Healthy Breakfast Ideas and Recipes

What's the secret to a better breakfast?

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

It's better for your health (and your weight) to eat breakfast than to skip it. And it's definitely better to eat a healthy breakfast, high in fibers and nutrients, than one full of refined grains, sugar, salt, and/or saturated fat. But what if you're fresh out of healthy breakfast ideas?

One quick tip I use to keep my breakfast balanced is to "strive for five." That means I try to include at least 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein in every breakfast.

Many people go wrong by eating a breakfast made up mostly of refined carbohydrates with very little fiber and protein -- like a refined-flour bagel, a muffin made with sugar and white flour, or a sugary low-fiber breakfast cereal. Balancing carbohydrates (preferably from whole grains, fruit and vegetables) with some protein and a little healthier fat will do a better job of staving off hunger until lunch and fueling your entire morning's activities.

To help you get there, here are some tips for making sure your breakfast is a well-balanced one, as well as some quick and healthy breakfast ideas and recipes.

A Healthy Breakfast Has at Least 5 Grams of Protein

Low-fat or nonfat dairy products can add protein to your breakfast, as can egg whites or egg substitute (egg yolk doesn't contribute protein); lean breakfast meats like Canadian bacon, extra-lean ham, turkey bacon, or light turkey sausage; and soy milk and other soy products. Here's how much protein you get from some typical breakfast foods:

Breakfast Protein Sources	Protein (g)	Calories	Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
Skim milk, 1 cup	10	100	0	0	14
Low-fat yogurt, vanilla, 1 cup	9.3	253	4.6	2.6	42
Low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup	28	160	2	1	6
Reduced-fat cheese, 1 ounce	8	70	4	2.5	1
Stonyfield Farms Organic Low-Fat, Fruit flavored	7	33	0	0	1
Egg substitute, 1/4 cup	6	30	0	0	1
Soy milk, low-fat, 1 cup	4	90	1.5	0	14
Soy-based sausage, 2 ounces	12	119	4.5	0.7	6
Tofu, extra firm lite, 2 ounces	5	43	1.4	0	2.2
Canadian bacon, 2 ounces	12	89	3.9	1.2	1
Extra lean ham, 2 ounces	11	61	1.5	0.4	0.4
Turkey bacon, 2 strips	4	70	6	1	< 1
Light turkey sausage, 2 ounces	9	130	10	2.2	1
Peanut butter, natural, 1 tablespoon	3.5	100	8	1	3.5
Light cream cheese, 1 ounce	3	53	4	2.7	1.8
Lox (smoked salmon), 1 ounce	5.2	33	1.2	0.2	0

A Healthy Breakfast Has at Least 5 Grams of Fiber

One way to get to those 5 grams of fiber is to include a whole grain and/or fruit or vegetables with your breakfast. Breakfast is the perfect time to work in a serving or two of whole grains, which along with fiber also offer many health-promoting vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.