We all know a sausage and egg McMuffin is never going to win the prize for healthiest breakfast of the year, but when you’ve chosen an extra ten minutes in bed instead of some virtuous brekkie prepping, it’s better than having nothing to get you through that last minute race to the office, no?
How about picking up one of those little yoghurt and granola pots from Pret on your way in? They definitely look healthy. Right?
We’ve got news for you guys: they’re not really. With a whopping 32.2g of sugar per pot, that’s more than you’re meant to have ALL DAY. Sob. They’re actually only 66 calories less than a Sausage and Egg McMuffin, if you care about that sort of thing. But more to the point, that sugar spike – and containing only half the protein of a McMuffin – means you’re going to be hungry again in an hour or so. Annoying when you thought you were being good.
We spoke to Dr. Michelle Braude, nutritionist, fully fledged medical Doctor and founder of The Food Effect to find out what grub to grab on the go for an actually healthy start to the day…
Michelle says: 'The ideal healthy breakfast should include a combination of protein, unrefined carbohydrates, healthy fats and fibre, for optimum satisfaction and blood sugar stability. My personal favourite is a hearty bowl of porridge with some fresh or frozen blueberries, a dollop of peanut butter, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a drizzle of agave syrup for sweetness.'
This sounds doable. If you’re in London and lucky enough to be near a Vital Ingredient then they have a ‘Create your own porridge’ station: choose your base from 3-grain protein (GF and DF, natch) or traditional oats, add any three from 22 toppings like mango, chia seeds or pomegranate (the choc buttons don’t count), then top with their nut butter for top healthy points. There are thousands of combinations so you can be super healthy but have something different every day.
If you’re not near a Vital then get yourself back into Pret and check out their Proper Porridge pots topped with the berry compote for extra vitamins with a low sugar load. The Leon Ruby Berry Porridge is another great choice, using agave for sweetness and it happens to be dairy free for those of us who have to dodge milk.
What if porridge isn’t your thing though? Michelle says, 'Eggs on whole-grain or rye bread, with some fresh spinach leaves or avocado is another winning choice, packed with protein, vitamins and minerals and essential nutrients to provide the perfect start to the day.'
Great news, because our favourite coffee stops have really upped their game lately with the eggy choices. Even Starbucks is a goer – just close your eyes walking past the pastries and order up one of their new Breakfast Hot Boxes to go. We like the protein packed Super Scrambled Eggs with Tomato and Spinach. And you can never go wrong with a Leon egg pot either; they’re practically all excellent nutritious choices.
Sound pricey though? According to Michelle, 'a healthy breakfast need not be expensive as many “healthy eating” fad diets will have you believe. The Food Effect approach is all about enjoying plenty of simple, fat-burning foods that are good for you and good value: eggs, natural yoghurt, good old-fashioned porridge oats, whole-grain bread, peanut butter, fruit and vegetables. It’s important to avoid the temptation to fill up on refined white carbohydrates such as sugary cereals, white bread, pastries and croissants. These things might be cheap and easy to grab but they’ll just leave you feeling hungry and lethargic shortly after'.
So, you heard the good Doctor; either head to Chop’d where their Steamed Eggs (aka scrambled) are 99p right now with free toppings like ham, spinach and avo galore or keep a few of these in your desk drawer for last minute healthy emergencies.
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Flahavan’s Irish Oat Porridge Sachets (Waitrose, £2.59 for a pack of 10) – creamy oats with a lower GI than most so no nasty sugar spike. Add a dollop of nut butter and berries.
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Eat Natural Buckwheat Toasted Muesli (Tesco, 75p) Good fats and complex carbs galore, some of this with a dollop of proper Greek yoghurt will keep you full til lunchtime. Or at least elevenses.
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Rachel’s Organic Granola with Greek Style Yoghurt (Nisa and selected convenience stores, 99p) – set on having that granola? Pick up a few of these to keep in the work fridge. They’re lower in sugar and less than half the price.
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A Few Stupidly Easy Breakfast Recipes To Get You Through This Week
Follow Dr Michelle Braude on Twitter and Instagram: @thefoodeffectdr
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.