Breakfast has many appealing benefits including jumpstarting your metabolism to help you burn more calories throughout the day. With the UK in lockdown and people having more time on their hands, making a healthy nutritious breakfast can help maximise weight loss.
While many people believe that starting the day with carbohydrates can ruin a healthy diet, nutritionist Susie Burrell says that having them in the morning can help maximise weight loss.
Having a portion of carbs in the morning can help you stay fuller for longer.
She said: “Unless you are specifically following a low carb or keto program, adding some wholegrain low GI carbs to your breakfast mix is the best way to help replenish your body after the overnight fast, and ensure your brain and muscles have all the energy that they need to be at their best.”
Pancakes can be made healthy with a small change of ingredients, using oats instead of flour and adding in bananas for nutrition and to make the pancakes moist.
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Fruit like blueberries can help boost your metabolism as they provide key nutrients (Image: Getty)
According to Tasty, the best healthy banana pancake recipe is:
• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 70g oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
After combining ingredients, add a scoop of batter to a hot pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Topping the pancakes with fruit like blueberries can help boost your metabolism as they provide key nutrients and are very low in calories.
Susie says: “One of the most powerful things you can do to ensure your breakfast keeps you full for several hours is make sure you include good quality protein.”
This includes incorporating foods into your breakfast like eggs and smoked salmon.
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When choosing a bread option to have for breakfast, Susie recommends opting for a lower carb bread that combines wholegrain goodness with fewer calories than white bread.
According to the NHS, research suggests people who eat breakfast are slimmer because they tend to eat less during the day.
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The website says the best scrambled egg recipe is:
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp milk
• 2 slices wholemeal/granary toast
• 2 tsp low-fat spread
• Pink of black pepper for seasoning
• Top with chives (optional)
After mixing all the ingredients, cook over a medium heat, stirring slowly and gently until they scramble.
Wholemeal or granary bread contain a lot less calories than white bread does (Image: Getty)
Adding a handful of spinach to your scrambled eggs can help boost nutrition levels.
Or adding avocado can have many health benefits.
Susie says: “Good fats that come from a range of foods including olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and peanut butter not only offer a range of key nutrients but adding some good fat to a meal helps ensure that you will be kept fuller for longer after eating.
“Avocado works well with toast and smoothies, as do nuts and seeds.”
The protein and fat in eggs helps sustain energy levels, keeping you satisfied for longer and reducing the need for a snack which can help boost weight loss.
According to Healthline, blueberries are “the king of antioxidant foods,” and eating them everyday helps reduce risk factors of cardiovascular disease.
Having a smoothie, combining lots of nutritious foods can not only keep you fuller for longer, it will also add towards your five-a-day and help burn fat.
Combining a banana into your breakfast is one of the best sources of resistant starch, a health carbohydrate that keeps you feeling fuller longer.
Very berry smoothie:
• Banana
• 140g frozen summer berries
• Handful of blueberries
• 40g of low-fat natural yoghurt
• 100ml of apple juice
Incorporating greek yoghurt into a breakfast can add to the protein levels and energise the body.
A healthy breakfast contributes to proper immune function, lowers cholesterol, and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. If you skip breakfast, you are more likely to snack more, consuming more calories by consuming less nutritious foods.
Source: Daily Express | Diet
