Healthy breakfast: see ideas for putting together the menu

There are those who already have the habit of having that hearty breakfast, but there are people who skip this meal and spend the whole morning without eating. Although food is very individual, experts indicate that, in general, starting the day by eating healthy foods is the best way to take care of your health and have more energy during the day.

But there is no point in eating anything, so empty calories make up the meal. Ideally, food should be designed to supply the body’s needs properly.

In this article you will understand why to have breakfast, what to choose and what the benefits of a balanced and healthy meal are.

Why is it important to have breakfast?

One day or another, when you wake up without hunger, there is no harm in skipping breakfast. In fact, some people don’t really feel good about eating early. In such cases, there is no reason to force a small meal, as long as the rest of the day is balanced with a healthy diet.

However, several studies indicate that betting on a breakfast is a way to avoid a series of decompensations, such as overweight or obesity and the resulting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes .

This is because the prolonged period without eating can make lunch more exaggerated than it should. If you add that to unhealthy choices, such as fried foods, simple carbohydrates and few nutrients, the result is weight gain.

In addition, many hours without eating can have the reverse effect: instead of reducing hunger, it can lead to binge eating, especially when skipping a meal is a forced behavior. That is, those diets that drastically reduce food and suggest long periods of fasting can be a bore.

Another important point is that many people feel more willing, in fact, starting the day with breakfast. This is because the body uses this meal as a source of energy after a full night’s sleep.

So it is important to respect the needs and signals that the body gives!

But it is worth the warning: it is no use just adopting breakfast. It is necessary to pay attention to what is placed on the table. That is, it must be healthy above all. And for that, there are some important tips.

What does a healthy breakfast need to have?

There is no fixed menu for a good healthy breakfast. In fact, the secret is precisely to adapt the meal to individual needs. But some general tips can be good allies for those who are rearranging their morning food.

Thus, a healthy breakfast needs to include nutrient-rich foods that are capable of providing adequate energy. The ideal is to avoid industrialized products , rich in sugar and fats.

That is, that breakfast cereal may not be the best option.

Whether for those who already have the habit (and the need) to eat early, or for those who want to include this meal in their routine, it is best to opt for whole carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, oats or granola. The protein lean as white cheese, cottage cheese and skim milk are good choices too.

Fruits are always allied, preferably whole and not in juice. This is because when straining a drink, the fibers are retained in that part that ends up not being ingested.

In addition, it is common that more fruit is needed to make a juice. For example, a glass of orange juice can contain 3 or even 4 oranges, making the caloric value much higher, and satiety is much less.

But there is no secret to breakfast. The right thing is to find foods that adapt well to the routine and well-being of each person. It can be just a little fruit, but it can be a more enhanced meal, like a whole grain bread and a scrambled egg.

What can replace bread for breakfast?

The bread roll is a classic breakfast, but some people don’t like it or can’t eat it. In such cases, you need to find other options to replace it in the cafe.

It is worth remembering that, in general, bread is not a villain of weight loss, and changing food is not always advantageous, except when there are nutritional recommendations.

For example, many people who want to lose weight exchange French bread for tapioca. What may even seem advantageous, actually turns out to be quite equivalent.

This is because tapioca is usually valued for not containing gluten , but except for those who have celiac disease or allergy / sensitivity to gluten, scientifically the protein does not cause any harm to the body.

Each 100g of tapioca has an average of 220 calories. A French bread, about 80g, contains about 280 calories. Despite being a smaller value, on the whole, it may not make much difference.

In addition, it is necessary to consider whether this exchange is worthwhile. For example, for those who love bread, about 100 calories may not be worth the change.

Anyway, for those who want to vary the meal or cannot consume, some options are:

• Tapioca;
• Crepioca (a type of pancake made with tapioca and egg);
• Aveioca (a type of pancake made with oats and egg);
• Granola;
• Fruit salad with flour or grains (oats, flaxseed flour, chickpea bran, etc.);
• Baked dumplings made with healthy flours (oats, almonds, chickpeas, etc.);
• Scrambled eggs with complements (white cheese, turkey breast, etc.).

Those who cannot eat bread, whether due to illness or sensitivity to milk or gluten, can also bet on gluten-free and milk-free breads or homemade breads made with released ingredients.

Breakfast for those who work out: what to eat before training?

Those who train need to bet on an adequate meal to have energy. But it is not enough to eat anything, as it is to gain muscle mass or to lose fat, the food needs to be adequate to the objectives.

Thus, the best thing is to count on the help of nutrition professionals, who will assist in the assembly of a personalized menu, aligned with the lifestyle, the intensity of the training and the goal. But some suggestions include foods with complex carbohydrates, as they are digested more slowly, ensuring that there is a source of energy throughout exercise.

It is also important that there are good sources of protein, so that muscle mass is preserved. This is important for those who want to lose weight too, as it favors the burning of fat and not muscle mass.

