You may have heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day and wonder if it's true. Breakfast is critical to jump-start your day after an all-night fast, when your body has no outside source of nutrition. Although high-carbohydrate foods such as pastries and bagels might seem obvious breakfast choices, limiting your intake of these types of foods high in simple carbs can help promote the overall health of your body. The Institute of Medicine recommends about 130 grams of carbs per day for adults. But if you are limiting your dietary carbs, many options exist for quick but tasty low-carb breakfast menus.
Eggs and Cheese
Eggs are an excellent source of protein and other nutrients. They are also a traditional breakfast food that contains no carbs, with 5 grams of fat, including 1.5 grams in the form of saturated fat, per large egg. To limit your intake of saturated fat and help keep your blood cholesterol low, choose egg whites or egg substitute, which contain only trace amounts of fat. Avoid adding fat to fried eggs by using low-fat spray in your pan, and pair egg whites or egg substitute with low-fat cheese such as Swiss, which has only 1.5 grams of carbs per slice.
Greek Yogurt and Nuts
For a low-carb, crunchy breakfast, you might mix Greek yogurt with nuts. Six ounces of plain Greek nonfat yogurt contains only 6 grams of carbs, which is only about 5 percent of the recommended daily intake of carbs. Adding nuts to yogurt can add crunch and flavor, and many nuts are relatively low in carbs. For example, 23 whole almonds, or about 1 ounce, contains 6 grams of carbs, and 1 ounce or about 12 macadamia nuts provides only about 4 grams. Nuts can be high in fat, which you should consider in your daily meal plan, but most of their fat tends to be healthy, unsaturated fat.
Veggie Patties
You might not think of vegetables for breakfast, but some types make good choices. Many fresh vegetables are low in carbs but packed with minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. For example, fresh, chopped cauliflower has only 5 grams of carbs per cup and can be grated and combined with a bit of egg substitute and seasoning to form a tasty "hash brown" vegetable patty. Chopped asparagus, which also has 5 grams of carbs per cup, can be added to eggs or sautéed alone and sprinkled with chopped nuts. Eating veggies and nuts at breakfast can also boost your daily fiber intake.
Green Smoothies
A breakfast smoothie made in your blender or juicer can give your day a good start and can also be low in carbs. You can start with 6 ounces of Greek yogurt, which has 6 grams of carbs, and add low-carb green vegetables such as green beans, kale or spinach, which have between 1 and 5 grams of carbs per cup. For a sweeter smoothie, substitute a few berries, such as strawberries, for the veggies. These have about 1 gram of carbs per large strawberry, but don't add too many, because 1 full cup of sliced berries provides 11 grams of carbs.
www.livestrong.com
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