21 Feb What Should I Eat for Breakfast?

Were you hoping I would say donuts? Or maybe some juice and a bagel, or a bowl of cereal? Sorry, those guarantee a bad morning. They will spike your blood sugar and then you will have a crash. You will feel tired, unfocused, and maybe cranky. Plus these foods have most of their nutrients processed right out of them.

So what should you eat for breakfast? Your best bet is something unprocessed that’s low carb, high in healthy fat, and has protein.

Eggs, of course

That’s my favorite breakfast. An egg is close to nature’s perfect food. It’s good to add in some veggies. That means omelets, frittatas, and scrambles. Try kale and slice it in thin strips so it cooks faster. Soft cooked eggs retain more nutrients in the yolk than hard cooked, but either way they’re good for you.

If you want bacon or sausage on the side, choose “natural”, without nitrates.  You can also make your own sausage with ground pork and spices and then you will be sure of what’s inside.

OK, what else?

Yogurt and fruit and nuts. Buy (or make) plain whole fat yogurt and toss in nuts, seeds, and/or berries. Top with cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric (and maybe a speck of black pepper to increase the absorption of the good stuff in turmeric), or any spice or herb that appeals to you.

Chia seed pudding. Take a can of full fat coconut milk and add a half cup chia seeds and about a quarter cup of water. Mix the night before. In the morning, treat it like yogurt and add whatever fruit, seeds, nuts, and seasonings you like. If you need a little more sweetness, try a drop of honey–this works for yogurt too.

Grain-free granola. This is a low carb version of granola that’s good for you. Here’s the recipe.

½ cup coconut oil

2-3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 ½ cups coconut flakes

1 ½ cups sliced almonds

1 cup nuts, like chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup seeds, like pumpkin or sunflower

1 cup of dried fruit like cherries, raisins, chopped dates, or combination

1 tablespoon coconut flour, approx.

Melt coconut oil in a baking pan with sides in a 350 degree oven. Add cinnamon to the oil and stir. Add coconut flakes, almonds, seeds, nuts, and dried fruit. Sprinkle coconut flour over the fruit so it won’t stick together. Stir together and bake for 7 minutes. Stir and return to oven for 4 minutes. Let cool and store in a glass jar in the fridge.

I like this with coconut milk, and it’s a favorite of my husband. Add a drop of honey if it’s not sweet enough for you. Some people don’t do well with any sweeteners, or even dried fruit. Experiment and see if you have good stable energy afterward and you’ll know.

Nut butter and slices. Spread some almond butter on apple or pear slices. Cashew butter or peanut butter works too. Or pair cheese and fruit slices, if you tolerate dairy.

Nut flour muffins. These are more nutritious than wheat flour muffins. As it’s still refined flour, I rarely eat these for breakfast. However, these are appealing to kids. Maybe try some berries on the side. Here’s a recipe.

Smoothies. These are great for people who want a breakfast to-go as you can sip it as you commute. You blend a variety of healthy ingredients in a blender. If you add greens, which is a very good idea, you need a high-speed powerful blender. The fruit in the mix hides the taste of the greens. Here is a recipe for a green smoothie.

Should I skip breakfast?

Intermittent fasting could mean skipping breakfast. The idea is to have a long period of time between meals, such as from dinner till lunch the next day. Some people report feeling great and losing weight this way. There’s research to support this. However, if you have any hormonal imbalance, and many women do, then skipping breakfast could make things worse. That’s why I always eat breakfast.

How about coffee?

If you tolerate coffee, you might add grass-fed organic butter and/or MCT oil to your coffee. MCT oil can also be added to a smoothie or yogurt, and it’s great for brain health. You can also add collagen and cinnamon or any other healthy flavor. Here’s a description of Bulletproof Coffee.

I’m a National Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. I have plenty recipes and ideas for good healthy meals. Let me help you eat well in the morning. Contact me.

What do you eat for breakfast? Let us know in the Comments.

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