Eat These Three Power Food For Breakfast For A Healthier, More Energetic Day.
We all know the old adage: “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Of course back when we used to hear that phrase all the time it was usually in the context of breakfast cereal companies shilling their high-carb, chocolate-frosted sugar bombs as “part of a healthy breakfast.” Which for most of us was neither “part”–who has time for all the stuff they would show in the commercial images with cereal?–nor was it “healthy” nor even really “breakfast” food when you think about it.
But we’re way beyond the days of consuming crunchy Type-2 diabetes in a bowl and pretending that it is a healthy choice. Even if we still eat that stuff, we know better now.
That’s why its important to look at what really is healthy for breakfast, what foods are going to stick with us best throughout the day and give us the energy we need to function at the top of our game. Here are three of some of the best breakfast foods to get you started.
• Eggs – Studies show that eating eggs for breakfast increases feelings of fullness, lowers the calories we are likely to consume at our next meal, and helps keep blood sugar and insulin levels steady and well-regulated. One study that looked at men who ate either a bagel or an egg for breakfast found that the ones who ate eggs felt more satisfied and ate fewer calories the rest of the day, probably due to the higher protein content of eggs. Eggs also contain lutein, an important antioxidant, and choline, which is important for liver and brain function. Additionally, studies are finding that the cholesterol scare of the 1970s and 1980s regarding eggs was largely based on incomplete science. Now we think that eating eggs can actually reduce heart risk by increasing HDL.
• Greek yogurt – By combining whey with other curd products, Greek yogurt ends up a lot thicker and creamier than its thinner, runnier cousin. If it says it contains “live and active cultures,” it has probiotics, vital for the health of your gut bacteria. Greek yogurt is also high in protein which is important to promote feelings of fullness and to avoid the glycemic crash that comes with high-carb foods. It has a higher “thermic effect” than carbs or fat, which means that protein increases the metabolic rate after eating. And don’t get the light or “Lite” kind either. Full-fat Greek yogurt contains conjugated linoleic acid which may increase fat loss and lower the chances of breast cancer.
• Coffee – well this day is getting better and better isn’t it? Coffee, as every black bean junkie can tell you, improves mood, alertness and mental performance even in small doses. In a meta-analysis of 41 studies, it was shown that the optimal amount of caffeine needed to reap these benefits is between 38-400 mg per day–around a third of a cup to four cups, depending on the type and strength of the coffee you prefer. But beyond the obvious, caffeine also has been shown to increase metabolic rate and fat-burning, reduce inflammation, protect blood vessels and decrease the chances of contracting diabetes and liver disease.
Coffee, Greek yogurt and a couple of eggs sounds just about right. Add a bit of fresh fruit and you’re well on your way to an energetic and healthy day!
http://w.alternet.org/food/12-best-foods-eat-morning