Its true that a nutritious breakfast can help give you more energy reduce your daily caloric intake and help maintain a healthy weight. A new national study followed the eating habits of 12,000 men and women. The findings show those who ate a low-calorie and low-energy dense breakfast weighed less and had an overall healthier diet compared to those who ate junk food or skipped the meal altogether.
Energy density is the amount of energy or calories in a particular weight of food and is generally presented as the number of calories in a gram (kcal/g). Foods with a lower energy density provide fewer calories per gram than foods with a higher energy density, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Low-energy-dense diets help people lower their caloric intake while maintaining feelings of satiety and controlling feelings of hunger.
Researchers in this study agreed, and found that low-energy dense foods such as fruits, vegetables and high-fiber whole grains can help you lose weight and make better food choices during the rest of the day. Try these tasty breakfast options for a fresh start to a healthier lifestyle:
- Bran flakes with 1 percent milk. Top with banana or blueberries.
- Oat bran with 1 percent milk. Add raisins or strawberries.
- Whole cut oatmeal with honey and assorted fruit.