For many people, a healthy breakfast is the first and most important meal of the day. Only a delicious and healthy breakfast will give you the energy and vitality you need to get through the day.
Do you also need it to keep you going during the day? Then you're sure to be interested in the many different options, such as muesli, Bircher muesli, porridge or granola, that will help you vary your breakfast.
Do you find it difficult to get a bite to eat in the morning? No problem: we'll show you what options you still have to start the day full of energy.
Why is a healthy breakfast so important?
Even if breakfast is out of fashion from time to time, there's no denying that the first meal of the day plays a major role in supplying your body with new energy. It provides minerals and trace elements and boosts your metabolism and immune system.
If you find it difficult to eat in the morning, you shouldn't skip breakfast. Instead, just vary it a little by drinking delicious smoothies, for example.
If it's mainly because of the early hour, you can simply move it to 9 or 10 o'clock when your circulation is already a bit more up and running.
However, if you don't take in any energy at all, you may experience nausea and headaches. Your blood sugar level will remain low and you will feel tired and listless.
Even if you are on a diet, always eat breakfast. Otherwise you will get so hungry before lunch that you will reach for unhealthy snacks and end up eating even more of the calories you have saved.
Breakfast from Verival – discover now
What should a balanced breakfast contain?
For a healthy diet, your breakfast should never be one-sided. Ideally, it should consist of a mixture of the following food components:
- Protein (milk, yoghurt, low-fat quark, skyr, soy drink, soy yoghurt, nuts)
- Fat (cheese, cream cheese, nuts, seeds)
- Carbohydrates (wholegrain products, such as wholegrain bread or oats)
- Vitamins (fresh fruit, vegetables, berries )
And, of course, don't forget to drink enough. Start in the morning to meet your daily fluid needs. Unsweetened fruit or herbal teas or water are particularly suitable for this. If you don't want to go without juice, you should mix it with plenty of water to lower the sugar content.
For those who can't eat anything after getting up: prepare a smoothie of fruit or vegetables and mix it with oats or chia seeds. Vegetables are also a good choice for smoothies.
These are the top foods for a healthy breakfast
The following foods will help you eat healthily and support your gut flora in the morning:
Oats
Oats contain protein and vitamins that provide plenty of energy for your daily routine. Complex carbohydrates ensure that blood sugar rises slowly because they are also absorbed slowly by the body.
The result: you won't feel very hungry for many hours. On top of that, the fiber they contain is good for your digestion. They are great combined with fruit, nuts, seeds or even yogurt.
Alternatively, you can also alternate oats with spelt cereal flakes.
Fruit
The selection here is huge and no matter what you choose, kiwi, banana, apple, grapes and other fruits will give you lots of vitamins, fiber and good carbohydrates. You get an extra energy boost from the fructose, but you will never feel bloated and heavy. A homemade fruit salad (with a little refinement with nuts, a few grated coconut or chia seeds) is a real vitamin kick. A fruity smoothie rounded off with a little turmeric is not only delicious but also a delight in terms of color.
Berries
Here, too, you have a wide variety of options. Berries provide large amounts of vitamin C and minerals for your healthy diet. They also contain antioxidants that prevent premature skin aging and wrinkling.
To protect the environment as much as possible, you should make sure to buy fresh berries only during the berry season in summer. They are easy to freeze – either whole or as a berry puree – so you can enjoy them out of season. Without a guilty conscience.
Nuts
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc.) are a good option for your breakfast because they contain a lot of plant-based protein.
Unsaturated fatty acids provide your body with healthy fats, which have an anti-inflammatory effect and protect your heart.
On top of that, nuts regulate your cholesterol and blood sugar levels and, when combined with oats or yogurt, for example, they are versatile in their use.
Seeds and kernels
You have probably already heard of so-called superfoods, such as chia or flax seeds. They are particularly important for you because they contain a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, which have a positive influence on your brain function and performance.
Eggs
Eggs are not only delicious, they also offer a number of advantages. Above all, with 13 grams per egg, they are an ideal source of protein. They also provide many vitamins, such as the fat-soluble A, D, E and K, as well as the minerals iron, calcium and potassium. Your concentration will increase and you will feel full for a long time.
Are you a low-carb fan? Then eggs are the perfect breakfast for you, as they contain almost no carbohydrates, at less than one gram per 100 grams. What's more, eggs are so versatile – you can have scrambled, fried, poached, etc. – that you will never get bored of them.
Yogurt
Another top food is yogurt because it is usually low in calories, sugar and fat. However, make sure to buy only unsweetened plain yogurt and combine it with fruits or nuts to stay full for as long as possible.
Healthy breakfast ideas with oats
Do you want to incorporate oats into your breakfast? Here are three delicious options for you:
Porridge
For the classic oat meal, also known as oatmeal or porridge, mix the oats with twice the amount of milk and heat in a saucepan for three minutes. Vegans can also use water or a plant-based drink for this. You can enjoy this dish both hot and cold and top it with many ingredients, such as fruits, nuts or honey.
Overnight oats
Overnight oats are a good alternative for those who don't have much time after getting up. To make them, simply prepare your cold porridge in the evening by mixing the oats with water, milk or a plant-based drink. Then store it in the fridge overnight and you'll have a quick and healthy breakfast to go the next morning.
Bircher muesli
A special form of oatmeal is Bircher muesli. Soak the oats overnight and add lemon juice and (condensed) milk or almond milk in the morning. Just before eating, grate in an apple and your stomach-friendly muesli is ready.
5 tips for a healthy breakfast
Take enough time
Don't wolf your breakfast down, but enjoy it. On the one hand, this is easier on your digestion, and on the other hand, you will only feel full if you do. This will prevent you from consuming unnecessary calories.
Eat a varied breakfast
Try out lots of delicious breakfast recipes and don't get bored. Alternate between sweet and savory breakfast options and vary, for example, with different types of fruit according to the season. If you prefer savory foods, you can try different spreads and garnish them with cucumber or tomato, for example.
Better to leave out the sugar
If you eat too much sugar in the morning, your blood sugar level will skyrocket and then drop just as quickly. The unpleasant result is ravenous hunger. Therefore, avoid ready-made muesli, sweetened yoghurts and pastries from the bakery that contain added sugar. Instead, sweeten your breakfast with fruit or a little honey.
Prepare breakfast when you're in a rush
If you're very busy in the morning, you should prepare your breakfast the night before (see overnight oats). This way, you can quickly satisfy your first hunger in the morning with something healthy.
Don't eat too much
Be careful not to eat too much. More food doesn't mean more energy. Quite the opposite: your body will be too busy digesting, which will make you feel more sluggish.
Is a hot or cold breakfast healthier?
This is a question on which there are many opinions: should we have a hot or cold breakfast? It should be noted that there is no such thing as the perfect breakfast. It always depends on your needs. So listen to your gut and eat what does your body good in the morning.
However, followers of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda swear by warm breakfasts, such as soup or warm porridge. They believe that this strengthens the immune system and means that the body does not have to expend unnecessary energy warming and digesting food.
The best recipe ideas for a healthy breakfast
Delicious recipe: overnight oats with chia seeds
Basic overnight oats recipe with the addition of chia seeds, a superfood.
Preparation time: 5 mins.
Total time: 2 hrs.
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 250 kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp rolled oats (approx. 45 g)
- 80 ml of water, milk or a plant-based alternative
- 1 tbsp of yoghurt
- 1 tbsp of chia seeds (this corresponds to about 15 g of chia seeds)
- honey, agave syrup or maple syrup to sweeten
- fruits, nuts and seeds of your choice (as a topping)
Preparation
- Put the water, milk or a plant-based alternative together with the oats and chia seeds in a glass and stir well.
- Our insider tip: add a tablespoon of yoghurt.
- We recommend honey, agave syrup or maple syrup for sweetening.
- Put the mixture in the fridge overnight or for at least two hours.
- Then stir again well, decorate with fruits, nuts or seeds and enjoy.
Nutritional information
Calories: 250 kcal
Go on a quest and you will see how many healthy recipes you can discover around the topic of healthy breakfast.
