We've all been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is supposed to be the meal that gets us going and sets us up to function at our best. But do we really know what a proper breakfast looks like? Instead of feeling energized, a lot of people find themselves tired and sluggish soon after breakfast, turning to caffeinated beverages and constant snacking to keep them going.
There are varying opinions on the optimal timing and content of breakfast, and the existing literature is not clear cut. I've been asked many questions about breakfast, and I've done my best to answer some of them below based on my interpretation of the literature and what I've seen work. Here's a list of things you should know before planning out the first meal of your day. I don't go too deep into the scientific details but I've listed the references at the bottom of the page if you're interested in more information.
1) Before consuming any food, drink at least 1-2 cups of warm water
While we sleep we become dehydrated via the loss of water through water vapor. This is especially true for those that breathe through their mouths during sleep. Ensuring adequate hydration is important for many reasons, including increasing energy levels and reducing food cravings. The warmth of the water will aid digestion and promote healthy bowel movements. While you're at it, squeeze some fresh lemon into your water to help kick start your metabolism and aid your body's natural detoxifying processes.
2) Consume a meal higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates
Yes, that means the foods traditionally marketed to us as breakfast foods such as cereals, bagels, toast, pancakes, store-bought juices, and oatmeal should be left aside for more protein (aim for at least 20 grams) rich options. Simple carbohydrates like these spike our insulin and decrease our cortisol (which should be high in the morning and decline steadily throughout the day), leading to a crash in energy and a disruption in cortisol's natural circadian rhythm. Complex carbohydrates that are nutrient dense and high in fibre (i.e., vegetables and berries) can and should be incorporated. This will promote healthy insulin and cortisol levels, maintain satiation, and provide sustained energy to get your day started on the right foot. Don't shy away from healthy fats (i.e., almond butter, tahini, pumpkin seed butter, etc.) either, as they provide various important nutritional compounds while increasing the substance of your meal.
3) Should you have your morning brew?
Coffee has some beneficial properties and is enjoyed for its taste by so many people (myself included), so it is difficult to say it needs to be cut out entirely. However, there is a harm to coffee when it is relied upon as a main source of energy. Like any drug, the more you have caffeine, the less sensitive you are to its effects and the more you need to stimulate yourself. Caffeine's diuretic effect leads to a more dehydrated state, and also negatively affects the health of the adrenal glands when consumed chronically in high amounts. The adrenal glands regulate numerous important processes, including our ability to respond to stress, our metabolism, and blood pressure. Therefore, we should not be consuming it on a regular basis in excessive amounts. I recommend limiting your caffeinated coffee consumption to a few cups per week. Consider substituting some days with a Swiss water decaffeinated coffee (the decaffeinating process of Swiss water decaf is chemical free), or stick to only lemon water some mornings.
Note: make sure your coffee is paper filtered, as unfiltered coffee contains compounds that raise LDL cholesterol.
4) You don't have to eat first thing in the morning
I first heard of the idea of intermittent fasting from Yuri Elkaim, my former strength and conditioning coach at the University of Toronto. He is a health and fitness expert, New York Times best-selling author, and big proponent of intermittent fasting. It involves going an extended period of time (for instance 18-24 hours) without food, only consuming water. An example would be finishing dinner on Sunday night at 6pm, and waiting to consume food until 3pm Monday afternoon. I recommend trying weekly or biweekly fasts and seeing how you feel and how your body tolerates it. The health benefits, which are continuing to emerge in the literature, are numerous. They include a decrease in inflammation, increased fat loss, decreased plasma insulin and an increase in the sensitivity of insulin to its receptor. It has also been shown to improve mood and metabolism while decreasing the rate of DNA damage in aging men. Those concerned about losing muscle during fasting need not worry, as growth hormone actually increases during a fast, leading to the preservation of muscle and the use of fat as the main source of fuel.
Some examples of a healthy breakfast include
Eggs and roasted veggies
Smoothie - a favourite of mine is a handful of frozen berries, a handful of spinach and/or other greens I happen to have, 1 heaping tbsp of almond butter, 1 scoop high quality whey or a complete vegan protein powder (I use Vega one all in one natural flavor protein), and unsweetened almond milk to desired thickness
Protein cookies (see recipe posted below) with a nut butter spread on top
Note: eggs should not be scrambled and fried as this results in oxidation of the cholesterol in the egg yolks, and oxidized cholesterol is bad news for the health of our cardiovascular system.
