Breakfast can quickly turn into dessert or a meal full of unhealthy fat, cholesterol and salt if you go for popular options like bacon, muffins or pancakes.
It’s enough to horrify cardiologists.
“Many people are in an incredible time crunch in the morning and usually reach for comfort foods like toaster pastries, processed breakfast cereals and bars that have as much sugar as some of the candy bars out there,” Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, previously told TODAY.com.
But it’s easy to choose a breakfast that provides energy, nutrition and satiety in one healthy meal.
Cardiologist Tip of the Day: Eat Oatmeal for Breakfast
“My go-to is really oatmeal,” Freeman says. “In general, I recommend oatmeal as the best option.”
He makes it at home, or orders it when traveling and faced with limited heart-healthy options at the airport.
Many other doctors agree, picking oatmeal as their favorite healthy breakfast.
Why It Matters
Oats have lots of health benefits. They provide carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, says registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, nutrition editor for TODAY.
Oats also contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber that has been shown to lower cholesterol.
“This soluble fiber sends messages to the liver to pull LDL (bad) cholesterol out of the blood, bind to it, and excrete it in the fecal matter with the fiber,” Rizzo notes.
The beta-glucan fiber in oats influences hormones that control hunger and appetite, so it may help with weight management, she adds.
How to Get Started
Avoid buying flavored oatmeal, which can be loaded with added sugar, and choose the plain variety.
Freeman recommends eating a cup of oatmeal prepared with water, not milk or butter, which add more calories and saturated fat.
Next, load your oatmeal high with fresh fruit. The cardiologist likes berries, which are among fruits with the most antioxidants. A diet rich in antioxidants may reduce the risk of oxidative stress-related diseases, such as heart disease, researchers note.
Add even more heart-healthy ingredients such as ground flaxseeds or a few walnuts, both of which are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Skip instant oatmeal, which is the most processed, and go with rolled oats instead, Freeman suggests.
TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.