Best Healthy Breakfast Foods For Weight Loss – Top 25 Healthy Breakfast Foods To Lose Weight In 2022 The best breakfast foods for weight loss are all high in energy, but don’t have all of the carbs. Breakfast is no doubt one of the most important meals for losing weight.
Looking for some tasty, healthy breakfast foods to start your day? Check out this comprehensive list of the best weight loss breakfast options.
Best Healthy Breakfast Foods For Weight Loss
When you’re trying to lose weight, breakfast can set the tone for the rest of your day.
Consuming the wrong foods can amplify your cravings and set you up for failure before the day even begins.
On the other hand, filling up on the right foods can curb cravings and keep you feeling full until lunchtime to minimize snacking and ease weight loss.
1. Eggs
Rich in protein and a wealth of important vitamins and minerals, such as selenium and riboflavin, eggs are a true powerhouse of nutrition (1).
Thanks to their high protein content, eggs may reduce appetite when eaten with breakfast to give weight loss a serious boost.
For example, one study in 30 overweight women showed that eating eggs for breakfast significantly increased feelings of fullness and reduced food intake later in the day, compared to eating a bagel (2Trusted Source).
Similarly, another study in 152 adults found that replacing a bagel breakfast with eggs resulted in 65% more weight loss and a 34% greater decrease in waist circumference over an eight-week period (3Trusted Source).
From boiled to scrambled to sunny-side-up, there are many different ways to enjoy your eggs.
Try cooking up two or three eggs any style, then combining them with a serving of your favorite veggies, for a nutritious and delicious breakfast.
SUMMARYEggs are rich in protein and have been shown to increase fullness, reduce food intake later in the day and enhance weight loss.
2. Wheat Germ
Wheat germ is a component of the wheat kernel that contains a concentrated amount of vitamins and minerals, including manganese, thiamine and selenium.
It’s also high in fiber, boasting nearly 4 grams of fiber in each 1-ounce (28-gram) serving (4).
Studies show that increasing your fiber intake from cereal grains may benefit weight loss.
In one study, eating a high-fiber cereal was effective at reducing appetite and food intake, as well as helping stabilize blood sugar after a meal (5Trusted Source).
Another study followed over 27,000 men for a period of eight years and found that a higher intake of cereal fiber was associated with a lower risk of weight gain (6Trusted Source).
Try using wheat germ as a topping for oatmeal, smoothies or yogurt bowls to add a bit of crunch and some extra fiber to your breakfast.
SUMMARYWheat germ is high in fiber. Studies show that cereal fiber may help reduce appetite, decrease your risk of weight gain and keep blood sugar levels stable.
3. Bananas
High in fiber but low in calories, bananas are a great alternative to sugary breakfast cereals to satisfy your sweet tooth first thing in the morning.
One medium banana has just over 100 calories yet packs 3 grams of dietary fiber — knocking out up to 12% of your daily fiber needs in one shot (7).
Fiber helps slow the emptying of your stomach to curb cravings and keep you feeling fuller longer (8Trusted Source).
Multiple studies have found that upping your intake of fiber from fruits and vegetables is associated with increased weight loss
Additionally, unripe bananas are a good source of resistant starch, a type of starch that your stomach and small intestine don’t digest.
Research suggests that resistant starch may help reduce food intake and decrease belly fat
Bananas can be enjoyed alone or sliced as a topping for yogurt, cottage cheese or oatmeal. You can also add unripe, green bananas to your morning smoothie for a hearty dose of resistant starch.
SUMMARYBananas are high in fiber, which can keep you feeling fuller longer. Unripe bananas also contain resistant starch, which may help decrease food intake and belly fat.
4. Yogurt
Creamy, delicious and satisfying, yogurt makes an excellent addition to a weight loss diet.
In particular, Greek yogurt delivers a hearty chunk of protein in every serving, making it an ideal weight loss breakfast food.
One study in 20 women found that eating high-protein yogurt as a snack decreased levels of hunger and reduced food intake by 100 calories later in the day, compared to unhealthy snacks like chocolate and crackers
Another study in 8,516 people showed that those who ate at least seven servings of yogurt each week had a lower risk of being overweight or obese compared to those who did not regularly consume yogurt
Try combining one cup (285 grams) of Greek yogurt with some mixed fruit, chia seeds or wheat germ for an especially nutritious breakfast.
SUMMARYYogurt is high in protein and has been associated with decreased hunger and food intake, plus a lower risk of weight gain.
5. Smoothies
Not only are smoothies a quick and easy way to obtain a concentrated dose of nutrients, they also double as a convenient breakfast item that can accelerate weight loss.
Since you can customize your ingredients, you can tailor your drink to fit your personal preferences.
Filling your smoothies with veggies and low-calorie fruits can boost fiber intake to help you feel fuller longer
Throw in some high-protein ingredients like nuts, seeds or protein powder to promote feelings of fullness and fight off cravings
However, keep in mind that smoothies can quickly turn into calorie bombs if you overdo the high-calorie ingredients.
For an easy weight loss smoothie, blend one cup (240 ml) of milk with a handful of leafy greens, two tablespoons (28 grams) of chia seeds and one cup (144 grams) of strawberries.
Enjoy your smoothie throughout the morning to resist snacking and combat cravings.
SUMMARYSmoothies can be a convenient way to increase your intake of fiber and protein to reduce hunger and increase weight loss. Be sure not to add too many high-calorie ingredients.
The Best Breakfast Foods for Weight Loss, According to a Dietitian
Forget donuts or drive-throughs. Starting your day with healthy breakfast foods can help you maintain energy, fend off hunger attacks and lose weight. Research shows that regular breakfast eaters tend to be leaner and people are more successful at losing weight-and keeping it off-when they eat breakfast. What’s more, people who eat breakfast typically get more of some important nutrients, like fiber and vitamins (learn more about why fiber is so good for your weight and your health).
A healthy breakfast should be balanced and deliver a mix of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and healthy fat to keep you full and fueled up for your day.
If you’re wondering what to eat for breakfast to lose weight, look no further. Read on to find out some of the best healthy foods to eat for breakfast to help you lose weight and why they are so good for you (and get ideas for more super healthy foods to eat all day long with this list of 10 healthy everyday superfoods).
The 5 Best Breakfast Foods to Help You Lose Weight
1. Raspberries
A cup of raspberries delivers a whopping 8 grams of fiber (that’s more than double what’s in a cup of strawberries and about the same amount in a cup of some types of beans). What’s so great about all that fiber? Recent research in the Journal of Nutrition suggests eating more fiber as a way to prevent weight gain or even encourage weight loss. Over the course of the two-year study, the researchers found that boosting fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories resulted in about 4 ½ pounds of weight lost.
2. Oatmeal
Does oatmeal help you lose weight? It certainly can! Oatmeal can help you lose weight in two ways. First, it’s packed with fiber and it keeps you feeling fuller longer. Second, a recent study in the reported that eating a breakfast made with “slow-release” carbohydrates-such as oatmeal or bran cereal-3 hours before you exercise may help you burn more fat. How? Eating “slow-release” carbohydrates doesn’t spike blood sugar as high as eating refined carbohydrates (think: white toast). In turn, insulin levels don’t spike as high. Because insulin plays a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower blood sugar levels may help you burn fat.
3. Yogurt
A recent report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and out of Harvard revealed which foods are correlated with weight change, including the top 5 foods that promote weight loss. Yogurt was one of them! Another reason to eat yogurt: the protein in it may give you an extra edge if you’re looking to get leaner.
Protein is naturally filling and takes longer to digest than simple carbohydrates. When people drank a whey protein drink, they lost about 4 pounds more and about an inch more from their waists over 6 months and felt less hungry than people given a carbohydrate shake instead. Other research in mice, found that when mice were given extra whey protein they gained less weight and body fat and more lean muscle, even when calories were the same. Whey protein is found naturally in yogurt and other dairy.
Save calories-and unnecessary sugar-by choosing plain yogurt. Add fresh fruit for sweetness.
4. Peanut Butter
Nuts were also among the top 5 foods that promote weight loss according to Harvard. That’s probably because peanut butter and all nuts and nut butters deliver a good dose of healthy fats, fiber and protein-all satisfying nutrients. Nuts used to get a “bad” reputation for being high in calories and fat. And while nuts and nut butters are calorie dense-2 tablespoons of peanut butter has just under 200 calories, 7 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber-they’re also nutrient dense and help you build a satisfying breakfast.
Try spreading tablespoon or two of peanut butter onto whole-wheat toast (another “slow-release” carbohydrate) or adding nuts or nut butter to your oatmeal (another “slow-release” carb) for a balanced meal.
5. Eggs
One large egg has 6 grams of protein and 70 calories. Compared to carbohydrates and fat, protein keeps you satisfied longer. Plus, in one study, people who ate eggs for breakfast felt fuller longer and lost more than twice as much weight as those who got the same amount of calories from a bagel for breakfast.
And while just eating egg whites will help you save calories, you’ll also lose half the protein (about 3 grams is in the yolk), which helps make eggs a powerhouse choice for breakfast. Plus, the yolk is rich in healthy nutrients, like calcium and eye-protecting antioxidants-lutein and zeaxanthin.
Yolks are a significant source of dietary cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol isn’t such a heart-health villain anymore and researchers think that for most people eating one whole egg daily is fine.