If there is one meal that gets skipped all to often is breakfast and shoving a pop tart into your mouth on the way out the door does not count.
We have heard time and time again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it actually depends on what you choose as your morning meal.
Here are some tips:
A little fiber goes a long way.
Fiber is a carbohydrate, one that humans cannot digest. Why eat something you’re unable to digest? Fiber helps you feel full longer, so you don’t snack as often, and it also has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
Adults should try to eat 5g of fiber at breakfast. Those five grams add up quickly if you’re smart about the foods you choose. Breakfast cereals, fruits, vegetables, whole grains (breads, oats, and corn meal) and beans are all great sources of fiber.
Oats anyone?
Oatmeal is good for you. It’s rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, folate and potassium — and that’s before you add any fruit or flavorings, but not all oats are created equal. There are four oatmeal options: steel cut, old fashioned, quick cooking and instant. The basic difference here is how processed the oats are. Two of the best choices are steel cut and rolled oats.
Steel cut oatmeal is the least processed of the bunch. A bowl of steel-cut oatmeal contains the most amount of fiber per serving, about 4g. It takes longer to cook than other types of oatmeal and the finished product is chewier than the oatmeal you may be most familiar with, which is made of rolled oats. Old-fashioned oatmeal, or rolled oats, is often used in granola, muesli and oatmeal cookies.
Brew your own coffee.
Brewing your own coffee in the morning, instead of relying on a fancy concoction from your local coffee shop, can save you calories and sugar, especially if you’re partial to sweet coffee beverages.
One cup of black coffee has no fat and almost no calories, but with each teaspoon of sugar, you’re adding 50 calories. Take it light? Each tablespoon of cream adds 20 calories and about 2g of fat. Adding flavored syrups and whipped cream quickly transforms your caffeine fix into a calorie, sugar and fat-laden dessert. Prepare your morning cup at home instead of turning your caffeine fix into dessert!
Power up with protein.
Protein provides staying power, helping to keep you feeling full long after you’ve eaten, which is why it’s such a great choice for breakfast. Better yet, recent research has shown that if you work out in the morning and refuel afterwards with a protein-packed breakfast you can boost muscle building.
