50+ Lifestyles

4 Things Your Breakfast Needs If You Want to Feel Full Until Lunch

By Tristyn Rivera, RD, LDN
Hy-Vee Registered Dietician
1416dietitian1@hy-vee.com

A simple formula to build a better back-to-school breakfast.

Have you ever felt hungry within an hour of eating breakfast? We’ve all been there, glancing at the watch only to find out you still have 2 hours until lunch. While there’s nothing wrong with a healthy mid-morning snack, you might be able to prevent this hunger with the right combination of nutrients for breakfast. Just remember this formula: Protein + complex carbs + fiber + fat.

Protein

Protein plays a big role in satiety, but how much protein do you need? A dietitian can help you determine what’s right for you, but if you’re not sure, aim for breakfast with about 10 to 15 grams of protein. Foods that are high in protein include eggs, Greek yogurt, oats and certain cereals such as Kashi GO.

Fiber

Fiber is the nutrient most Americans don’t get enough of. The Institute of Medicine suggests a total dietary fiber intake of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men a day from food; however, Americans are currently getting about 15 grams a day. To help you get the recommended amount, and help you stay full for longer, start with a breakfast that contains 7 grams of fiber or more. Some foods high in fiber include oats, berries, ground flaxseed and certain cereals. Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal, for example, provides 25 percent of your daily fiber and a day’s worth of whole grains.

Fat

According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, health experts recommend that 20 to 35 percent of your total calories for the day come from fat, with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fat. Including small amounts of healthy fat with each meal helps you feel full and helps your body absorb more nutrients from food. Examples of healthy fat include avocado, peanut butter, olives, ground flaxseed, chia seed and walnuts.

Complex Carbs

You may have heard of good carbs and bad carbs. Well, complex carbs are the good ones. They break down more slowly and provide energy to your body more steadily than simple carbs, which can cause your blood sugar to spike. Examples of foods with complex carbs include whole-grain cereals and fiber-rich fruits, such as apples (with skin), berries and bananas.

Combining these four nutrients every morning can help you worry less about a growling tummy during a meeting, and focus more on being awesome.

Kashi Spicy Honey Almond Snack Mix Serves 8

All you need:

• ¼ cup Hy-Vee unsweetened coconut flakes
• 4 cups Kashi Go Lean Crunch! honey almond flax cereal
• 2 tbsp golden flaxseeds
• 3 tbsp safflower oil
• 1 tbsp Hy-Vee honey
• 1 tsp Hy-Vee low sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup Hy-Vee sliced almonds

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread coconut in shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted.

2. In a large bowl, toss together toasted coconut, cereal, flaxseeds, safflower oil, honey, soy sauce, almonds, curry powder, sesame seeds, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, and kosher salt.

3. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before serving. Snack mix can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutritional information per serving (serving size ½ cup): 270 calories, 14g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 190mg sodium, 32g total carbohydrate, 8g dietary fiber, 12g sugar, 9g protein.

Sources:

https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983