Everyone has heard the admonition that
breakfast is the most important meal of
the day. Dieters have been hearing that a
lot; as we learn more about how the
metabolism works, we find that
breakfast is even more important than
we already thought.
Your metabolism is at its slowest when
you wake up in the morning. Your
body’s energy has been directed towards
digestion and no new fuel has entered
your system in several hours, which
slows the metabolism even more. To rev
up your metabolism, you need to eat as
soon after waking as you can (or can
stand). If you skip breakfast, you’ll have
a hard time sticking to any diet, as you
follow your body’s cravings for carbs
and sugar to give it the boost it needs.
Some Helpful Meal Ideas
That being said, there are plenty of great
options for your morning meal.
If you don’t care for most traditional
breakfast foods such as cereal or eggs,
let go of your traditional view of
breakfast. Any combination of protein,
fiber and carbs will do. Have some
cheese, fruit and crusty bread or even a
cup of soup left from last night.
If you do have the time and inclination to
eat breakfast, try to include protein, such
as eggs or Greek yogurt, as well as fiber
rich grains (multigrain cereals and
whole grain toast) and fruits.
If time is at a premium in the mornings,
try a smoothie. You can pack quite a bit
of nutrition into a smoothie and the
possibilities are endless. Even though
we advocate mindful, peaceful eating on
the Mediterranean Diet, sipping a
smoothie while you get the kids off to
school or drive your commute is better
than skipping your morning meal.
Some Delicious Breakfast
Recipes
Power Smoothie
In a blender, combine one 6-8oz.
container of vanilla or honey flavored
Greek yogurt, ½ cup low-fat milk, a
small, sliced banana, and a handful of
your favorite fresh or frozen berries.
Add ½. Tsp. flax (for healthy fats) and 1
tsp. Psyllium husk (to stay full almost
forever) and a handful of ice cubes.
Blend until smooth.
Farmer’s Market Scramble
Thinly slice a few pieces of red pepper,
three or four mushrooms and 1 T. of
white or red onion. As you heat a scant
tsp. of olive oil in a skillet over medium
heat, scramble two eggs or three egg
whites in a small bowl. Sauté the
vegetables in the oil over med-low
heat, just until slightly tender. Add 1
cup of fresh spinach leaves and sauté
for one more minute, stirring
frequently. Pour in the eggs, add salt
and fresh black pepper to taste and
cook until done, stirring constantly.
Harvest Oats
Cook whole grain, steel cut oats
(preferably Irish or Scottish oats) per
the directions. Halfway through the
cooking time, add ½ cup raisins and
one small peeled, cored and diced
apple. As the oats continue cooking,
heat ¼ cup low-fat milk in the
microwave, just until warm. When the
oats are done, add the milk, 1 T. honey
and 2 T. walnuts. Enjoy!
