Tag Archives: chia

13 Foods for a Healthy Heart

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The American Heart Association states “Heart disease – also called coronary heart disease – is a simple term used to describe several problems related to plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. As the plaque builds up, the arteries narrow, making it more difficult for blood to flow and creating a risk for heart attack or stroke.”  Not only are one in every 4 deaths in the US related to heart disease but heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US.  Heart disease is a huge problem for the United States population.  Fortunately, there are many steps related to diet and lifestyle that can positively impact your heart health.

Foods to Eat to Reduce Heart Disease

Salmon:  The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two  times a week.  A standard serving is 3.5 oz, about the size of a deck of cards . Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna are high in omega-3 fatty acids.  Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of abnormal heartbeats, which can lead to sudden death.  Omega-3 fatty acids also decrease triglyceride levels, slow growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and can slightly lower blood pressure.

Blueberries:  All berries are excellent choices for overall health because they are densely packed with a variety of potent phytochemicals and fiber without being high in sugar.  Blueberries and strawberries seem to be particularly good at boosting heart health by decreasing plaque build-up in the circulatory system.  Three or more servings of a half a cup of blueberries or strawberries each week is all that is required to start seeing heart benefits.

Oatmeal:  Oats contain a powerful cholesterol fighting fiber known as beta-glucan. Many studies have proven the beneficial effects of this special fiber on cholesterol levels. Studies show that consuming just 3 grams of soluble oat fiber per day (roughly the amount found in one bowl of oatmeal) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%. This cholesterol lowering effect is highly significant since each 1% drop in serum cholesterol translates to a 2% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease.

Dark chocolate:  Dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa or higher, contains flavonoids, powerful anti-oxidants which impact vascular health, by lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot.

Citrus:  Recent research has shown that women eating a diet rich in citrus fruit enjoy a decreased risk of stroke.  Citrus fruits are also a valuable source of vitamin C, which has been linked with a lower risk of heart disease. Remember, grapefruit products may interfere with the action of the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins.

Tomatoes:  Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin E.  These vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants have a profound impact on heart health including the reduction of LDL (bad) cholesterol, homocysteine, platelet aggregation, and blood pressure.

Nuts:  All nuts are about equal in terms of calories per ounce, and in moderation, are all healthy additions to any diet.  Be sure to eat nuts raw or dry roasted to avoid the unhealthy oils sometimes used for roasting.  Walnuts, considered the best nut for heart health, have high amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA). Research has suggested that ALA may help heart arrhythmias, and a 2006 Spanish study suggested that eating as few as 8 walnuts a day were as effective as olive oil at reducing inflammation and oxidation in the arteries after eating a high fat meal.

Legumes:  Lentils, black beans, black- eyed peas and kidney beans are four of the best beans to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.  They are a fiber filled addition to your diet.  Long term studies have found their high fiber content lowers cholesterol and triglyceride (blood fat) levels.  Try to eat about 3-4 cups of beans a week.

Extra virgin olive oil:  Olive oil is loaded with anti-oxidants that help fight heart disease. Studies have shown it is helpful in the reduction of LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation.  It also helps reduce unwanted blood clotting, reducing the risk of stroke.  Be sure to buy cold pressed extra virgin olive oil to get the most benefit.

Red wine: Moderate consumption of alcohol (1-2 drinks a day) has been associated with a decreased risk of heart attack and stroke.  Red wine appears to offer more benefit than other forms of alcohol due to its high concentration of flavonoids and resveratrol, which may play an active role in limiting the start and progression of atherosclerosis.

Leafy Greens:  Leafy green vegetables are rich in lutein which has been associated with a decreased risk of artery thickening.  Leafy greens also contain potassium, which helps manage blood-pressure levels.

Flax or chia seeds:  Flaxseeds contains lignans, which are chemical compounds that carry antioxidants and enzymes that have many benefits. Flax is also a good source of a type of soluble fiber that helps maintain ideal cholesterol levels.  Chia seeds are also loaded with fiber and provide healthy omega-3 fatty acids.  Chia and flax seeds are very high in the Omega-3 fatty acid ALA. However, humans are not good at converting this into DHA, the most important Omega-3 fatty acid.

