Healthy Breakfast

A balanced nutritional diet is very important for our body. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day as the body performs all sorts of physical and mental activities, which are tiresome. Therefore, a healthy, low fat breakfast that keeps your body active is essential.

It's better for your health (and your weight) to eat breakfast than to skip it. And it's definitely better  to eat a healthy breakfast, high in fibers and nutrients, than one full of refined grains, sugar, salt,  and/or saturated fat.

Low-fat or nonfat dairy products can add protein to your breakfast, as can egg whites or egg substitute (egg yolk doesn't contribute protein); lean breakfast meats like Canadian bacon, extra-lean ham, turkey bacon, or light turkey sausage; and soy milk and other soy products. Here's how much protein you get from some typical breakfast foods:

Breakfast Protein Sources	Protein (g)	Calories	Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
Skim milk, 1 cup	10	100	0	0	14
Low-fat yogurt, vanilla, 1 cup	9.3	253	4.6	2.6	42
Low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup	28	160	2	1	6
Reduced-fat cheese, 1 ounce	8	70	4	2.5	1
Stonyfield Farms Organic Low-Fat, Fruit flavored	7	33	0	0	1
Egg substitute, 1/4 cup	6	30	0	0	1
Soy milk, low-fat, 1 cup	4	90	1.5	0	14
Soy-based sausage, 2 ounces	12	119	4.5	0.7	6
Tofu, extra firm lite, 2 ounces	5	43	1.4	0	2.2
Canadian bacon, 2 ounces	12	89	3.9	1.2	1
Extra lean ham, 2 ounces	11	61	1.5	0.4	0.4
Turkey bacon, 2 strips	4	70	6	1	< 1
Light turkey sausage, 2 ounces	9	130	10	2.2	1
Peanut butter, natural, 1 tablespoon	3.5	100	8	1	3.5
Light cream cheese, 1 ounce	3	53	4	2.7	1.8
Lox (smoked salmon), 1 ounce	5.2	33	1.2	0.2	0

Breakfast Tips

Fruit and Cheese

A balanced, easy-to-assemble make-ahead morning meal: Grab an apple, wrap 1 to 2 ounces of Cheddar in plastic, and toss ¼ cup of fiber- and protein-rich walnuts into a resealable plastic bag.

Peanut Butter Waffle

Instead of dousing a whole-grain or bran toaster waffle in syrup, cut the sugar and boost the protein and fiber by spreading it with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. You can also sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of raisins, sesame seeds, or extra peanuts for even more fiber, which helps deliver the meal's nutrients slowly and steadily.

Plain Doughnut With Chocolate Milk

A plain cake-style doughnut is usually a better choice than a bakery muffin. At Dunkin' Donuts, for instance, an old-fashioned doughnut has 280 calories, while a corn muffin has 510 calories. Add fiber by eating ¼ cup of almonds or dried fruit. Instead of coffee, try 8 ounces of low-fat chocolate milk.

Strawberry Shake

In a cocktail shaker, combine a packet of vanilla or strawberry instant-breakfast powder (look for the no-sugar-added kind, such as Carnation) and 1 cup of low-fat strawberry cow's milk or soy milk. (You can also mix this the night before.) If you have time, use a blender to add strawberries or a frozen banana, for extra fiber, and a scoop of protein powder, such as GeniSoy Natural.

Egg White Sandwich 

Who doesn’t love a classic egg sandwich? Try giving it an extra healthy twist. Microwave 2 egg whites along with 1 handful spinach and a sprinkle of salt for 30-45 seconds. Place in a whole wheat English muffin or sandwich thin with 1 slice of cheddar cheese (optional). Wrap in foil so the cheese melts evenly, and enjoy whenever the craving hits!

Overnight Oats

This is the ultimate lazy-person breakfast. The night before, combine ½ cup milk, 1/3 cup rolled oats, ½ a banana (mashed), ¼ cup chopped nuts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon in sealed Tupperware container. By morning, you’ll have delicious cold overnight oats! These can also be heated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes if in the mood for something warm.

Morning Pizza

You could have a slice of last night's pizza (it's preferable to filling up on sugar or skipping breakfast). Or you could try a more sophisticated spin: Take a slice of crusty bread, spread it with 3 tablespoons of low-fat ricotta, and add tomatoes. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) and a little salt and pepper. Broiling is optional.

Healthier food choices for breakfast

Breakfast food	Healthier choices	Nutritional value	Handy tips
Bread and bread rolls	Wholegrain, whole meal multigrain, added fibre, soy and linseed, high-fibre white, focaccia, Lebanese, pita, pocket, mountain and fruit or raisin loaf, bagels, baps, whole meal crumpets, hot cross buns	Contains dietary fibre, carbohydrate, minerals and B vitamins	Wholegrain or whole meal breads are more nutritious because they contain all of the natural parts of the cereal grain, including the bran and germ
Cereal	High-fibre, wholegrain, wholemeal flake or puffed cereals, porridge (rolled oats), wholewheat breakfast biscuits, untoasted muesli	Contains dietary fibre, carbohydrate, minerals and B vitamins	Avoid toasted muesli because it is usually higher in energy
Margarine	Margarine spreads made from canola, sunflower or olive oil, or dairy blends that have earned the Heart Foundation Tick	Source of vitamins A, D and E, and essential fatty acids	Use margarine or margarine spreads instead of butter
Muffins	English-style, wholegrain or spicy fruit	Contains dietary fibre, carbohydrate, minerals and B vitamins	Commercial cake-style muffins may be higher in energy and contain little dietary fibre
Savoury  crispbreads	Wholemeal varieties of crispbreads, crackerbread, rice crackers and rice cakes	Contains dietary fibre, carbohydrate, minerals and B vitamins	Choose no added salt and wholegrain varieties
Pikelets and scones	Wholemeal, savoury or fruit pikelets and fruit scones	Contains carbohydrate and dietary fibre	Try making your own using wholemeal flour
Fruit	Any fresh fruit is a great choice. Canned or tubs of fruit in natural or unsweetened juice is also a good option. Dried fruit and 100% fruit juice (with no added sugar and served in small glasses) is another alternative	Contains water, dietary fibre, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals	Dried fruit contains dietary fibre, but be careful how much you eat because it can also be high in natural sugars that contribute to energy intake
Drinks	Tap water, plain mineral water, diet soft drinks, tea (black or green) and coffee (filtered, instant or café style)		Water is essential for life and needed for sustained performance
Milk	Reduced, low or no fat milk or added calcium soy beverages		Reduced, low or no fat milk is lower in saturated fat and often contains more calcium than full fat milk
Yoghurt	Reduced, low or no fat yoghurt (plain or fruit flavoured)	Contains protein, riboflavin and calcium	Reduced, low or no fat yoghurt often contains more calcium than full fat yoghurt