We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but the morning rush becomes an obstacle when it comes to food. Breakfast obviously helps to make the most of your energy and intellectual intake throughout the day. Study after study shows that abandoning breakfast is detrimental to athletic performance, training efficiency, and overall health.
You should know that the traditional "bread - butter - jam" breakfast is not suitable for an athlete or for a typical individual. Okay, but what is the ideal breakfast for an athlete?
I recommend that you read on to find out how to create a healthy, fast, and filling breakfast and what are the 7 breakfast recipes of the true champions.
The rules of a healthy, fast, and filling breakfast:
A good breakfast contains between 500 and 750 calories. Half of the breakfast should be about carbs, 25 percent protein, and 25 percent fat. Foods high in carbohydrates for breakfast are fruits and vegetables, whole grains (such as oatmeal, and 100% whole wheat bread or rye bread). Great sources of protein for breakfast, which also contain fat are eggs, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, milk, cheese, yogurt, and meat.
Before 30 minutes of breakfast, start the day with one or two glasses of water, for proper hydration, after a good night's sleep. I recommend squeezing some lemon in water for extra flavor.
Drink a cup of coffee or black/green tea for breakfast. Coffee and tea have antioxidants that boost immunity and help prevent disease. Caffeine also provides energy, improves metabolism, and promotes endurance.
Opt for fresh fruit when preparing the juice. Whole fruit contains fiber, which improves digestion. There are also more antioxidants in the skin and pulp of whole fruits than in store-bought juices, which often contain added sugar.
Top 7 Healthy Breakfast Recipes
Shake banana with walnut.
Shakes are quick, light, and allow you to mix several nutrients into one "meal". Please find natural protein sources for your shakes, avoiding protein supplements and powders. Walnut butter, such as peanut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter, contains about 4g of protein per tablespoon.
My favorite combination is nut butter with a banana (which helps digestion, supports blood sugar, and reduces bloating) and milk (1% fat) - another protein option, with about 8 g per cup. Psst… sprinkle it with some spinach or kale for vegetable benefits.
Breakfast ingredients:
1 peeled banana
1 cup skim milk (or alternatively walnut milk)
1 tablespoon walnut butter
½ ice cup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Bonus: ¼ cup of raw spinach
Instructions :
Mix together in a blender until smooth and serve.
2. Greek yogurt with fruits and seeds
Simple Greek yogurt, on average, contains 30% of the daily value of calcium and contains fewer carbohydrates than regular yogurt. I suggest simple Greek yogurt to avoid sugar in some types of flavors. Look for fat-free or low-fat options.
For a proper carbohydrate balance, I recommend adding berries or bananas to the yogurt instead of sugar to sweeten it. I also recommend adding flax or pumpkin seeds for a healthy dose of unsaturated fat (better brain function).
Breakfast ingredients :
1 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
½ cup of the fruit of your choice
2 tablespoons of the seed of your choice
Bonus: ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or 1 tablespoon of granola to add more flavor and texture
Instructions:
Mix all in a bowl and serve.
3. Vegetable omelet
Omelets are a great way to incorporate vegetables into your breakfast. Peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms, even broccoli with asparagus are known to make their way into omelets.
What's great about this dish is that you can personalize your breakfast and make it as creative as possible. Choose an option for extra protein such as soy chorizo, turkey bacon, Canadian bacon, or even salmon if you like it. Choose Swiss or low-fat cheddar cheese to keep the protein-rich theme.
Breakfast ingredients :
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk (1% fat)
1 oz cheese
½ cup of chopped vegetables and meat
Bonus: avocado slices or a piece of cheese
1 tablespoon cooking oil (recommended: olive oil)
Instructions:
Heat the pan to medium and add cooking oil. Beat the eggs and milk in a bowl until completely mixed. Bake the meat together with the vegetables. Remove from the pan and place on the side. If necessary, add more cooking oil.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Once the bottom of the egg is firm, add the meat and salted cheese to the egg mixture and fold in the other half. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and rotate the omelet. Check the medium to make sure the egg is completely boiled and then serve it.