Avocado:  Avocados contain monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower our risk of heart disease.  They are also rich in phytosterols like beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol which decrease inflammation in the body.

Other Factors to Consider in Heart Health

Exercise:  The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week for overall heart health.  For people with concerns about high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol, they recommend 40 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week.  Exercise includes anything that gets your body moving and burns calories.  Choose an activity you like and stick to it!

Decrease Salt Consumption:  In some people, sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body,  placing an added burden on the heart.  The American Heart Association recommends about 1500 mgs a day of salt but most people eating a Standard American Diet consume about 3400 mgs a day.  Eating a diet low in packaged foods will help you decrease your sodium intake.

Floss Your Teeth:  Recent research has demonstrated a possible link between periodontal disease and  heart disease.  In a new study in which researchers infected mice with four different types of bacteria associated with gum disease, the mice had increased levels of systemic inflammation and cholesterol.

Don’t smoke:  People who smoke are two to four times more likely to get heart disease.  The nicotine in cigarettes raises your blood pressure, damages blood vessels, raises your heart rate, increase your risk of blood clots and decreases the amount of oxygen that gets to your heart.  All of these factors contribute to heart disease.

Sleep:  In a recent study, people sleeping less than 6 hours or more than 10 hours a night were found to have a higher prevalence of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes, in addition to obesity and frequent mental stress, compared to “optimal sleepers” who slept an average of seven to nine hours.  The study speculates that quality of sleep is just as important as quantity.

Photo by coletree under the Creative Commons license.

Chocolate Apricot Seed Balls

Balls all ready for snacking.

Balls all ready for snacking.

As I continue on my real foods journey, I find one of the aspects I struggle the most with is finding good quality, quick snacks.  My kids are still stuck in the “it has to be in a box to qualify for a snack” mode.  It is incredibly disheartening to go to the store, read package labels and realize how much crap is in the food marketed to kids!  Even food under the “health halo” of  gluten free or organic is often loaded with sugar listed in different forms to disguise how much sugar is actually lurking.  IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!

I was recently wandering around the internet looking for new snack ideas when I stumble upon My Darling Lemon Thyme’ s recipe for Raw Apricot, Dark Chocolate and  Coconut  Bites .  These sounded amazingly yummy to me but I wondered about tweaking them a little bit to add some protein.  I am incredibly obsessed with chia and hemp seeds right now so I immediately thought about incorporating them.

I am use to using dates in many of my raw snacks so I was intrigued with the idea of trying apricots for a different taste.  I try to find unsulfured apricots because the preservatives tend to give me a headache and upset my stomach.  I bought  Dried APRICOTS here.  I know they look discolored and a little unappetizing but I promise they taste just as good as the sulfured ones! I eat Hemp Hearts  and Organic Raw Chia Seeds every day for breakfast so they were a natural addition to these balls.

Ingredients.

Ingredients.

Into the food processor everything went.

IMG_1106It was important to keep grinding and grinding to break down the apricots and to get a paste to form.  Be sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed.  Gradually adding a little water also really helped the balls hold together.  Checkout all that seedy goodness in the photo down below.

Balls before going into the freezer.

Balls before going into the freezer.

I know these are not the most visually appealing snacks but they definitely taste better than they look!  The raw chocolate on these balls is so yummy and not too sweet!  It is amazing combined with the orange flavor from the zest.