Dr. Neemez Kassam's Protein Breakfast Cookies Recipe
Makes 16 cookies 8 servings (2 cookies a serving)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1 egg
2-3 tbsp sweetened or unsweetened fruit puree (I had apple sauce on hand, next time I may try it with mashed banana)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp nut butter
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup almond flour
2 scoops protein powder (You can use whey protein, 1 scoop vanilla, 1 scoop banana, and all vanilla. Chocolate would be good here too)
1 3/4 cup quick oats
Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, seeds, etc.
Optional: add in raw honey to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper
Cream butter
Add in the rest of the liquid ingredients (including yogurt and nut butter) and beat until well combined and slightly fluffy
Add in dry ingredient (except oats or add ins) and mix until combined
Mix in oats, followed by any additional add-ins
Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes until cookie starts to brown and is firm to touch
Please keep in mind these are all general recommendations and should be adjusted based on things like health status, activity level, and daily schedule.
I hope this gave you a better idea of what a healthy breakfast should look like. Did this article help? Feel free to comment below!
References
1) Boschmann M, Steiniger J, Franke G, Birkenfeld AL., et al. Water drinking induces thermogenesis through osmosensitive mechanisms. J of Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007; 92(8):3334-7
2) Padzys GS, Thornton SN, Martrette JM, Trabalon M. Effects of short term forced oral breathing in rat pups on weight gain, hydration and stress. Physiol Behav. 2011; 102(2): 175-80
3) Debono M., Ghobadi C., Rostami-Hodjegan A., Huatan H., et al. Modified-release hydrocortisone to provide circadian cortisol profiles. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009; 94(5): 1548–1554
4) Chan S and Debono M. Replication of cortisol circadian rhythm: new advances in hydrocortisone replacement therapy. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2010; 1(3): 129–138
5) Yang D1, Liu Z, Yang H, Jue Y. Acute effects of high-protein versus normal-protein isocaloric meals on satiety and ghrelin. Eur J Nutr. 2014; 53(2): 493-500
6) O'Keefe JH, Bhatti SK, Patil HR, DiNicolantonio JJ., et al. Effects of habitual coffee consumption on cardiometabolic disease, cardiovascular health, and all-cause mortality. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013; 62(12): 1043-51
7) Butt MS and Sultan MT. Coffee and its consumption: benefits and risks. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011; 51(4):363-73
8) Traba J, Kwarteng-Siaw M, Okoli TC, Li J., et al. Fasting and refeeding differentially regulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human subjects. J Clin Invest. 2015; 125(12): 4592-600
9) Wegman MP, Guo MH, Bennion DM, Shankar MN., et al. Practicality of intermittent fasting in humans and its effect on oxidative stress and genes related to aging and metabolism. Rejuvenation Res. 2015;18(2): 162-72
10) Klempel MC1, Kroeger CM, Bhutani S, Trepanowski JF, Varady KA. Intermittent fasting combined with calorie restriction is effective for weight loss and cardio-protection in obese women. Nutr J. 2012;11: 98
11) Hussin NM1, Shahar S, Teng NI, Ngah WZ, Das SK. Efficacy of fasting and calorie restriction (FCR) on mood and depression among ageing men. J Nutr Health Aging. 2013; 17(8): 674-80
12) Teng NI, Shahar S, Rajab NF, Manaf ZA., et al. Improvement of metabolic parameters in healthy older adult men following a fasting calorie restriction intervention. Aging Male. 2013; 16(4): 177-83
13) Harvie MN, Pegington M, Mattson MP, Frystyk J., et al. The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomized trial in young overweight women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2011; 35(5): 714-27
14) Halberg N, Henriksen M, Söderhamn N, Stallknecht B., et al. Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. J Appl Physiol. 2005; 99(6): 2128-36
15) Harvie MN, Pegington M, Mattson MP, Frystyk J., et al. The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomized trial in young overweight women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2011; 35(5): 714-27
