We all sit down to breakfast with the best of nutritional intentions. But even if you've managed to avoid the temptation of the doughnut case, the sugar-dosed latte, and the butter-smeared bagel, you're still not out of the danger zone. Debunked ideas about what makes a morning meal "healthful" still persist and could be steering you toward bad choices. Here's how to break those bad habits.
If you believe that ordering an egg-white omelet is a sign of nutritional virtue, your thinking is definitely scrambled. Emerging science shows that eating whole eggs actually reduces your risk of heart disease. Case in point: A 2012 University of Connecticut study had volunteers consume either 3 whole eggs per day or the equivalent amount in yolk-free egg substitute for 3 months while following a diet with a moderate number of carbs. Both groups experienced drops in triglycerides and oxidized LDL (bad) cholesterol, two risk factors for heart disease.
What's more, those eating whole eggs saw a bigger boost in HDL, which helps lower cholesterol. "Egg yolks seem to increase the amount of cholesterol delivered to the liver for removal from the body," says study author Maria Luz Fernandez. Besides, yolks are loaded with vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium, and choline. And the extra protein will silence your hunger. A study in Nutrition Research found that people who ate an egg-based breakfast consumed far fewer calories when offered an unlimited lunch buffet, compared with those who ate a bagel-based breakfast of equal calories.
TRY THIS: Don't save eggs for weekend brunch. "You can reap a range of health benefits by consuming 1 to 3 eggs a day," says nutritionist Alan Aragon.
Hemp, chia, and flaxseed pack a potent array of benefits—and breakfast is the ideal time to work them into your diet. Since they're mild tasting and slightly crunchy, they can slip unobtrusively into a range of morning meals. "A daily tablespoon or two of flaxseed, chia seeds, or hemp seeds is an easy way to boost your intake of heart-healthy nutrients," says Aragon. Choose chia seed or ground flaxseed for an extra dose of dietary fiber. (Bonus: Flaxseed also contains lignans, a class of disease-fighting antioxidants.) And hemp seeds are among the few plant-based sources of complete protein.
TRY THIS: Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed, chia seeds, or hemp seeds into a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt, or blend a serving into a smoothie.
MORE: Benefits of Hemp
Still think a low-fat breakfast is a healthy one? In a 5-year observational study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Spanish researchers found that a Mediterranean diet including extra-virgin olive oil or tree nuts reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke by 30%, compared with a control group that followed a traditional low-fat diet. "Olive oil and nuts supply polyphenols and vitamins that fight inflammation," says study author Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez.
TRY THIS: Start your day with a Greek-style salad. Toss together ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, olives, and walnuts with an olive-oil and lemon dressing. No time to make a salad in the morning? Make a big batch on Sunday and store the dressing separately—the combo will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or scramble eggs with canned or leftover cooked salmon and your choice of chopped fresh herbs, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Take a cue from the Scandinavians and make foods rich in rye a part of your breakfast arsenal. Whole-grain rye flakes, which cook up into hot cereal just like oatmeal, have twice the fiber as whole-grain oats. Rye crisps boast the same amount of fiber as whole-wheat bread but have nearly 60 fewer calories per 2-piece serving.
TRY THIS: Layer crisps, like Wasa, with protein-rich toppings such as smoked salmon, roast turkey, or hard-boiled eggs.
MORE: The Truth About Protein
You probably already know that sugary cereal and a tall glass of juice aren't your best choices to start the morning. But even healthful carbs are better later in the day. In a groundbreaking study, Israeli researchers assigned adults to follow either a diet that provided most of their carbohydrates at dinner or a diet with carbs spread throughout the day, including at breakfast. After 6 months, the late-day-carb group lost more weight and improved their cholesterol, blood sugar, and inflammation levels—all good news for your heart. "Shoot for at least a 2-to-1 carb-to-protein ratio at breakfast," measured in grams, says nutritionist and trainer Brian Zehetner.
TRY THIS: Replace your morning oatmeal with a bowl of high-protein Greek-style yogurt. With twice the protein as regular types, plain Greek-style yogurt is an ideal way to get your breakfast protein fix with few tagalong carbohydrate calories. Top your yogurt with fresh fruit, nuts, nut butters, and spices.
The article "5 Rules For A Breakfast Breakthrough" originally ran on MensHealth.com.