IMG_1110

Chocolate Apricot Seed Balls

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups unsulfered apricots
  • 3/4 cup of coconut
  • 1/4 cup of chia seeds
  • 2 tbs of hemp seeds
  • 1 tbs of orange zest
  • 11/2 tbs of melted coconut oil
  • For Raw Chocolate
  • 3 tbs of melted coconut oil
  • 3 tbs of cacao powder
  • 2 tbs of maple syrup
  • pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Place apricots, coconut, seeds, zest and 1 1/2 tbs of oil in the food processor.
  2. Grind until a paste forms and mixture holds together when rolled into a ball.
  3. (I added a little warm water to help this process along.)
  4. Roll into balls.
  5. Place balls in freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up.
  6. While balls are freezing, mix ingredients for raw chocolate together.
  7. Remove balls from freezer and roll in the chocolate.
  8. (You can completely cover the balls or cover only half of them depending on your taste.)
  9. Enjoy immediately or store in fridge for later snacking.
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/chocolate-apricot-seed-balls/

These balls turned out super yummy and I have been snacking on one or two of them a day for the last few days. Even though they are small, I find they give me sustained energy.   The boys also declared them a winner- which is great, but then I have to share them!  I would love to have readers share any of their snack ideas.

This post contains affiliate links.

33 Super Tasty Healthy Snacks

I am always searching for a perfect go to snack that will fill me up while stoking my body with healthy fuel.  Here is a list of 33 nutrient dense, tasty snacks I rely on to fuel me an my family.

Nut Butter Stuffed Dates

Nut Butter Stuffed Dates

  1. 4 dates stuffed with 1 tbs of nut butter (roughly 180 calories)
  2. Chili Lime Popcorn .
  3. Apple with 1 tbs of almond butter (180 calories)
  4. Frozen banana with 10 almonds (180 calories)
  5. ½ avocado topped with salt, pepper and spoonful of salsa (170 calories)
  6. 2 tbs of chia seeds with ¼ cup of almond milk and ½ cup of blueberries (196 calories)
  7. 1 cup of jicama spears with ¼ cup guacamole and 2 tbs of salsa (165 calories)
  8. 1 cup veggie juice with 4 slices of deli turkey (150 calories)
  9. 3 tbs of hummus spread on hearts of palm spears (180 calories)
  10. 1 100 calories whole wheat pita with 2 tbs of hummus (170)
  11. 1 cup of shelled edamame (200 calories)
  12. 6 dates stuffed with 3 tsps of Gorgonzola cheese and 1 almond each (210 calories)
  13. 2 large hard boiled eggs and ¾ cup of cherries (210 calories)
  14. 1 ounce of turkey jerky, 1/8 cup of slivered almonds and a pear (208 calories)
  15. 9 walnut halves and 1 cup of sliced plums (194 calories)
  16. 4 dried figs and two slices of prosciutto (210 calories)
  17. 1 apple and 1 piece of string cheese (160 calories)
Chocolate Almond Energy Blasts

Chocolate Almond Energy Blasts

18.  Chocolate Almond Energy Blasts
19.  Four fresh figs stuffed with 1 tbs of goat cheese and then drizzled with honey (206 calories)
20.  1 Trader Joes mini fiber cake spread with 1 tbs of nut butter (175 calories)
21.  3 oz of deli turkey spread with 2 tbs of  hummus and then rolled up
22.  One 6 inch whole wheat tortilla, spread with 2 tbs of Trader Joe’s Fat Free Black Bean dip with ¼               avocado,  then rolled up (190 calories)
23.  Trader Joe’s Fat Free Bean Dip spread on 2 oz of deli turkey and ¼ avocado (180 calories)
24.  Medium pear, 1 tbs of chopped walnuts, 1 tsp of honey (170 calories)
25.  Larabar (roughly 200 calories, depending on flavor)
26.  7 oz full fat Greek Plain Yogurt with handful of raspberries
27.  Medium banana with 1 tbs of peanut butter (190 calories)
28.  3 Rye crackers with 1 oz of goat cheese and 1/3 cup of blueberries
29.  1 serving of pita chips and 1 kiwi
30.  1/3 cup of part skim milk ricotta plus 11 chopped smokey almonds
31.  ¼ cup  of Love Grown Granola, ¼ cup of blueberries with ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (166 calories)
32.  2 hard boiled eggs with 2 tsps of sriracha  sauce (165 calories)
33.  1 cup whole strawberries dipped in 2 melted Lindt Excellence Chili Bar squares (141 calories)

Enjoy!!

