Vegetarians, because of what they eliminate from their diet, have to make special considerations in their diet. With the foods they do eat they must make sure they are getting the proper nutrition, and it is always better to get our nutrition through diet than supplementation. Here we will talk about five foods typically eaten at breakfast that can be consumed by most vegetarian diets (not of course vegan diets), and the high nutrition they all have:
1. Yogurt. This food has been listed by the New England Journal of Medicine as one of the top five foods that promote weight loss. Yogurt is high in protein, and has whey protein which is found naturally in yogurt. Tests on mice have verified that those groups that were fed and equal amount of calories but had a high-protein diet gained 42% less weight. They also gained more lean muscle mass.
2. Eggs. The great thing about eggs is they deliver a high amount of protein, which is great for breakfast because it keeps you satisfied longer. This you get much more out of similar calorie content than if you get them from a bagel. The bad news about eggs has to do with their reputation: they are quite high in cholesterol. It has been shown, however that for much of the harmful cholesterol in eggs, it is offset with its B vitamins, and they are linked to avoiding heart disease. So if you are healthy and limit your intake to 7-10 eggs a week, you should have no health issues with cholesterol.
3. Oatmeal. Oatmeal has historically been a staple in lower and middle class diets in the British Isles, and for good reason. First, porridge as it is known there is packed with dietary fiber, which means that it stays with you longer. Secondly, it is a “slow-release” carbohydrate, and means it keeps insulin at constant levels. Since high insulin levels signal your body to store fat, taking away these insulin spikes will help your body burn fat.
4. Raspberries. Berries are always great because of their fiber content, but raspberries top the list. A cup will give you about eight grams of fiber, which is similar to some types of beans. The Journal of Nutrition has recommended eating more fiber to lose weight. They sight as an example a two-year study that found that by increasing fiber by eight grams for every 1000 calories consumed resulted in a weight loss of about 4.5 pounds.
5. Peanut Butter. It’s all about nuts, one of the top foods for weight loss (as long as you eat them in moderation). High in protein, fiber ad healthy fats, they will curb your appetite while providing a high level of nutrients. Since they are plant-based they do not contain saturated fats or cholesterol, so they are good for your heart. But again beware of eating too many, as they will add to your calorie intake in a hurry.
These are five breakfast foods that can be combined to give you a broad-based nutritional mix. Always keep in mind that more isn’t necessarily better, as all of them have something (cholesterol, calories, and fructose) that you don’t want to overdo on. But they have one thing we should always look for in breakfast food: it gets the day started right and you won’t soon have hunger cravings.
