Figuring out what to eat for breakfast is perhaps one of the most common dilemmas we all have every morning. After all, your first meal of the day is pretty important. It affects how you function and even sets your mood. So with that in mind, you always want to go for food with more nutritional value. Toast and oatmeal are great options, but there’s no denying that when it comes to breakfast, you can never go wrong with a plate of eggs. They’re nutrient dense, protein-packed, and simply delicious too. The best part? They’re quick and easy to make!
And let’s be real: There are times when you just want to switch things up and upgrade your morning meal. At one point, you’ve probably thought about cooking eggs with other ingredients for that added flavor. (We can absolutely relate to this!) But if you’re trying to lose weight, what exactly are the best—and healthiest—ingredients to cook with eggs? We asked health experts to find out. Keep reading for more.
Spinach
According to clinical dietitian Jessica Mason, "Spinach contains magnesium which is essential for speeding up your metabolism, and is full of fiber to keep you fuller for longer. It also contains only 7 calories per cup making it the ultimate fat-free partner for your eggs." Additionally, spinach is a high-fiber food so aside from it helping you burn fat, it also promotes better digestion.
Hot Sauce
Naturopath and general family practitioner Dr. Yelena Deshko, N.D. says, "If you’re looking for a condiment to help boost your weight loss efforts, a chili-based hot sauce such as Tabasco may be your best bet." She adds, "Capsaicin, a compound found in hot peppers, has been shown by research to boost metabolism by speeding up the fat-burning process for several hours after intake." Aside from this, it can also help relieve pain, promote a healthy heart, and prevent cancer.
Cayenne Pepper
Similarly, nutritionist and personal trainer Josh Schlottman notes, "Adding cayenne pepper to eggs is the way to go if you're trying to lose weight. Cayenne pepper is one of the best natural ingredients out there because it can help boost metabolism and increase fat burning by up to 20%."
Dr. Amy Lee, board certified doctor in internal medicine, medical nutrition, and obesity medicine and partner of Nucific agrees. "Chili sauce [or cayenne peppers come with an active] ingredient of capsaicin, which is known to be thermogenic. Thermogenic foods help raise the body temperature just enough to expend more energy acquire from food."