What to eat before training to gain lean mass

For those who are looking to gain muscle mass (hypertrophy), it is best to bet on the combination of carbohydrates and proteins. This is because the body will need energy during intense physical activity, but it will also need proteins to replace the amino acids needed for activities.

Therefore, some options that combine carbohydrate and protein are:

• Oats and egg;
• Banana and egg;
• Granola and whey;
• Peanut butter and white cheese.

What to eat before your workout to lose weight

Even those who go to the gym wanting to lose weight need to bet on good carbohydrates and proteins. But the focus may be more on the energy source, so that the body can withstand aerobic activities.

Thus, betting on foods with slow release, such as sweet potatoes , bananas or fruits in general, oats and bran in general (chickpeas, soybeans, almonds) is the best option.

Breakfast ideas

A healthy breakfast should include vitamins and minerals, as well as good sources of carbohydrates and proteins. The percentage of each food will depend on some factors, such as dietary goals and lifestyle. To facilitate this menu, below are some wild foods, which are usually indicated for breakfast:

Breakfast menu

Below are some very common breakfast options. But the menu must always be assembled with the help of nutritionists and health professionals, so that it is appropriate and healthy:

To lose belly

To lose belly, breakfast should be balanced with the rest of the food. That is, it is necessary to do a general dietary reeducation , so that there is a reduction in the total calories consumed daily.

It is worth remembering that losing your belly is directly related to losing body weight. Thus, there is no point in reducing breakfast and overeating at lunch.

In addition, it is important to prioritize foods that are rich in nutrients and that are natural. The fibers are also allies, as they stimulate the functioning of the intestine and give more satiety.

Therefore, some options are:

• 2 scrambled eggs + 1 papaya;
• 1 crepioca + 1 glass of skimmed milk;
• 1 papaya + 1 low-fat yogurt.

To gain muscle mass

For those who want to gain muscle mass, breakfast should contain good amounts of protein. In addition, they must contain carbohydrates and fiber, in addition to minerals and vitamins.

Thus, it is worth combining:

• Oats + eggs;
• Crepioca enriched with soy flour or chickpeas + skimmed milk;
• Banana + scrambled eggs + plain yogurt;
• Brown bread + ricotta cream + scrambled eggs.

To have more disposition

Those who want to have more disposition can plan a breakfast with complex carbohydrates, which are those released more slowly and gradually into the blood. This means that there are no dramatic increases in blood glucose and also that there is glucose (ie, energy source) constantly throughout the day.

Often, a diet rich in sugars and simple carbohydrates can generate that feeling of tiredness and injury. This is because there is a spike in blood sugar, with the release of insulin (glucose regulating hormone) and a consequent drastic drop in glucose. So there are no more sources of energy, triggering the feeling of drowsiness and tiredness.

Whole grain breads, oats, granola and fruit are great options to include. In addition, betting on the combination of carbohydrates with proteins and fibers helps to delay digestion. So, it’s worth combining:

• Wholemeal bread with ricotta;
• Tapioca filled with curd or turkey breast;
• Crepioca with soy flour;
• Banana with skim milk and scrambled eggs.

To get fat

When the goal is to put on weight, one option is to reinforce meals. This would include increasing food intake for breakfast. However, when it comes to putting on weight, this should be done in a healthy way and preferably by increasing lean mass , not the amount of fat.

Therefore, it is best to bet on a high calorie meal, rich in proteins, but with a low rate of fats and simple carbohydrates. In these cases, in addition to choosing those foods with more protein, such as skim milk, eggs and white cheese, it is worth betting on complementary flours, such as chickpea flour, soy flour and milk protein (whey protein).

These flours or brans can be added to vitamins, crepes or sprinkled on top of fruits.

It is also worth betting on complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, oats and other cereals, combined with lean milks, low-fat yoghurts and fruits.

To ingest more fiber

Ingesting more fiber is a great way to make your intestines function properly, in addition to achieving more satiety.

In such cases, it is possible to opt for daily fruit consumption, but always preferring to consume whole and fresh fruits instead of making juices. It is also important not to peel them and eat them as completely as possible (with bagasse, for example).

Another option is to bet on whole grains and cereals, such as oats and granola, in addition to being able to reinforce the breakfast with seeds and flours rich in fiber. In these cases, flaxseed or flaxseed flour, chia, psyllium, sunflower seed, quinoa , passion fruit flour, among others , are included .

Breakfast is a very important meal for many people. And some have doubts as to whether it is really necessary and how to make it healthier.

Although, in general, there are studies indicating that those who eat breakfast are more willing and less likely to gain weight, it is important to pay attention to the quality of food choices.

Therefore, putting together a varied, nutritious and balanced menu is the best way to ensure more health, mood and well-being! The Healthy minute, together with nutritionists, helps you to achieve an adequate diet!