4. Turkey sandwich for breakfast
Hurry is not an excuse to skip breakfast, as a solution to this problem are sandwiches. For healthier eating, choose meat that is considered lean and unprocessed.
Baked turkey is not a traditional breakfast food, but grilling meat and combining it with cheese, eggs, and toast makes your breakfast. You can also look at options like turkey or Canadian bacon, but pay attention to nutrition labels for saturated fat and sodium content. Change the white bread into wholemeal bread or toast and choose Swiss cheese.
Breakfast ingredients :
Two slices of whole wheat bread
1 or 1-2 oz. baked turkey
1 slice of Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon cooking oil (recommended: olive oil)
1 tablespoon milk
Bonus: avocado slices
Instructions :
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Cut the egg into a bowl and add milk. Beat together and cook on the pan, trying to bake the egg to the size of the bread. Toast your bread in the half toaster. When the egg is ready, take it out of the pan. Add the turkey meat to the pan to heat. Remove the turkey meat and then add more olive oil to the pan if necessary. Place 1 piece of toast in the pan, add the egg, turkey, then the cheese, and finally the other piece of toast. Rotate the pan back and forth until the cheese is melted. Remove from the pan and serve.
5. Oatmeal with nuts
Oatmeal has been shown to reduce hunger cravings best, which is helpful for muscle-growing athletes in bringing them to the next meal. Beware of fragrant oats, as they may contain hidden sugars, which could cause them to collapse.
By adding nuts, such as almonds (with the highest amount of fiber), pecans (heart health), cashews (zinc for brain power), or nuts (fighting inflammation), you give your athlete fiber, protein, and monounsaturated fats required.
Breakfast ingredients :
½ - 1 cup of steel-cut, rolled, or instant oats
2 parts water (or 1% milk) for each cup of oats
2 tablespoons walnuts
Bonus: ½ teaspoon Agave light nectar and/or ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Double bonus: ¼ fruit cup
Instructions :
Prepare the oats according to the packaging (the preparation differs depending on the type of oats). Add nuts, fruit, agave nectar, and/or cinnamon, serve.
6. Avocado Toast with Egg
Maybe I saved the best recipe after all. An egg contains about 6 g of protein, although the avocado is not packed in protein, it has only ~ 2.9 grams per cup, the benefits consist of monounsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber for heart health.
It is very good food for breakfast, despite its high-calorie count, but for an active athlete, the calories should be less worrying. This is a healthier solution, replacing toast with avocado.
Ingredient:
1 avocado halved with the seeds removed
1 or medium
1 pinch of salt and pepper (or desired spices)
Bonus: Serve with 1 cup of fruit
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Take the avocado in half and place it on the baking sheet. Place the egg directly over the avocado and place the yolk over the avocado pit. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with spices and chives, then serve.
7. Tuna and bean sandwich
The health benefits of tuna in the morning can be attributed to the content of vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds it provides. Tuna includes antioxidants and protein, without saturated fats or sodium. It also contains selenium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and potassium. In terms of vitamins, tuna contains vitamins B12 and niacin, as well as riboflavin.
Beans come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and tastes. It is full of nutrients and fiber. It tastes good, whether it is fresh, dried, frozen, or canned. Beans are available all year round and can be prepared in a wide variety of ways, whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
I confidently recommend that you include the tuna and bean sandwich in your breakfast.
Breakfast ingredients:
4 whole-grain buns or 8 slices of bread
1 can of canned white or red beans
100 g feta cheese
10 coriander seeds
salt
pepper
olive oil
Instructions:
Remove the beans from the jar and drain the juice from it, chop the coriander, mix the coriander with the beans and puree them in a blender, adding the bean juice for a delicate creamy consistency.
Cut the buns and dry them in a dry pan or oven at a low temperature. You can sprinkle them with olive oil. Finely chop the feta cheese. Spread the bean paste generously on each half of the bun. Sprinkle with cheese. You can add greens or lettuce.
Cover the filling with the other half of the bun and heat the sandwiches in the oven for 2 minutes.
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