9 Best Foods and Drinks to Kickstart Your Day
Getting out of bed, especially if you have a hectic routine to follow, can sometimes feel impossible. In fact, the strain on the mind and body can result in unsettled sleep and a feeling of tiredness and grogginess when you wake up. But keep in mind that your diet can have a huge impact on your sleep quality and your energy levels in the morning. Therefore, your breakfast should contain some healthy fats, protein, slow-digesting carbohydrates, and vegetables and fruits.
Importance of Carbs, Proteins, and Fats
A balanced breakfast is necessary to give your body the nutrients it needs to stay active for the day. The role of carbs, protein, and fats in that aspect is:
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. For this reason, slow-digesting carbohydrates are great for breakfast as they can keep your body running for a long time. Apart from that, fiber, a type of carbohydrate, is necessary as it helps indigestion.
Proteins: Proteins are necessary to repair and build all the tissues in your body. They also store and transport all the needed nutrients in the body and provide you with the energy you need to stay active all day long.
Fats: Fats are also crucial for the body as they help in the absorption of vitamins and supply energy. Hence, getting polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in the morning can help you stay active.
With that said, let’s discuss some of the best food and drinks you can consume to kickstart your day.
- Coffee
Coffee happens to be a natural stimulant and has a wake-up effect on the body. It stimulates your mental and physical state and improves your performance, so coffee is a popular choice among people worldwide. In the morning, coffee helps in reducing fatigue and grogginess and can help you get more energetic and alert. A study reports that 300mg of caffeine consumption in a day can improve short-term memory and enhance performance.
- Warm Lemon Water
Warm lemon water is the go-to drink for every person trying to shed a few extra pounds, but it is also great for regular consumption. Drinking a glass of warm lemon water in the morning can help in clearing your digestive tract and strengthen the immune system. Apart from that, the detox effect of the drink helps in flushing out toxins from the body and helps your skin glow.
- Green Tea
If you want to feel energized in the morning and get clear skin, then your go-to morning drink should be green tea. Drinking a cup of green tea in the morning can reduce cell damage in the body and slow down the aging process. Apart from that, many people swear by this drink as the holy grail of weight loss. Therefore, a cup of green tea with some honey and lemon can energize your body and help you stay healthy.
- Ginger Tea
If you’re not a morning eater, having a ginger teacup can help relieve that. This delicious warm drink is beneficial for digestion and strengthens your immune system. Apart from that, ginger tea also helps relieve chronic pain and reduce nausea. So have a cup of ginger tea in the morning with honey to start off your day right.
- Oatmeal
Foods that have a high carbohydrate concentration make the best and easiest burning fuel for your body. However, simple and fast-digesting carbohydrates like sugar tend to dissolve quickly. This means that you will only have a short burst of energy, but it will soon run out. Instead, you need some complex and slow-digesting carbohydrates such as grains and oats that can keep you full and energized for longer.
For this reason, making oatmeal with added honey or sugar makes one of the best breakfast options. You can also add fruits and nuts of your choice to make it more enjoyable and hearty.
- Eggs
Apart from their nutritional benefits, the versatility and deliciousness of eggs make them one of the best breakfast choices. Each egg contains about 6 grams of protein, which makes them a quick protein source. They also have about 5 grams of healthy fats that are necessary for your body. For this reason, whip up some eggs with your favorite ingredients in the morning to have a hearty and delicious breakfast that can keep you full all day long.
- Greek Yogurt
Like all fermented food products, Greek yogurt is rich in probiotics which are necessary for your gut health. These microorganisms are crucial for your digestion and help you stay active throughout the day. The best thing about Greek yogurt or yogurt, in general, is that you can add many different toppings to it to suit your taste. You can enjoy it with fruits such as mango, berries, and apples, or even add granola, oats, and nuts to make the breakfast heartier.
- Avocado
The millennial obsession with avocado is well justified, as this fruit contains a multitude of different vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and healthy fats. Avocadoes are a great source of Vitamin B, C, K, and E, potassium, and folate. Furthermore, avocadoes go great with toast, with an omelet, or on rice. You can also make several smoothie combinations with avocado as it gives them a creamy and smooth consistency.
- Almond Butter
Almond butter is another healthy breakfast option that can keep you energized and active throughout the day. The reason is that almonds are a great source of iron, calcium, antioxidants, fats, and vitamin E. It also contains some amount of protein. While almonds happen to have a high-fat concentration, the monounsaturated type of fat is crucial for your health.
Consuming these drinks and adding these foods to your daily breakfast routine can help energize you and give you the nutrients you need to stay active throughout the day. These foods are particularly suitable for breakfast because they have a slow digestion rate and keep you full for a long time. Therefore, mix and match these ingredients and plan your breakfast for the whole weekend, as the best thing about them is their versatility.