It’s important that you never skip breakfast, but that isn’t always easy. Yet, if you want to maximize your fitness and diet efforts, you can’t afford not to have breakfast. Your body is rebuilding muscle after yesterday’s workout, and needs protein to do that, but you haven’t eaten in 12 hours. And, you need energy to get you through your busy day. Yet, having eggs at breakfast seems to have gotten a bad rap over the last few years. Here’s some reasons why you should make eggs part of your breakfast plan.
They are a perfect package of nutrition. Eggs are not only protein-rich (eggs have about 7 grams per egg), but egg yolks also contain omega-3s; vitamins D, E, and B12 (which are great for fighting inflammation), and minerals like selenium, and are also rich in phosphorus, zinc, and B vitamins, choline, and antioxidants. Two eggs a day also fulfills half of your daily needs for the nutrient choline. Choline, which recent studies are showing that most Americans severely lack, is a mineral that is know for its memory boosting benefits! Research from the University of Surrey in the U.K. shows that eggs have one of the lowest energy-to-nutrient density ratios of any food.
Egg Yolks are better for you than you think! We’ve heard for years that egg yolks are full of cholesterol, bad for your heart, and will likely kill you! But, the studies that first suggested a link between heart disease and cholesterol from egg yolks date back to the 1940s Framingham study, which linked high blood cholesterol levels to a higher risk of heart disease and heart attack. Research has come along way since then. According to food science and human nutrition studies at the University of Illinois, cutting dietary cholesterol is almost irrelevant when it comes to promoting healthy blood cholesterol levels and heart health. In fact, in a 2015 American Heart Journal study of people who already had coronary artery disease, eating up to three eggs a day didn’t cause any issues.
Eggs are a quick meal! Try this. Grab a skillet. Put a pat of butter in it and let it melt. Crack three eggs into the skillet, and quickly scramble them up in the pan with a fork. When cooked, season with a little salt & pepper. Yes, this is a very basic recipe. But – when you do this – time yourself. This meal – should take about 4-5 minutes to make. About the same amount of time to make instant oatmeal. Yet, far healthier and tastier! Want more flavor? Drizzle a little picante sauce on top!
Protein like eggs in the morning helps to fight mid-morning cravings. If you have three eggs for breakfast, you’ve had about 21 grams of protein. And, that protein takes a little more time to digest than carbs would, helping you fight food cravings before lunch. This means you’re less likely to “cheat” on your diet, and make better progress than if you had simple carbs for breakfast.
Try having eggs for breakfast for one week and see what happens! You’ll find once you get into the habit each morning, it may also make it far easier to get your morning going – rather than worry about what to make for breakfast, you’ll already have that part figured out. And, you may find you have a bit more energy as well, thanks to all that protein and all those nutrients that you were missing out on!
