Healthy Breakfasts Provide Energy, Fight Disease and Keep Weight in Check

Everyone needs a good base to get through their day, and by doing a little planning and grocery shopping, you can have healthy foods on hand each morning. The best breakfast foods for people on the go and parents trying to get kids off to school are nutritious, quickly prepared and tasty, Cooper Wellness experts say.

Cooper Wellness hosts clients for healthy stay-overs of two or six days at the Cooper Guest Lodge, an elegant 62-room hotel in Dallas.

Skipping breakfast is a common strategy for losing weight but it can be self defeating, says Kathleen Duran-Thal, director of nutrition at Cooper Wellness. Many dieters believe they'll lose weight by missing meals. Your body, however, expects and needs to be refueled several times a day, starting with breakfast.

“If you don't have breakfast, you might overcompensate by consuming too many calories the rest of the day," Duran-Thal says. "You get hungry and feel lethargic and graze on anything you can find, and as a result make poor food choices." Those who eat breakfast, however, are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and are generally more productive in the morning and able to concentrate on tasks better, she says.

A nutritious breakfast includes protein, fruit, whole-grain carbohydrates and thus some fiber, Duran-Thal says. “Avoid heavily sweetened foods that start your day with a high blood-sugar level, before the inevitable sugar letdown that puts you on an unhealthy roller coaster.” Sugary or carb-filled foods to shy away from in the morning include donuts, pastries, pies, cereals laden with high-fructose corn syrup, and many breakfast bars.

Instead, reach for high-fiber whole grains- and fruits, advises Riva Rahl, medical director at Cooper Wellness. “High-fiber foods lower your risk of heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes,” she says. “They provide volume and take longer to digest, making you feel full for awhile.”

Soluble fiber--like oats, barley, apples and citrus fruits--dissolve in water to form a gel-like material that can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels, Rahl says. Insoluble fiber, like whole-wheat flour, wheat bran and nuts, promotes a healthy digestive system. For the greatest benefits, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.

Also try to avoid fatty foods, like sausages, bacon, cheesy omelets, fried eggs and oily or buttery hash browns, Cooper Wellness experts say. Instead, consume protein from lean Canadian bacon, extra-lean ham, turkey bacon or light, turkey sausage. Include eggs, yogurt, low-fat milk, and even beans in your first meal of the day. Soy milk and other soy products are other options.

Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founder of The Cooper Institute, says his usual breakfast is half a grapefruit, unsweetened oatmeal and a glass of skim milk, followed later by a half-cup of decaffeinated coffee.

Another example of a good breakfast is oatmeal, with fresh or frozen berries, and almonds or walnuts, Duran Thal says. Top it with some skim milk. Steel-cut oatmeal is healthiest, but instant--which doesn’t have as much fiber--is still a wholesome choice. You might mix in some ground flaxseed, which is high in fiber, aids digestion and helps control cholesterol. For flavor, consider adding a little cinnamon or nutmeg. After a few minutes of preparation, you'll be eating a meal full of fiber, protein and good fats.

Another wholesome breakfast is a bowl of yogurt, mixed with fruit and a healthy, cold cereal. Use unsweetened yogurt or soy yogurt, berries or cut-up fruit, and add an unsweetened cereal. But stay away from certain brands of granola that have high fat and sugar contents.

A good breakfast choice is to stir cut-up fruit or berries into cottage cheese. Have it with a piece of whole-grain toast or whole-grain, English muffin, and a cup of tea or glass of juice.

Another quick, nutritious starter that will give you pep in the morning is a protein shake. Blend low-fat milk or soy milk with fresh or frozen berries and other fruit. Add some oatmeal, soy protein powder or a little ground flax seed, if you have it. 

A traditional breakfast, including a hard-boiled egg, a banana or orange, and a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low fat milk, is always a nutritious choice. Or make a south-of-the-border burrito by wrapping drained, canned black or pinto beans, chopped onion and a little cheese in a soft tortilla, and briefly microwave the wrap. Pair it with fruit juice.

Try breakfast with an Asian twist, by stir-frying tofu with green peppers, onions or other vegetables in a little olive oil, adding black pepper and light soy sauce. Eat it with whole-grain toast.

On weekends, make pancakes and waffles with flour that's at least half whole wheat. Add oat bran or ground flaxseed to the waffle mix for extra nutrition. Top your meal with fruit preserves, or fresh fruit and a little plain yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and vanilla extract.

Todd Whitthorne, executive director at Cooper Wellness, recommends making healthy substitutions in your breakfast. Use unsweetened, fruit preserves instead of jelly and jam. Try eating tomato slices instead of potatoes with your eggs and toast. And for a healthy spread, use apple butter, almond butter or a little olive oil. Find whole-grain breads with few ingredients, avoiding brands with high fructose corn syrup and sugar.

As for eggs, people concerned about cholesterol sometimes discard yolks and only eat the whites. But they're throwing away the nutritionally dense, antioxidant-rich part of the egg. Yolks contain B-vitamins, Vitamin A, folate, lutein and other nutrients. For most people, consuming eggs a few times a week has health benefits, Duran-Thal says.

Don't dash out of the house in the morning without eating something nutritious. If you truly dislike breakfast, try dividing it into two small meals. Eat a banana or a hard-boiled egg at home, and two hours later, take a break and snack on a handful of walnuts or pecans or an apple.

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For more information or to arrange an interview with Todd Whitthorne, executive director at Cooper Wellness, please contact Jo Trizila, TrizCom, at (972) 247-1369 or (214) 232-0078 or jo@trizcom.com.