It is the most important meal of the day or so the saying goes so at least deserves a little bit of thought about what it should involve. Setting your day up right from the start can make such a difference to how the rest of the day pans out. If you just grab a bowl of cereal and then are hangry and low in energy mid-morning then making sure you get enough protein and fibre to start the day might just be what you need. On top of these having foods that are full of vitamins and minerals that are key to helping your body to metabolise energy can set you on the right track for starting your day with more energy.
These goods are a good place to start:
Eggs
Yoghurt
Papaya
Avocado
Fatty fish
Brown rice
Quinoa
Bread
Why savoury?
There has been a lot of talk in the world of health and wellbeing recently about blood sugars and glucose levels. One of the key recommendations that has come of the work of the amazing “Glucose Goddess” is that a savoury breakfast is essential for limiting your blood sugar from spiking which along with a whole host of other health implications is key in stopping that mid-morning grogginess which so many of us have
Eggs
How do you like your eggs in the morning? I like mine on toast, baked, to go, or in a burrito (the kiss is optional, the eggs are not).
Eggs are a breakfast classic, up there with cereal but unlike cereals which are often full of sugar and leave you feeling sluggish and hungry by 10 oclock, eggs are full of protein and healthy fats which can help you stay full and feel more energised to take on the day ahead. Eggs are reported to reduce fatigue and to have an antioxidant effect. What is better still is that they are super versatile with options that take 5 minutes or can be prepped ahead to a lovely sit-down Sunday brunch. What’s more, they are one of the only breakfast foods that do not leave me searching for a snack just an hour later.
Why not check out our Turkish egg recipe, which is the perfect start to the morning with spices, egg, yoghurt and sourdough.
Yoghurt
The next two might be a little unexpected to see on a list of savoury breakfast foods. Usually associated with fruit and granola, yoghurt can make a great base for a savoury breakfast plate topped with roasted veggies or why not combine their eggs and go for 2x the energy boosters with a breakfast of Turkish eggs.
Yogurt is full of probiotics which are known to be great for your gut health. It seems that probiotics are good for your digestion and apparently certain probiotics can help improve your mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are little cells in your body that are often referred to as the powerhouse cells because a big part of their function is creating energy for your other cells which in turn can increase your overall energy and reduce the feeling of fatigue.
Papaya – green salad
Another slightly rouge option here because Papaya is a fruit right? So what is it doing on a list of savoury breakfast foods? Green papaya is unripe papaya fruit and has low levels of sugar at only 3 grams per 100. I ate a lot of green papaya salad in Thailand and it was so delicious and refreshing so when I saw the nutritional benefits of green papaya I knew I wanted to add it to my list of healthy breakfasts. Green papaya is full of vitamins and carotenoids which are great for cardiovascular health. Vitamins A and C are thought to help support your body to create energy. Green papaya is also believed to support the management of blood glucose.
Avocado
Back in with a classic, no breakfast list would be complete without the mention of avocado. These creamy little nuggets are full of healthy fats, packed with vitamins K, C, B &E as well as folate and potassium, all together these aid the production and storage of energy. So whilst your Avo toast habit might lead to comments about why you don’t own a house yet at least you can rent full of energy!
On top of the various options of avo toast, they can also be a great addition to a green smoothie to help you feel full for longer or a breakfast burrito for the road.
Fatty fish
If you work in an office this one might get you hated but fatty fish such as mackerel is full of omega 3 and vitamins D and E, not only are these involved in making you feel full of energy but fatty fish has also been linked to the reduction on inflammation,
Fatty fish can be smothered on a bit of toast for a speedy nutritious breakfast or if you have a little more time you could add them to a few of the other items on the list and make a beautiful slightly spicy kedgeree with yoghurt, eggs and brown rice for and delicious way to start your day!
Brown rice
And no I don’t mean Coco Pops! Brown rice is not something that is usually associated with breakfast like me you grew up in the UK but across other parts of the world rice for breakfast is a staple and you can see why. Brown rice is high in carbs to give you that energy boost you need in the morning and full of fibre which keeps you full for longer leaving you less likely to cave for the office biscuits to stop your stomach rumbling. Brown rice is also packed full of vitamins and minerals which can help your body turn those carbs into energy.
Whether you make yourself some Indonesian-style nasi goreng topped with an egg, an egg-fried rice dish to use up your leftovers or a savoury Asian porridge called congee, there are lots of delicious nutritious brown rice dishes to try.
Quinoa
Similar to rice quinoa is a tiny little seed that you might think of when you plan your breakfast but you can use it pretty similarly to oats in a porridge or as a breakfast bar to grab and go. Unlike oats and rice, quinoa is all high in protein, as well as fibre which together should keep you energised and full. Especially when you through in magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin B1 which are essential in energy production.
Bread
An absolute breakfast staple, is there anything better than the smell of toast, like seriously how does it smell so good?
The great news is that with a few tiny tweaks bread can be a really great energy-boosting breakfast, with wholewheat bread being a great source of vitamin B, copper and magnesium. Have it with avocado or eggs for a super easy speedy breakfast. Or if you are feeling adventurous Ezekiel bread is a sprouted bread that is more nutrient-dense than any other bread and can be used as a healthy substitute in your standard breakfast rotations. Ezekiel bread contains legumes and multiple whole grains giving it that extra dose of energy-boosting power.
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