You've heard it before and you'll hear it again: breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and eating it could help battle the bulge and manage it long-term.
However, what you actually eat for breakfast is incredibly important. A ham and cheese croissant has roughly the same kilojoules as
five eggs, yet not all kilojoules are created equal.
Fruit
We're talking whole pieces, not juice. Fruit contains fructose, but the difference between whole fruit and fruit juice is that the fructose in whole fruit is packaged up with a bounty of antioxidant, fibre and diluted with water giving metabolic advantages such as slow digestion and satiety (feelings of fullness). For a well-rounded breakfast, pair it with rich protein sources - such as yoghurt or an egg. Fresh, seasonal fruit is best in terms of taste and nutritional content. Frozen fruit is just as nutritious and handy for making a quick smoothie.
Vegetables
Not only will adding a serve of veg to your A.M. meal be a wholesome way to fill up, it also adds a ton of versatility. If their vitamins and minerals don't persuade you, maybe their waist whittling powers will do the trick. All veg are fibre-rich, with few kilojoules - meaning you'll be satisfied without adding inches to the waistline. Team a green smoothie with toast, add sauteed spinach or mushroom to an egg wrap or frittata, try a sweet potato hash or team vegetables and cereal, such as zucchini and oats (aka zoats).
Wholegrain cereals
It's quick and cheap, but navigating the cereal aisle in search of a good choice has never been so tough. Start by choosing a cereal with rich in fibre - a hunger-busting nutrient to keep morning munchies at bay. In fact, increasing fibre intake is well known to reduce body fat and food intake later in the day. Look for 7g of fibre per 100g. What's more, numerous studies show that choosing wholegrain varieties can lower insulin levels which, in turn, helps speed up the fat-burning process. Choose cereals with at least 50 per cent wholegrain ingredients. Think rolled oats, whole wheat, spelt, barley, quinoa and brown rice. As always, read the fine print.
Yoghurt
Your best bet are Greek or natural yoghurt since they have no added sugar (check the label). Along with bone-strengthening calcium, Greek yoghurt in particular packs a protein punch (nearly twice as much as regular yoghurt) so you're not starved an hour after you eat. To tangy? You can make the stuff edible by topping with fruit or drizzle honey and cinnamon.
