Starting your day right with a healthy breakfast is one of the most important pillars to a healthy diet and to sustainable weight loss.
I know that most of us need a bit of carbs in our breakfast, and that’s totally fine as long as we make them HEALTHY carbs, and cut out the white starches and sugars. Even wheat bread can be inflammatory and quickly add on additional, unnecessary calories.
Here are my favorite breakfast swaps to make your breakfast healthier, lighter and more nutrient dense. Not only that, these breakfast swaps will also help boost your metabolism and aid in weight loss.
1. Instead of yogurt parfaits, try Chia Pudding.
Yogurt Parfaits – a combination of yogurt (dairy), granola (gluten) and fruit - are high in sugar and calories. Plus, yogurt parfaits are a terrible food combination when it comes to digestion (fruit, carbs and dairy don’t mix well together), making it very difficult for your stomach to break down this meal and properly absorb the nutrients, often leading to gas and bloating. Instead, try making a chia pudding, which is like a dairy-free and gluten-free parfait, simply made by soaking chia seeds in a nut-milk, and adding your choice of raw nuts, fruits and/or other superfoods.
Here is my basic recipe, quick and easy for anyone to make:
2. Instead of toast with eggs, serve your egg over sweet potato.
I love this one. People often feel they need some carbs in their breakfast, so usually opt for whole-wheat toast or bagels as a “healthy option”. But wheat bread still has gluten and is often unknowingly inflammatory for many people. So I find that using baked sweet potato rounds instead of bread is delicious, has less calories, is WAY more nutritious (sweet potatoes are filled with antioxidants & help balance blood sugar) and of course, gluten-free. I bake my sweet potato with a bit of coconut oil and sea salt (or use toaster for a quicker option) then I like to add some sautéed spinach and top off with a poached or fried egg. See my Sweet Potato Toast article for more options!
Here is a simple recipe to try:
3. Instead of cereal or instant oatmeal, try a Millet and/or Quinoa Porridge.
All boxed cereals are filled with sugars and usually unhealthy, inflammatory oils. While oatmeal tends to be a better option, most people purchase instant & flavored oatmeal which has been processed (so has less fiber than steel-cut oats) and are filled with sugars and chemicals. Making your own using whole grains that are higher in both fiber and protein is your best bet, and you can sweeten with small amounts of honey, cinnamon and some fruit. I especially like using Millet in my porridge as it has a thicker, creamier consistency similar to that of oatmeal. Here is a simple recipe that you can amend to your liking:
For another great recipe, check out my Quinoa, Millet & Chia Oatmeal.
Making these simple swaps in your morning to cut out the sugary processed stuff, and to ensure you’re getting a cleaner breakfast with healthier carbs (and optimally, some healthy protein, fats and fiber) is KEY for weight loss and your overall health. These healthy breakfasts will get you on track to have better digestion and more energy for the rest of your day.
Try them and let me know how it goes!
As always, please share your favorite healthy breakfast ideas.
Love and Healthy Breakfasts,
Mariana