The 12 Best Foods to Eat in the Morning
A balanced breakfast typically includes protein, fiber, and produce. If you’re looking to build a healthy morning meal, try easy options like eggs, whole wheat toast with toppings, nuts, and green tea.
Breakfast is a great way to start your day.
While some people prefer to skip breakfast, others need a source of energy to get going.
If you enjoy breakfast, choosing nutritious foods may provide long-lasting energy and keep you full for hours. These foods are typically high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients.
While it’s best to avoid unhealthy options that are high in sugar, refined carbs, and additives, it’s not always easy to know what to choose. As such, the list below will help you build a healthy breakfast.
Here are 12 of the best foods and drinks to enjoy in the morning.
- Eggs
Eggs make a simple, nutritious breakfast choice.
They’re an excellent source of protein, which helps support muscle synthesis. Since protein takes a while to digest, it also helps keep you feeling full (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
In one study, people given eggs and toast for breakfast reported significantly less hunger than those given bran cereal, suggesting that the egg group’s higher protein intake — 25 grams versus 11 grams — promoted greater fullness (3Trusted Source).
Furthermore, the egg group ate fewer calories at lunch, suggesting that this dish may support weight management (3Trusted Source).
Additionally, egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants help prevent eye disorders like cataracts and macular degeneration (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).
Eggs are also one of the best sources of choline, a vital nutrient for brain and liver health (6Trusted Source).
Contrary to popular belief, eggs don’t raise cholesterol levels in most people despite their high cholesterol content. One review of 23 studies found that eggs have a mild protective effect against heart disease (7 Trusted Source).
That said, try to limit your intake of highly processed breakfast items that are commonly paired with eggs, such as breakfast sausages and bacon. Instead, eat your eggs with other nutritious foods, such as whole grain toast, whole fruit, or sautéed vegetables.
- Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is a great option if you’re looking for a quick breakfast.
It’s made by straining whey and other liquid from milk curds, which produces a creamy product that’s more concentrated in protein than regular yogurt (8Trusted Source).
In addition, it’s lower in calories than other protein sources. A 1-cup (245-gram) serving boasts 25 grams of protein and only 149 calories (9Trusted Source).
Plus, Greek yogurt is full of beneficial nutrients like calcium, vitamin B12, zinc, potassium, and phosphorus (9Trusted Source).
Certain types are good sources of probiotics like Bifidobacteria, which support your digestion. To make sure that your yogurt contains probiotics, look for the phrase “contains live and active cultures” on the label (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
If you prefer an even creamier, higher protein product, Icelandic yogurt — known as skyr — is another great option.
Try topping Greek yogurt with berries or chopped fruit to add more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Coffee
Aside from water, coffee is the world’s most popular beverage. Approximately 85% of Americans drink coffee regularly (12Trusted Source).
It’s high in caffeine, a molecule that promotes alertness, improves mood, and increases physical and mental performance. Notably, many athletes drink coffee as a natural pre-workout beverage to support sports performance (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).
It also contains other beneficial compounds, such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and diterpenes, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).
- Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a classic breakfast option — and it’s nutritious to boot.
It’s made from rolled or steel-cut oats, which contain a unique fiber called beta-glucan.
This soluble fiber not only helps reduce cholesterol levels but also promotes feelings of fullness by delaying stomach emptying and triggering the release of peptide YY, a fullness hormone that may prevent overeating (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).
Plus, oats are a good source of iron, B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, zinc, and selenium (22Trusted Source).
They also contain around 10 grams of protein per cup (81 grams). To boost the protein content, make oatmeal with milk instead of water, mix in some protein powder, or serve it with a side of eggs (22Trusted Source).
Keep in mind that oats don’t contain gluten but are often processed alongside gluten-containing grains, which increases the risk of cross-contamination (23Trusted Source).
Therefore, people with gluten-related disorders should choose oats that have been certified gluten-free.
Whole wheat toast.
If you prefer a simple breakfast in the morning, give the whole wheat toast a try.
Whole grain toast is high in fiber and complex carbs, which digest slowly and don’t rapidly raise blood sugar levels (44Trusted Source, 45Trusted Source).
You can spread any number of nutritious toppings on whole wheat toast, including:
fried eggs and tomatoes
avocado and chili flakes
peanut butter and banana
cottage cheese and strawberries
sliced figs and honey
tuna
sliced turkey or chicken
baked beans
egg salad
For extra fiber and protein, try sprouted grain bread, 2 slices of which provide around 8 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein (46Trusted Source).
