It’s a common misconception that carbohydrates and breakfast cereals are the optimal breakfast for getting the day started right. On the contrary, quite the opposite is true. While carbohydrates are an essential part of any healthy diet, they’re not necessarily the best bet for your breakfast of choice. Most of the carbohydrates that come from breakfast foods are found in things like cereal. If you want to cut down on carbs, the first thing you’ll want to get rid of is of course cereal.
Why Cereal Isn’t Good for You
Cereal isn’t just bad for you because of the high carbohydrate content. What really get in the way of the healthy parts of cereal are the often processed grains and sugars that are added to the product for flavor.
Healthy Alternatives to Carbohydrates for Breakfast
Believe it or not, there are plenty of alternatives to having things like cereal or other forms of carbohydrates in the morning. Among the healthiest are things like protein and fiber, which can be found in things like low fat meat and vegetables. If you find that you’re strapped for time in the morning and can’t afford to have a healthy breakfast made from scratch, you may want to consider drinking something like a protein shake or breakfast shake to boost your body’s nutritional content early in the morning.
Vegetables: A popular rule to follow is that for every 2 units of meat or grain you have on your plate, you have 8 units of vegetables to match. That means that for ever 4 scoops of veggies you have, you should only have 1 piece of meat or starch. Vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that are essential to going through the day well, as well as in boosting your immune system.
Protein: If possible, try not to immediately think that you should have some sort of meat to count towards your required protein for the day. While meat is good to have for its protein content, it’s also often high in things like saturated fats which can clog your arteries and cause heart disease. A good alternate source of protein for your breakfast is beans. Beans contain both fiber and protein, making them an excellent choice for a low carb breakfast.
Shakes: Not everyone has the time to cook themselves a breakfast from scratch every morning. If you’re thinking of still skipping breakfast, all hope is not lost. Alternatives such as breakfast shakes can be had to help give your body the boost it needs to get through the day. While shakes shouldn’t be used as a meal supplement daily, they are still a viable source of things like protein and fats that your body needs to run smoothly.
Breakfast Shake Options
Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials:
Among the most popular breakfast drinks are those made by a company known as Carnation. Carnation Essentials have about twice the amount of protein you’d get in an egg and twice the amount of calcium you’d find in a regular cup of yogurt in every glass. Each packet comes with 3 canisters, each holding 14 servings of the drink. What makes Carnation better than most of the other brands on the market that sell breakfast drinks is that they lack a “synthetic” taste to them. Other products use chemicals and dyes to artificially flavor their drinks to make them seem more realistic. The flavors come in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry varieties, meaning you’ll be able to enjoy any of the flavors no matter your tastes.
Nature’s Plus:
In contrast to the milky taste of the Carnation breakfast drink, Nature’s Plus packs a completely different punch. Made from the vitamins and minerals found in fruits and plants, this particular drink is crafted to give you the boost vegetables and fruits provide in the morning. Recently added to the drink is a shot of all soy protein powder to help give you a boost of protein in the morning as well. While not as much protein as the Carnation option listed above, it’s still enough to get your day started the right way and give you the energy you need to make it through work or school.
Carb Solutions Protein Shake:
Lastly, if you’re trying to replace carbs in your diet altogheter, replacing them with protein isn’t a bad idea. With only three net carbs per serving of the drink, each drink promotes healthy weight loss by being low in sugars and carbs to help your body digest the protein first and prevent you from losing weight. Plus, there are only 2 grams of fat in every serving, which is also nice if you’re trying to burn more energy during your day or during exercise.