Also checkout this weeks Cooking For One Series I am participating in.  Here is the line up of amazing bloggers with super yummy recipes.  I can’t wait to try all these recipes!

 

Day
Friends
Sunday, October 5th
Katie @ Whole Nourishment ~ Green Quinoa Bowl
Monday, October 6th
Kellie @ Food to Glow ~ Grilled Shiitake Kimcheese
Tuesday, October 7th
Isadora @ She Likes Food ~ Vegetable Lasagna Roll-ups
Wednesday, October 8th
Dearna @ to her core ~ Roasted Pumpkin and Peanut Soup
Thursday, October 9th
Lynsey @ lynseylovesfood ~ Roasted Root Vegetable Calzones
Sarah @ Highgate Hill Kitchen ~ Spicy-Roasted Chickpeas, Herbed Freekeh & Moroccan Carrot Salad
Friday, October 10th
Grace @ Earthy Feast ~ Marinated Mushroom Sandwich with Sautéed Greens + Avocado + Egg
Saturday, October 11th
Teri @ Nourished Roots ~ Curried Red Lentil and Roasted Delicata Squash Soup

 

Shared with Urban Naturale and Fat Tuesday.

Dark Chocolate Oat and Seed Snacks

Chocolaty oaty goodness!

Chocolaty oaty goodness!

When I was a kid, occasionally my mom would make Chocolate Chow Mein Noodle Cookies.  I, of course, thought they were the bomb and gave no thought to all the processed ingredients in the noodles or conventional chocolate chips!  I still often feel a nostalgia for some of the “treats” of my childhood but now I have begun to look for ways to make them healthier.  This recipe came out of that nostalgia.

I knew I wanted to keep the feeling of the noodles covered with chocolate but without the unhealthy fat you get from using a fried noodle.  I decided to use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Oats  to take the place of the noodles.  Also,  I wanted to incorporate more protein and healthy omega-3’s in this snack so I added Trader Joe’s Organic Tricolor Quinoa,  Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Chia Seeds,  and  Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts.  I added cinnamon for its blood sugar balancing and anti-inflammatory properties and cardamom to aid in digestion.  Finally, instead of using regular milk chocolate, I  switched to Newman’s Own Organic Premium Chocolate Bar, 70% for all the heart healthy flavonoids that come with dark chocolate.  These were VERY  easy to whip up and don’t require any baking!

Everything all mixed up and ready to go in the muffin tins.

Everything all mixed up and ready to go in the muffin tins.

I made sure to press hard on the oat mixture as I added it to each tin so all the ingredients would be compressed and hold together better.

Chocolate oat mixture before it hits the fridge.

Chocolate oat mixture before it hits the fridge.

I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how these would end up.  I worried the oats wouldn’t offer the same feel as the fried noodles.  However, between the oats and the seeds you still got the feel of crunchy, chocolaty goodness!  These turned out super yummy!  Unfortunately, this recipe only produced 7 treats so the next time I make them, I am going to be sure to double the recipe!  (These are best stored in the fridge because the chocolate tends to melt quickly.)

Treats all ready to eat.

Treats all ready to eat.

Dark Chocolate Oat and Seed Snacks

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup of oats
  • 2 tbs of quinoa, toasted
  • 1 tbs of chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup of hemp seeds
  • 1/4 cup of dried cherries
  • 1/3 cup of coconut oil
  • 2 tbs of cocoa powder
  • 4 squares of dark chocolate
  • 2 tsp of cinnamon
  • 1 tsp of cardamon
  • a dash of salt, to taste
  • 1-2 tsp of maple syrup, use to taste

Instructions

  1. Toast quinoa in a dry pan.
  2. Shake pan often to keep from sticking and/or burning.
  3. Remove from fire when quinoa is lightly toasted.
  4. Put chocolate, coconut oil and cocoa powder in double boiler and melt over light heat.
  5. Once melted, stir in the cinnamon, salt, maple syrup and cardamon.
  6. Taste to see if sweet enough for your taste. If not, add more maple syrup.
  7. Once combined, stir in the oats, quinoa, chia seeds, hemp seeds and dried cherries.
  8. Stir until all the dried ingredients are covered with chocolate.
  9. Spoon "dough" into lined muffin cups.
  10. Place in fridge to set.
  11. These will keep best in the fridge.
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/dark-chocolate-oat-and-seed-snacks/

This post contains affiliate links.

