A Better Breakfast: Healthy Tips and Recipes to Start the Day
Sep 30, 2020 06:30AM ● By April Thompsonedalin/AdobeStock.com
A plant-based chef based in Bruges, Belgium, Julie Van den Kerchove switched from a raw, vegan diet to a mainly keto diet, low in carbohydrates, to regain energy after “hitting a wall, experiencing hormonal imbalances and nutritional deficiencies. Before, I would have green smoothies with lots of fruit and leafy greens, but would be ‘hangry’ a few hours later. Now my breakfast consists more of healthy fats and proteins, which helps me stay satisfied and energized until lunchtime. I experience more mental clarity and calmness because my blood sugar is not going up and down,” says Van den Kerchove, a blogger and author of vegan, raw-food and keto cookbooks.
Teresa Fung, a professor of nutrition at Simmons University and adjunct professor at Harvard University, both in Boston, cautions about completely cutting carbs from breakfast, however. “Fruits and vegetables are important healthy sources of carbs, essential to get enough fiber to maintain healthy gut microbiome and feed the good bacteria in your GI tract,” says Fung, who is an associate editor for The Journal of Nutrition. “Optimal morning fuel will include a good dose of protein, vitamins and minerals, fiber, antioxidants and some heart-healthy fats. It will also include a healthy source of carbs that your body can use as energy, leaving proteins to be used for protein synthesis,” says Fung, suggesting a simple, but hearty breakfast of high-fiber oatmeal or yogurt with nuts and fruit.
Like Perlmutter, Fung stresses the importance of eating during daylight hours when certain enzymes are activated. “Our bodies react to daylight even when our eyes are still closed. Eating should match up with our biological clocks, as we are daytime animals, using most of our energy in the day,” she says.
Fung notes Americans that tend to make breakfast the smallest meal of the day and dinner the largest need to better balance meal sizes rather than load up on calories late in the day.
Healthy First Meals
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Crisp Overnight Oats
This recipe for overnight oats with caramel apple cinnamon crisp is a great dessert/breakfast mix that’s healthy and delicious, including a caramel sauce using dates. Read More »
Salmon Cakes with Fennel & Parsnips
This gluten-free breakfast recipe for salmon cakes combines wild-caught salmon with fennel and parsnip vegetables for a healthy way to start the day. Read More »
Sweet Potato Toast with Avocado
Replace bread for toast using sweet potatoes with this healthy, gluten-free recipe for avocado toast. Top with eggs or go vegan and use tempeh. Read More »
Cauliflower Hash Egg Muffins
This is a healthier, low-calorie alternative to the classic breakfast of hash browns and eggs, and more nutritious, too, because cauliflower is packed with fiber, minerals and vitamins. Read More »