We're not even going to tell you breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because we know you're already well aware. But what we will tell you is that starting your day with a healthy breakfast packed with protein, minimal sugar and healthy fats is the best way to shape up the rest of your already busy day.
"Breakfast is so important because as you fast overnight, and your metabolism slows down," says registered dietitian Nicole Osinga based in Oshawa, Ont. "If we skip breakfast or have a breakfast that’s too carbohydrate heavy, we often get hunger pangs later on in the day, around mid-afternoon or later on at night."
Of course, countless studies have shown us the health benefits of eating breakfast every morning. From managing your weight, to giving you more energy to lowering your cholesterol, health experts will tell you not to skip this morning meal.
"Skipping breakfast to ‘save’ calories is not an effective weight loss approach either. You need to break your overnight fast and kick-start your metabolism," Osinga says.
And if you tend to have only liquid breakfasts like smoothies, for example, Osinga says it's OK as long as the smoothies are balanced with protein, a bit of fat and aren't all carbohydrate-based. And for the most part, smoothies take less than five minutes to make — which is perfect for people who can't get up in time or feel lazy in the a.m.
Here are Osinga's top picks for 13 breakfast ideas that are full of all the good stuff. And because they are mostly made with oats, eggs and fresh fruits and veggies, you can really play around with the ingredients. What's your go-to breakfast meal? Let us know in the comments below:
