We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day–especially if you’re trying to lose weight. The food you eat first thing in the morning provides you with the energy you need to take on the day, burn calories, and crush your workouts. Luckily, there are tons of great, delicious options out there that can reduce bloating and boost your metabolism. In fact, there are four breakfast foods in particular that health experts recommend you eat in the morning.
To learn more about breakfast foods for weight loss, we spoke to registered dietitians Trista Best and Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPD, RD, and author of Recipe For Survival. They said vegetable omelets, oatmeal, parfaits, and peppermint tea are the way to go for improving metabolism and reducing bloating.
Vegetable omelet
Best recommends a vegetable omelet for a bloat-free, anti-inflammatory breakfast. This meal is "loaded with healthy fats and antioxidant-rich produce that will directly fight inflammation and prevent future inflammation from setting in," she notes.
A vegetable omelet is perfect for reducing bloating and helping with digestion. It's also packed with protein and fiber so that you can stay fuller for longer. "The protein from the eggs and fiber from the vegetables will help keep you feeling full for longer periods of time which will offset your hunger," Best explains. So you can put an end to bloating and you can lose weight by preventing over-eating later in the day!
Oatmeal
The biggest perk of eating oatmeal is that it's super versatile, so you can pack it with all of your favorite toppings and flavors—and you won't be bloated all day. Nuts, cinnamon, bananas, coconut, and berries are just some of the healthy toppings you can add to your oatmeal. Whether you like a classic serving of oats or some overnight oats, oatmeal is one of the best foods to start your morning off right. And if you're looking for some healthy recipes, there are nutritionist-approved ingredients to add to your overnight oats.
And all that fiber takes a good amount of calories to break down, which helps to boost your metabolism. "Oats are an excellent source of whole grains and contain plenty of fiber and nutrients that make them a healthy meal or snack," Best says. Nice!
Parfait
Yogurt can be a great breakfast, a filling snack, or an energy-boosting pick-me-up. It's high in protein, calcium, vitamins, and probiotics which can enhance gut health and help with digestion. But remember to use low-fat yogurt because it's lower in fat and is a great source of protein on a weight-loss diet.
And, if you're going to have yogurt for breakfast, you may as well add some tasty fruit to the mix and make it a parfait! Hunnes says berries and pineapple are two more fantastic ingredients that can help prevent bloating.
"Pineapple is a known light-diuretic fruit and berries are [incredibly] anti-inflammatory," she says. "These combinations can help with bloat due to their anti-inflammatory, fiber, and antioxidant properties." And these fruits don't contain any salt which is crucial because salt causes your body to retain water, predominantly around your abdomen. So not only are parfaits a nice (and healthy) breakfast option, but they’re also great for reducing bloating. Perfect!
Peppermint tea
If you like a warm cup of tea in the morning with your breakfast, Hunnes has great news: "[Teas] help because they get your intestinal tract moving in the morning which can be a significant cause of bloat," she explains. "Getting the bowels moving is a great way to feel less bloated and stay hydrated." That's good to hear!
Specifically, peppermint tea is one of the best teas for bloating because of its high concentration of flavonoids. They help calm the bacteria in your digestive tract. Just remember that adding sweeteners, fattening milks, and creamers may worsen your bloating (Read more about the dangers of sweeteners for gut health!).
So, a metabolism-boosting, bloat-reducing breakfast doesn't have to be boring. There are so many delicious options out there that your taste buds and body will love!
