Despite what you may have heard, eating breakfast isn’t necessary for everyone.
In fact, skipping breakfast may be better than eating unhealthy breakfast foods.
However, a nutritious, well-balanced breakfast can give you energy and prevent you from eating too much during the rest of the day.
Here are the 12 best foods you can eat in the morning.
1. Eggs
Eggs are undeniably healthy and delicious.
Studies have shown that eating eggs at breakfast increases feelings of fullness, reduces calorie intake at the next meal and helps maintain steady blood sugar and insulin levels (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
In one study, men who ate eggs for breakfast felt more satisfied and took in fewer calories during the rest of the day than those who consumed a bagel (3Trusted Source).
Additionally, egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants help prevent eye disorders like cataracts and macular degeneration (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).
Eggs are also one of the best sources of choline, a very important nutrient for brain and liver health (6Trusted Source).
Though high in cholesterol, eggs don’t raise cholesterol levels in most people.
In fact, eating whole eggs may reduce heart disease risk by modifying the shape of “bad” LDL cholesterol, increasing “good” HDL cholesterol and improving insulin sensitivity (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).
What’s more, three large eggs provide about 20 grams of high-quality protein (9).
Eggs are also very versatile. For example, hard-boiled eggs make a great portable breakfast that can be prepared ahead of time.
2. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is creamy, delicious and nourishing.
It’s made by straining whey and other liquid from milk curds, which produces a creamier yogurt that is more concentrated in protein.
Protein has been shown to reduce feelings of hunger and has a higher thermic effect than fat or carbs (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
The term thermic effect refers to the increase in metabolic rate that occurs after eating.
Yogurt and other dairy products can also help with weight control because they increase levels of hormones that promote fullness, including PYY and GLP-1 (10Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).
What’s more, full-fat yogurt contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may increase fat loss and decrease breast cancer risk (13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
Certain types of Greek yogurt are good sources of probiotics like Bifidobacteria, which help your gut stay healthy (15).
To make sure your yogurt contains probiotics, look for the phrase contains live and active cultures on the label.
Try topping Greek yogurt with berries or chopped fruit to increase your meal’s vitamin, mineral and fiber content.
3. Coffee
Coffee is an amazing beverage to start your day.
It’s high in caffeine, which has been shown to improve mood, alertness and mental performance.
Even small amounts of caffeine can achieve these effects (16Trusted Source, 17, 18).
An analysis of 41 studies found the most effective dose to be 38–400 mg per day to maximize the benefits of caffeine while reducing side effects (18).
This is roughly 0.3 to 4 cups of coffee per day, depending on the coffee’s strength (18).
Caffeine has also been shown to increase metabolic rate and fat burning. In one study, 100 mg of caffeine per day helped people burn an extra 79–150 calories over a 24-hour period (19, 20Trusted Source).
In addition, coffee is rich in antioxidants, which reduce inflammation, protect the cells lining your blood vessels and decrease diabetes and liver disease risk (21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25).