Health advice has changed quite a bit over the years. However, one thing you will continue to hear today is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It can ensure that you have a good start, are able to concentrate better, and maybe even consume fewer calories throughout the day.
Of course, not all breakfasts are alike. If you want your first meal of the day to have a positive impact, it needs to be filling as well as healthy and nutritious. Some vegans can struggle with this. After all, typical “filling” breakfast foods are eggs, meat, and dairy-based food items.
So, can you have a good hearty breakfast as a vegan? Yes, you can! Here are the guidelines you should be mindful of to get this done:
Stay Away from Processed Sugar
There is no denying that a sweet treat in the morning can be a good pick-me-up. Unfortunately, processed sugar can cause your glucose level to spike and then suddenly drop. This leads to headaches, fatigue, and irritableness. You may also have trouble concentrating on your work.
So, it is best to steer clear of foods like breakfast cereals or overly processed granola bars in the morning. This doesn’t mean that you have to do without sweetness, though. Rather, opt for fresh or frozen fruit instead.
The sugar in fruit is different from that found in processed foods. What’s more, when you consume whole fruit, you are also getting the benefit of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. So, if you feel like your oatmeal does need some additional sweetness, go ahead and add some fruit into it.
Double Up on Protein
For a really filling vegan breakfast, you should be eating more protein. For one thing, protein helps you to feel fuller for longer. As such, you won’t find yourself looking for a snack before lunchtime. Not to mention, it packs you full of energy.
If you think that eggs are the only way to get your protein in the morning, think again. There is scrambled tofu, chickpea bowls, hummus, quinoa, tempeh, and buckwheat. As an added bonus, there are many different ways you can use these ingredients in your meal. Thus, you can have something new and exciting every morning.
Healthy Fats
As you may have realized, fats are excellent at helping you feel full. Not to mention, healthy fats have a whole host of beneficial nutrients as well. So, taking care to include these in your breakfast can help you out.
Of course, the keyword here is “healthy” so it isn’t enough to focus on the fat content alone. Look to foods like avocado, olive oil, nuts, and chia seeds to sneak fat into your breakfast. Oh, and an interesting fact is that dark chocolate contains a decent amount of healthy fat as well. So, if you want to have some chocolate with your vegan breakfast, you now have the opportunity!
Don’t Forget About Whole Grains
It is a good idea to avoid processed flour in the morning as it can have a similar impact as sugar. Instead, turn your attention to whole grains. One of your best options is rolled oats. At the same time, sorghum, millet, wheat bread, and rye bread are good choices as well.
So, make sure to include these in your breakfast. Not only will these components fill you up, but they will also help to fill your daily fiber quota. This can improve your digestion and may even satiate your hunger for longer. Not to mention, you can enjoy a more balanced, well-rounded diet.
Adding whole grains to your diet also makes your breakfast less complicated. This is because they form an easy base for your meal. It is quite simple to add in protein, fats, and other ingredients once you have decided on your whole grains.
Preparing a Filling Vegan Breakfast
Most people tend to rush around in the morning and there’s a good chance that you are no exception. Thus, it can be tricky to figure out what you should be eating for a filling breakfast on the fly. This is why it’s a good idea to plan your menu out for the week, complete with recipes.
Then, it is simply a matter of ensuring that you have the proper ingredients. Whipping up a different meal every day will be an absolute breeze. Furthermore, you will find that it is much easier to make breakfast a habit if you take this step to prepare it.
If you are perpetually late to work, however, you may want to consider prepping your breakfast the night before. You can make overnight oats filled with fruits or make breakfast sandwiches or burritos for yourself. It is even possible to make and store breakfast bowls.
If you make this effort, you will only have to heat up your breakfast in the morning. In some cases, you may not even have to do that! For additional ease, make breakfasts that can be taken with you and eaten in your car. This will give you even less of an excuse to skip out on this important meal.
Beware of Frozen, Store-Bought Breakfasts
There are now a great number of frozen, store-bought breakfasts. While they can certainly make your life easier, they may not necessarily be the healthiest options out there. Thus, you should always take the time to read the ingredients.
Avoid foods that are filled with sodium, preservatives, or artificial colorings and flavorings. It is also best to stick with items that contain real fruits, vegetables, and tofu rather than faux meats. You may also want to glance at the number of calories. These can get rather high with store-bought breakfasts so you do need to be careful.
These are the guidelines you should follow if you want to have a healthy, filling breakfast. Once you get into the habit of whipping up some of these meals, you will undoubtedly feel a lot better at the start of your day.
If you like this blog post, make sure to check out our other post on our blog. We also have recipes as well over on our Food & Recipe tab!
To follow us… Make sure to click on the social media buttons on this page.
