On this beautiful Tuesday morning, I arrive at work to find someone thought it was a nice gesture to buy donuts for the office to have for breakfast. Is this a joke? Who eats donuts for breakfast? To think about what is about to happen to 40 people in a matter of 30 minutes is mindblowing. This mixture of flour, milk, sugar, egg yolks & 43 other ingredients(nothing you eat should contain 47 ingredients that you can’t even pronounce) all come together to create this mouthwatering round dessert that is around 242 calories & 27 grams of carbohydrates. Still sound appetizing? Oh and you want to add jelly, cream or frosting? Add 50 calories more with each addition & you have just eaten a 1/5th of your calories for the day. Is it delicious, without a doubt, but is it healthy? Absolutely not, especially at 8am when your body hasn’t eaten anything since last night @ dinner. An average donut is high in fat & sugar & has very little nutritional value. One donut isn’t going to kill you & yes the occasional treat is wonderful, but nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.
Below are my top three breakfast meals that will help you feel much more awake at 3pm than you will feel after that donut.
~OATMEAL- This is the perfect breakfast! Steel-cut oatmeal is probably the healthier choice, but if you are in a hurry, the instant kind will do just fine. Adding little additions to your oatmeal is also a great way to get more nutrition such as nuts, fresh or dried fruit, even flaxseed. This meal has an amazing amount of nutrients- fiber, protein, fats that will keep you full until lunch time with very little prep time!
~PROTEIN SHAKES-With very little ingredients, you can prepare a shake that will keep you satisfied for hours & is a balanced meal. Here is a quick recipe to try-
1 cup skim milk
4 strawberries or 1 cup of frozen fruit of your choice
1 banana (not necessary, but good to add for taste)
2 scoops of chocolate or vanilla WHEY protein *about 1/2cup
1 tablespoon of almond or peanut butter (unless you are allergic to nuts)
1 cup of water & ice
Blend all together for about a minute & enjoy! Makes 2 servings.
~Yogurt with fresh fruit & granola- Instead of the typical granola, try Kashi GoLean Crunch… same crunchy flavor with more fiber & less sugar than other granolas on the market. Pairing this with a low-fat yogurt & fresh fruit is a perfect way to jump-start your metabolism for the day & not leave you gasping for that instant sugar fix.
I kindly thanked my co-worker for the donut, smiled & walked out of the room empty handed!
Enjoy your day<3