This post was added to Fiesta Fridays.

Chocolate Cherry Chia 24 Hour Oats

Cherries.

Cherries.

Healthy Chia Seeds.

Healthy Chia Seeds.

Every Friday morning, I sweat my way through  an amazing boot camp class at The Refinery here in Portland.  Each week features a different series of moves designed to torture us.  While I am usually exhausted by the end of it, I LOVE it!  It is fun, challenging and awesome to see what my body can and can’t do each week.  Before each class, I have to think carefully about how I am going to fuel my body to get through the workout.  I don’t want to be too weighed down but also want to be sure I have enough fuel to finish.  The last few weeks, I have been relying on versions of  24 hour oats.  With cherry season upon us, these Chocolate Cherry Chia Oats are my new favorite.

All the ingredients before adding the almond milk.

All the ingredients before adding the almond milk.

I added a scoop of vegan vanilla protein powder to my oats because I wanted the extra protein with such a hard workout but you can leave it out if you aren’t interested in extra protein.

We use this protein powder Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein, 622 Grams.

Shaken Oats Ready to Go In the Fridge.

Shaken Oats Ready to Go In the Fridge.

These oats are great because you prep them the night before and then just grab them and go in the morning.  They offer healthy omega-3 fats with the chia seeds, fiber filled oats and a dose of Vitamin C from the cherries.  As you can see from the picture below, it is not a pretty breakfast but it sure tastes good.

Oats ready to eat after 24 hours in the fridge.

Oats ready to eat after 24 hours in the fridge.

Chocolate Cherry Chia 24 Hour Oats

Ingredients

  • 3 tbs of oats
  • 2 tbs of chia seeds
  • 1 tbs of cacao powder
  • 1 tbs of protein powder (optional)
  • shake or two of cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped cherries
  • 1 cup of vanilla almond milk or milk of your choice
  • Maple syrup or other sweetener to taste

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a mason jar.
  2. Cover.
  3. Shake until well combined.
  4. (You may have to open and stir with a spoon to be sure everything gets mixed together.)
  5. Place in the fridge overnight.
  6. In the morning, add sweetener of choice and enjoy.
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/chocolate-cherry-chia-24-hour-oats/

I usually add a couple of tablespoons of some sort of nut butter for even more flavor and protein.  You can omit it if you want or use whatever type of nut butter you have on hand.

This post shared with Live, Laugh, RoweThe Nourishing Gourmet, A Glimpse InsideUrban Naturale, Rock My Vegan Socks, Fat TuesdayMary’s Kitchen, Girl Meets Nourishement and Homespun Oasis.

This post contains affiliate links.

Glo Bar Obsession

Glo Bars all ready to eat.

Glo Bars all ready to eat.

About  a week ago, I picked up Angela Liddon’s The The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out
.  Since then I have become totally obsessed with making recipes out of this book.  Now, neither I nor my family are vegan but it has not mattered.  Everything I have made from this book has been super yummy!  As I have stated before, I am always on the hunt for healthier snack bars to feed my family so when I saw the recipe for her Glo Bars, I knew I had to make them.  Usually I make some substitutions or additions to recipes but these sounded so good I made no changes.

Oats and crispy rice cereal- the two main components of the bars.

Oats and crispy rice cereal- the two main components of the bars.

These bars were very easy and required very little time spent actually cooking- right up my alley.  These bars are gluten free, no bake, refined sugar and oil free- yummy!!

Finished bars.

