi's has a super yummy full-fat skyr product.
You can eat greek yogurt or skyr as a bowl or as a topping on homemade protein waffles.
Coffee
Coffee doesn't contain any protein, fat or fiber on its own. But it does contain a lot of antioxidants.
Experimental studies have found that drinking coffee helps to reduce fat build up around the liver and reduces the risk of liver cirrhosis. (3,4)
There certainly is an upper limit on coffee intake. Too much caffeine can lead to poor sleep and increased feelings of anxiety.
I typically stick to 1-2 cups of coffee and make sure I stop drinking coffee before 12pm.
Green Tea
Tea has many similar benefits to coffee due to its high antioxidant level. However, if you're not a fan of coffee, you can feel free to opt for green tea instead.
Chia Seeds (or Edible Basil Seeds)
Chia seeds and edible basil seeds are both very high in fiber.
Fiber helps to act on the stretch mechanism in the stomach which signals to your brain that you're full and don't need to keep eating.
Fiber can also help to slow the release of sugars into the blood supply, which can lead to more stable blood sugar and therefore energy levels.
You can easily throw chia or edible basil seeds in a protein smoothie or whip up a chia pudding.
Whey Protein
If you find yourself not hitting your daily protein needs, then adding in whey protein along with your other whole food ingredients can help to significantly up your protein intake.
Whey protein is one of the most heavily researched supplements on the market.
It's well known for being a very high quality protein to help support muscle and cardiometabolic health.(5)
However, not all whey proteins are created equal.
As someone who is slightly lactose intolerant, I personally prefer whey protein isolate.
This type of whey protein is very low in lactose and more ideal for those who are lactose intolerant.
This is the type of whey that I use in my zero sugar, pasture-raised whey protein powder.
You can throw my whey protein powder in a smoothie, chia pudding, grain-free oatmeal or yogurt bowl to instantly up the protein in your meal.
Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries or Blackberries
Each of these fruits are low in sugar and rich in either fiber and/or antioxidants.
Blueberries are some of the richest food sources of antioxidants and raspberries contain an impressive 7 grams of fiber per cup.
Plus, each of these low sugar fruits help to elevate the flavor of your breakfast, making it more exciting, delicious and enjoyable.
Because if you aren't loving your meals, you're not going to stick with them regardless of how "healthy" it is.
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❤️,
Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition