Breakfast Foods

When we go to bed, our body goes for 8 to 10 hours without any food. Therefore breakfast is the first opportunity the body gets to replenish its depleted blood sugar levels. Blood sugar or glucose is the main source of energy for the body. The muscles use blood glucose to function during the day. Contrary to popular belief, eating a satisfying breakfast does help in weight management.

Healthy Foods For Breakfast

For those on a diet, here are some examples of healthy breakfast foods that are ideal for maintaining healthy weight.

• Grapefruit are packed with vitamins. They also taste great and makes for a refreshing and healthy breakfast food. You can also have a piece of toast or some granola along with your grapefruit to up the health quotient of your breakfast.
• Low fat yogurt is also considered to be one of the best breakfast foods. It contains calcium, vitamin B12, riboflavin and protein. It also contains living cultures which provide many health benefits to the body.  You can some nuts or granola to your yogurt or even keep the yogurt in the freezer for a delicious and rejuvenating breakfast snack.
• Cereals are a perfect example of easy breakfast foods. All you have to do is add some milk to your bowl of cereal and you have a fulfilling and healthy breakfast meal. It is important to opt for whole grain cereals as these provide dietary fiber to the body. Also avoid those cereals which contain high amounts of sugar.
• Oatmeal is one of the healthiest high protein breakfast foods. It is also a rich source of dietary fiber and beneficial for those with high cholesterol levels. You can add honey, nuts or berries to your oatmeal for extra flavor and nutrition.
• Another good breakfast food is a fresh banana. Bananas contain potassium and are loaded with vitamins. They can be eaten plain or added to cereal, oatmeal or toast.
• If you're looking for the best fast food breakfast, then opt for a meal replacement shake. There are many different varieties available in the market today and these can be kept handy for times when you are in a hurry.
• Berries also make for great low calorie breakfast foods. They are packed with antioxidants and also taste wonderful.
• Those on a low carb diets need to find low carb breakfast foods which contain a low amount of carbohydrates. Turkey bacon is a delicious and healthy low carb breakfast food.
• For those who need their carbs in their morning, toast is a good option. Opt for whole grain toast as it contains fiber which is important for proper digestion and also keeps you full for a longer period of time. You can have your toast lightly buttered or topped with sliced banana.
• Milk is a valuable source of calcium and vitamin D. Many people avoid drinking milk because of the fat content. You can opt for low fat milk or skimmed milk. Milk may be consumed plain or with cereal or oatmeal.

Healthy Recipes

There are a range of recipes for breakfast foods available today. You can pick and choose those which contain ingredients of your choice. It always helps to plan your meals beforehand so that you save time and effort while preparing them. Here are some interesting breakfast food ideas.

• Buttermilk pancakes are an easy breakfast food which does not require too much time to prepare. In a mixing bowl, combine 50 grams sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 200 grams all purpose baking flour, some baking soda and salt. Beat two eggs along with 600 ml buttermilk and 60 grams unsalted butter. Mix the dry and wet ingredients to form a batter. Heat some butter on a pan, add a spoonful of the batter and cook on both sides for about 3 minutes. Top with some berries and serve.
• For days when you have absolutely no time to cook a breakfast, you can simply boil a couple of eggs. Hard boiled eggs make for a great fast food breakfast and can be eaten with some whole grain toast.
• We know now that fruits are good breakfast foods but it can get monotonous to eat chopped fruit every morning. You can give a slight twist to your fruit breakfast by preparing a dish like cinnamon apples. Place a couple of pounds of peeled and slices apples in a crock pot, cover and cook for about 5 hours at a low temperature. Then add some cinnamon sauce and serve hot or cold. This dish may be prepared the night before.
• If you're someone who likes French breakfast foods, then breakfast puffs are an ideal dish for you. To make French breakfast puffs, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and keep 9 muffin cups greased and ready. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/3 cup shortening, ½ cup sugar and one egg. Add 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, salt and nutmeg along with milk. Add the batter to the muffin cups and bake for about 25 minutes. Combine ½ cup sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. First roll the muffins in melted butter and then sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
• Cornmeal flapjacks are a good vegan breakfast dish. Mix ½ cup cornmeal, ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and salt. Add milk and stir to make a smooth batter. Lightly coat a non-stick griddle with vegetable oil, pour small spoonfuls of the batter and cook on both sides until brown.

Conclusion
Make sure that you discuss all dietary changes with a doctor or nutritionist to ensure that your diet plan is not deficient in any nutrients.