Finished bars.

Glo Bar Obsession

Ingredients

  • 1 1?2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1 1?4 cups rice crisp cereal
  • 1?4 cup hemp seeds
  • 1?4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1?4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1?2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1?4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1?2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, brown rice syrup
  • 1?4 cup roasted peanut butter or almond butter (I used almond butter.)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1?4 cup mini non-dairy chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand) (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients through sea salt in a large bowl.
  2. Place brown rice syrup and nut butter on the stove until begins to liquefy.
  3. Watch carefully and stir frequently.
  4. Pour hot liquids over the dry ingredients.
  5. Stir well till all dry ingredients are coated with syrup mixture.
  6. Stir in chocolate chips after mixture cools a bit. (I got impatient and stirred them in before it was cool and the chips melted a little. Fortunately, I like having the chocolate distributed throughout the bars!)
  7. Spread mixture in parchment lined pan and put in fridge until hardens.
  8. Once hard, take out of pan by lifting from parchment paper edges.
  9. Use pizza cutter to cut into bars.
  10. Store uneaten portions in the fridge.
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/glo-bar-obsession/

My son on as a sous chef!

My son on as a sous chef!

Eat up!

Eat up!

Enjoy these tasty bars!

This post shared with The Nourishing Gourmet, A Glimpse Inside, The Idea Room, Food Renegade, Urban NaturaleHello Veggy and Homespun Oasis.

 

 

Tiny Tip Tuesday: Eat Breakfast Like a King

Photo by Ali Arsh.

Photo by Ali Arsh.

Recent research has offered support to the old adage “Eat breakfast like a king. Lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. ” A study published in  Obesity randomly divided 50 overweight and obese woman into two groups.  Each woman received a total of 1400 calories divided throughout the day.  The first group, the Breakfast group  received the majority of their calories in the morning (700 calories for breakfast, 500 for lunch and 200 for dinner).  The second group, the Dinner group, received the majority of their calories for dinner (200 calories at breakfast, 500 for lunch and 700 for dinner). The only difference between the two groups was the timing of the bulk of their calories.  The results were astounding.  While both groups lost a significant amount of weight, the Breakfast group lost twice as much weight and showed a significantly greater reduction in their insulin levels and fasting glucose levels.  The Breakfast group also had a 33.6% decrease in their  triglyceride levels while the Dinner group’s triglyceride levels increased by almost 15%.  The Breakfast group also reported feeling more satiated throughout the day than the Dinner group.

What can we learn from this study?  Researchers for years have pointed to the importance of eating breakfast.  It is well documented that people who eat breakfast have more energy throughout the day, are better able to stay focused and tend to eat less throughout the day.  Traditional Chinese Medicine believes the body is most focused on digestion during the morning hours so consuming the majority of your nutrients during this period means your body will receive optimal nutrition.  Of course, the quality of the breakfast is important.  Sugary cereals, white bagels with cream cheese or waffles loaded with syrup are going to spike your blood sugar and then lead to a energy crash.  Be sure to add some protein and maybe a healthy fat to the start of your day.  This fat or protein will help anchor your carbs, slowing digestion and keeping you feeling full longer.  Good choices for breakfast include:

  • A whole wheat bagel with nut butter and banana.
  • A bowl of oatmeal, quinoa and other grains with ground flax seeds and berries.
  • Eggs of any kind served with sprouted whole wheat toast and a fresh fruit.
  • Chia seeds combined with almond milk, chopped nuts and fruit.
  • If you are going to have a cereal, try to choose one with the fewest grams of sugar possible.  Mix it with a full fat organic Greek plain yogurt or whole organic milk, chopped nuts and some fresh berries.

All of these options offer a complex carb combined with a healthy fat and a significant source of protein.  These breakfasts will help you have a healthy start to your day and could be one of the first steps to helping you control your eating throughout the day.  Controlled, mindful eating can be an important component of weight control.

This post was shared with She eats and Richly Rooted.

Tell me about your favorite go to breakfast options.

 

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