Food Expert's 5 Best Breakfast Choices

WebMD Feature from eDiets.com

By Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE

Sometimes making one change to your lifestyle can pay off in permanent weight control. That’s true about eating breakfast. Yep, your mother was right: Eating breakfast is good for you, in more ways than you think. Breakfast sets the stage for the rest of the day’s energy balance... and what you eat can keep you on track toward a healthy tomorrow.
According to the Tufts University Food & Nutrition Letter, eating more in the morning may help limit overeating at night. They cite research that shows breakfast calories are more satiating, blunting overall calorie consumption over the rest of the day.
Another benefit of breakfast is that it’s the meal in which you can get lots of nutrients you might not get over the rest of the day, including calcium from dairy, fiber from fruit and whole grains from cereals or bread. So both psychologically and physiologically, breakfast is best for your diet.

Don’t worry which meal plan you’re following, there are a variety of healthy breakfasts that fit. And when you’ve reached your weight goal, you can incorporate all these breakfasts into your diet for more variety. High-fiber, low-sugar cereals and breads, low- and nonfat dairy, lean meats, healthy fats and whole fruits of all kinds fit all meal plans.

For a low-carb diet, such as the Atkins plan, during the first phase, Induction, carbs need to be very restricted, but as you move through the phases of weight loss and maintenance, you’ll be able to incorporate into your meal plan healthy, unrefined carbs including whole grains and fruit.

Breakfast Picks
�?nbsp; Simply Cereal: Cold or hot, the first ingredient should always be “whole grain�?-- whether it’s whole wheat or whole oats, or a blend of whole grains. My favorite: I mix Kashi GoLean with Health Valley oat bran flakes.

Read the ingredient and nutrition facts label to avoid any cereals with hydrogenated oils and excess added sugars. For your reference, one teaspoon of sugar contains 4 grams. My 1-cup serving of GoLean cereal has 140 calories and 1 gram of fat, 6 grams of sugar from evaporated cane juice, 13 grams of protein, a whopping 10 grams of fiber and only 85 milligrams of sodium. All this nutrition plus taste and crunch, too!

Compare to a cup of Honey Nut Cheerios. One cup has about 120 calories, but less than 2 grams of fiber, about 2 grams of fiber, 9 grams of added sugar and 260 milligrams of sodium.

�?nbsp; Smoothies: The blender is my favorite kitchen appliance. I use it every morning to make my smoothie…that I pour over my cereal! And if you don’t have time to sit and eat, a smoothie is a complete meal in itself.

Here’s convenience: You don’t even need fresh fruit for a frothy smoothie -- use frozen. Blend one cup of nonfat milk plus half to one cup of nonfat plain or sugar-free nonfat flavored yogurt (I love vanilla!), plus a cup of crushed ice and a cup of fresh or frozen fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries). Total about 300 calories, 23 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat and no added sugar.

If you prefer it sweeter, you can add your own sweetener -- a teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories; honey has about 20 calories, or use a non-nutritive sweetener if you wish. Soy milk is a great alternative, even if you’re not lactose intolerant. Avoid the high-sugared soy milks and opt for low- or nonfat varieties, the same for soy yogurts.
�?nbsp; Waffles: Quick and easy, pre-prepared breakfast items are not all created equal! Some are full of sugar and even trans fats. Kashi, besides healthy cereals, also has a good GoLean frozen waffle, made without hydrogenated fat, low in sodium and sugar (2 waffles have 170 calories, 6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of sugar).

Boost the nutrition by topping with a half-cup of berries mixed with ¼ cup of low fat ricotta cheese. Yum! Only 125 extra calories, but add 7 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.

�?nbsp; Pita sandwiches: On days when I have more time and want a bigger, more substantial breakfast, and maybe want to entertain, I break out the pitas, eggs and potatoes. Who says potatoes don’t fit into a healthy diet? Just cook them right, and the same goes for eggs.

 

Pita-Licious Breakfast

Ingredients

2 small whole wheat pitas
2 whole eggs (or 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites)
2 Tbsp. low-fat buttermilk
1 medium baking potato, scrubbed and diced into small ½-inch cubes
1 green or red pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook onion and peppers on medium heat until softened. In small bowl, lightly beat eggs; add buttermilk. Add to pan and cook together with vegetables until done. Serve with toasted pita. About 330 calories, 15 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat (no trans fat).

�?nbsp; Muffins: When I was 19 years old and 35 pounds heavier than I am today, I was “hooked�?on big bran muffins full of fat and sugar. Today I look back and realize my muffin had about 600 calories. No wonder I couldn’t lose weight! I made one change and switched my breakfast to No. 1 above…and lost 10 pounds the first month (I also started walking every morning!) Packaged muffins aren’t reliable, even if they’re labeled “healthy�?or “bran�?or “whole grain."

Sugar is often the first ingredient, followed closely by fat. That’s why it’s important to read labels. Make a dozen muffins and freeze, then when you get to work just pop in the microwave to briefly warm.

Susan’s Best Berry Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (any berry will do!)
1 egg white
1 Tbsp. canola oil, separated
1/3 cup honey
½ cup nonfat milk
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a nonstick 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.
Mix ¼ cup of flour with blueberries and set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat egg white and half-tablespoon of oil lightly; stir in milk and rest of oil.

In separate bowl, mix dry ingredients, then add them to liquid ingredients and mix just long enough to incorporate the dry ingredients. Do not over beat. The mixture will look a bit lumpy, but that’s OK. Fold in blueberries and fill each muffin pan cup two-thirds full.

Bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Each muffin has approximately 125 calories, 2.5 grams protein, 3 grams fat, and 2 grams of fiber. Add more fiber by replacing 1/3 cup of flour with whole-wheat flour.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/food-experts-5-best-breakfast-choices?ecd=wnl_wct_070907