Egg Breakfasts Can Be a Nutritional Powerhouse with 5 Distinct Steps

Starting your day with a nutritious and filling breakfast is essential to maintaining your energy levels and concentration until lunch.

Many Americans turn to eggs for their first meal of the day for ease, affordability and taste.

“Eggs are a popular choice because of their versatility and high protein content, but not all egg breakfasts are created equal,” says Annelise Prigge MS, RD, registered dietitian and nutritionist at Anne Till Nutrition Group. in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Whether your egg breakfast of choice is scrambled or hard-boiled, fried or poached, nutrition experts have revealed the best ways to jazz up your eggs to keep you full until lunch – and to deliver nutritional benefits.

What factors contribute to a feeling of fullness?

Satiety and fullness after meals are influenced by several factors, including protein, fiber and volume of food. Prigge said.

Here are some ways to maximize these variables.

Protein content. “Protein is known to increase feelings of fullness more than fats and carbohydrates,” Prigge told Fox News Digital.

“It takes longer to digest and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.”

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Fiber. Fiber slows digestion and adds bulk to your diet, helping you feel full longer, she also said.

These “factors are crucial for promoting satiety and maintaining energy levels.”

Volume of food. Meals that take up more room in your stomach can improve feelings of fullness — and adding vegetables can increase food volume without adding significant calories, Prigge said.

There are many ways to jazz up a typical egg breakfast. One tip is to add more protein to the meal. (iStock)

Many common breakfasts containing eggs may not fill you until lunch because they lack protein, fiber, or food volume.

“These factors are crucial for promoting satiety and maintaining energy levels,” she said.

Now, check out these five tips for raising your eggs.

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1. Increase protein content

Add more protein to your breakfast by mixing cottage cheese into scrambled eggs or baked egg bites, adding nitrate-free chicken sausage on the side or including reduced-fat cheese in an omelet or as a topping, Prigge suggested.

Many common egg breakfasts may not fill you up until lunch because they lack protein, fiber or dietary volume – so here’s how to change that. (SANDER KONING/AFP via Getty Images)

Additionally, using two or three eggs instead of one or two is also a good solution.

2. Improve fiber content

Instead of white toast, opt for whole grain options like whole wheat toast or oats. “These complex carbohydrates provide longer-lasting energy and more fiber,” she noted.

Adding beans or lentils to your eggs can increase both protein and fiber.

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Adding black beans to a Tex-Mex breakfast and topping with salsa is a tasty and filling option, Prigge said.

3. Consider adding eggs to oatmeal

“If you prefer a sweet breakfast, eggs cooked in oatmeal are wonderful,” says Jessica Cording, MS, RD, a registered dietitian, health coach and author who practices in New Jersey and New York.

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“You can whisk an egg or a few whites into the oatmeal during the last few minutes of cooking on the stovetop or in the microwave. To spice up the meal, add healthy fats with chia seeds or ground flax or by topping your bowl with nuts or a dollop of nut butter,” she said.

Add protein, incorporate whole grain toast – and don’t forget to include fruit too, nutritionists advise. (John Kelly/Alamy Stock Photo)

4. Upgrade the meal with vegetables

Rather than having a plain omelette or scrambled eggs, one with a variety of vegetables will be a larger, heartier portion, and also more flavorful and colorful.

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“Incorporate vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms into your eggs to increase the overall volume of food,” Prigge said.

5. Add fruit accompaniments

Star fruits like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are healthy and sweet additions.

Star fruits like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are healthy, sweet additions to an egg breakfast. (Margit Kurvits/FOCUS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Cording also says to have an avocado, which is a fruit.

“An avocado is one of my favorite high-fiber supplements,” Cording said.

“You’ll get about four grams in half a medium avocado, along with about 14 grams of heart-healthy fats.”

Try consuming healthy avocado when planning your next egg breakfast. (iStock)

Keep calories under control

Even when enhancing your breakfast, it is important to keep an eye on the calorie content, especially fat, which is very high in calories.

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Here are some strategies.

Limit fats. Traditional breakfast meats like bacon and sausage are very high in fat and calories and can be replaced with nitrate-free chicken sausage.

Prigge also suggested opting for reduced-fat cheese to cut calories while still getting the taste and protein benefits.

Instead of oil or butter, use cooking spray to prepare your eggs. If you prefer oil or butter, measure smaller amounts to control the calorie content, nutrition experts advise. (Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Use cooking spray. Instead of oil or butter, use cooking spray to prepare your eggs. If you prefer oil or butter, measure smaller amounts to control the calorie content.

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Eat fiber-rich carbohydrates in moderation. Using thinly sliced ​​bread is a great way to include complex, portion-controlled carbohydrates that will keep you full longer, Prigge said.

Watch your timing. If you tend to eat a late breakfast, you may need a morning snack to stretch and maintain your focus and energy.

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“It’s normal to need to eat every three hours to maintain your energy levels and regulate your appetite,” Prigge said. “Pay attention to the time you eat breakfast and lunch, and note the time between the two.”

For example, if you eat breakfast at 7 a.m. and lunch at 1 p.m., a morning snack around 10 a.m. might be needed to fill the six-hour gap, she said.

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Opt for a snack that combines protein, fiber and healthy fats, like a few tablespoons of nuts or a piece of fruit.

This can help keep you satisfied until your next meal.