Having one type of food or another for breakfast has an impact on our health and energy and vitality levels.
Many people would like to start changing their diet to be healthier, but not everyone knows exactly how. In this article we will show you the key ideas so that you can know what foods you have to take into account to enjoy a healthy breakfast.
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What foods should a healthy breakfast contain?
For a breakfast to be healthy, it is necessary to take into account, above all, the raw material . By this we mean the foods we use, and in particular their nutritional profile. We must first make sure that the proportion between macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) is adequate.
In addition, being able to ingest sources of vitamins, minerals or fiber is also very important. Basically the idea is to incorporate foods that have these characteristics and discard foods that are harmful to us.
Next we will also see what these types of foods are. In some cases, they are food products, that is, products from the food industry that are very profitable for them but not very profitable for your health.
Therefore, it will be pertinent to avoid foods or food products with a high caloric content, little fiber or poor nutritional content. Sugar, saturated fats, additives, salt and other ingredients should be consumed very occasionally.
Recommended types of food
To have a healthy, balanced and energetic breakfast, the most fundamental thing is to know how to choose the food . This section is ideal for those people who wonder every morning how to have a good breakfast to perform and take care of themselves.
Next we are going to review the types of foods that should be present in your breakfast (they do not all have to be in your breakfast every day).
1. Fresh fruit
Fresh or seasonal fruit is an essential element in any healthy breakfast . Obviously the options are multiple, and depending on the country and the time of year in which they are, you can have one or another variety of fruit.
2. Sources of healthy fats
There are different sources of healthy fats that we can incorporate into our healthy breakfast . The healthiest sources of healthy fats are: olive oil, nuts, avocado or seeds (pumpkin, flax, chia, sesame, etc.).
3. Whole grains
Whole grains have complex carbohydrates and fiber . These two characteristics will make us have enough energy throughout the morning. Examples of cereals that can be whole are: oats, spelled, rice, kamut, rye, barley, millet or buckwheat.
- Related article: “ Oatmeal: 14 properties and benefits of this healthy cereal ”
4. Sources of calcium
Calcium is a very important mineral, and breakfast is a good time to ensure its intake . Many of the sources of calcium are ideal to be part of the first meal of the day, such as dairy products, nuts, seeds or oily fish (especially if we eat the spine of small fish such as sardines)
5. Dehydrated fruit
Dehydrated fruit is another type of food that we can eat for breakfast . In reality, it is fruit that has had its natural water removed. Raisins, dried figs, dates or dried apricots combine very well with different preparations. It must be taken into account that its energy contribution is considerable and we should not eat a lot of it.
6. Other foods
There are a number of foods that are also highly recommended but do not fall into the above categories. In this group we would find algae powder (such as chlorella or spirulina), ginger, maca, yeast, wheat germ, royal jelly, etc. . In most cases they are used to mix with yogurt, smoothies, porridge, etc.
- You may want to read: “ Ginger: 20 properties and benefits of this very healthy root ”
Types of foods to avoid
In the same way that there are recommended foods, there are foods that we should not consume . Their consumption should be occasional, but many people take them daily.
Below we will mention these types of foods. We will also see why they are not advisable as part of our healthy breakfast and everything we have to take into account about their consumption.
1. Breakfast cereals (processed)
A few decades ago, this type of food product became very popular . Many are the people who still consume them on a daily basis, and part of that is due to the aggressive marketing carried out by companies in the food industry. Breakfast cereals are unhealthy as they are based on refined flour and contain added sugars, saturated fat and sodium.
2. Industrial bakery
Eating industrial pastries is surely the worst possible option . In addition to the previous points, its content in trans fats stands out. It is a type of saturated fat that has undergone a structural change due to the temperatures reached during the processing of the food product in question. Our body does not recognize them well and they produce problems that cause cellular dysfunction.
3. Juices (rich in sugar)
Having a juice in itself is not a bad option from time to time . The problem is when we consume food products that are sold to us as juice and there is more water and added sugar than fruit. Also, even if we make orange juice at home there is a problem: we are removing the fiber and this makes the sugar pass more quickly into our blood.
- Other users have read: “ Apple: 15 properties and benefits of this healthy fruit ”
4. White bread
Many people eat a sandwich for breakfast each day . This would not be very dramatic if the content and the bread were of good quality. But most people consume white bread in any of its versions (loaf bread, sliced bread, etc.). This type of bread is made from highly refined flour that rapidly increases blood sugar levels.
5. Sausages
In a sandwich it is usual to put sausages . Although it is an option that can be eaten from time to time, the truth is that many sausages contain a lot of saturated fat and are not of great quality. In addition, some of the sausages that are consumed actually have a low percentage of meat and are of poor quality. It is better to opt for other options such as oily fish, cheese or even other options such as peanut butter (as long as it only contains peanuts).
6. Foods high in saturated fat
While saturated fat as such isn’t bad, we generally eat too much of it. This is actually what is bad, and we must restrict its intake. That’s why eating sausage, eggs, bacon or butter every day is not a good idea . At least this is the case if during the rest of the day we are sure to eat other sources of saturated fat, especially meat.
- You may want to read: “ Quinoa: 12 properties and benefits of this pseudocereal ”
Bibliographic references
- Ferrer, M. (2018). Healthy breakfasts. Barcelona: RBA Comprehensive .
- Leffler, R. (2018). Healthy recipes for your well-being. Barcelona: RBA Comprehensive .
- Roura, N. (2015). Detox SEN to be healthy on the inside and beautiful on the outside. Barcelona: Uranus .
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.