The 3 Best Foods to Eat in the Morning

and now for the fun part: what you should …

3. Organic Peanut Butter

Peanut butter can give you a quick protein boost to give you energy and keep you satisfied all morning long. A couple of tips: try spreading your peanut butter on apple or banana slices instead of bread, or add a tablespoon to a kefir smoothie (see below). Be sure to choose a natural brand with just peanuts (not added vegetable oils or sugar), and go organic, as peanuts tend to be a heavily pesticide-sprayed crop.

2. Kefir

Kefir, a yogurt-like beverage made from fermented milk, is loaded with beneficial enzymes and bacteria that aid digestion and boost your immune system. A natural energy booster, kefir can easily replace coffee or tea in the morning, and will provide your body with vitamins and minerals instead of simply caffeine. Kefir has a pleasant tart flavor, but you can sweeten it up naturally by adding in a handful of fresh berries or banana slices.

1. Eggs

As an excellent source of both protein and fat, eggs will leave you feeling satisfied longer than a bagel or bowl of cereal ever could. Plus, they contain B vitamins like choline for your heart and brain (and reduced levels of inflammation) and naturally occurring antioxidants that benefit your eyes.

If you’re worried about your cholesterol, don’t be. The latest research has shown that eggs no not significantly impact cholesterol levels, and may, in fact, improve your cholesterol profile. Plus, one study found that, compared to those who eat bagels, people who eat two eggs for breakfast lose 65 percent more weight and have higher energy levels![ii]

Your alarm clock went off 30 minutes ago. You’re showered, dressed and now ready for some breakfast to fill your empty tummy.

But wait!

Don’t just grab whatever sounds good or whatever you can scarf down the fastest to get out the door. It’s important to choose your morning foods wisely, as what you eat now can very much impact your energy levels, focus, and even your mood in the mid-morning hours to come.

So before you raid the fridge, browse through the cheat sheet below. It’s filled with foods you should most definitely steer clear of, as well as three in which to indulge.

The 5 Worst Foods to Eat in the Morning

1. Muffins

A muffin seems like a sensible choice, especially compared to a doughnut or Danish. But a muffin is really a breakfast “wolf” hiding in sheep’s clothing – especially if it’s store-bought. Most store-bought muffins are giant, which means they can sometimes contain over 600 calories. And for those calories, you’re not getting any protein or healthy fat to keep you satiated. No. Instead you’re getting refined carbs like white or wheat flour and sugar – the very recipe for a growling stomach in about an hour … plus weight gain in the long term.

By the way, don’t fall for the “bran” muffin trap either. Even these seemingly healthy muffins are typically far too high in sugar and calories to be any benefit to your health. If you want fiber, eat some fresh veggies instead.

2. Cereal

We know it’s a beloved favorite, but that bowl of honey-nut o’s, sweetened flakes or crispy rice is not going to keep you full, and worse, it will send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride that ends with you yawning at your desk, barely able to keep your eyes open.

Most cereals are empty calories, simple carbs and sugar, disguised as a “healthy” breakfast choice. Don’t be fooled. Some of the most popular cereals are more than 50 percent sugar, by weight, and easily contain more sugar than a Twinkie or three chocolate chip cookies![i]

3. Bagels

Would you sit down and eat four slices of bread? Probably not. Well a bagel from a bagel chain is often the equivalent of four servings of bread … as in, a truckload of simple carbs that your body will quickly convert into sugar (i.e. your mid-morning energy crash is guaranteed). Many also contain added sugar — and even those that claim to be made from “whole grains” are usually mostly white flour with a bit of whole grain added in for good measure.

4. Pancakes

Pancakes are mostly refined flour, with some milk, eggs and butter mixed in. Even under the best circumstances (i.e., they’re homemade), they’re a source of simple carbs that will cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to spike and crash. If you make them from a boxed mix or get them at a fast-food restaurant, you can expect them to contain more sugar and some even contain disease-causing trans fats.

Of course, virtually nobody eats pancakes without syrup, which is a synonym for “corn syrup and sugar.” Even the 100% maple varieties are really just another form of sugar.

5. Doughnuts

There is really nothing redeeming about a doughnut, other than, perhaps, it’s taste. But when you get down to the nitty-gritty, a doughnut is a mix of refined flour, sugar, and oils (probably partially hydrogenated oils, i.e. trans fats). That sugary concoction is then fried and topped with more sugar in the form of frosting or glaze. If your only option to eat in the morning is doughnuts, you’re better off eating nothing at all.

Consumer Protection Article by Nutritionist Josh Bezoni

Every where you look these days—whether it be the T.V., Internet, or in magazines—new diet pills are popping up like weeds in a garden.

It gets so confusing that a lot of people tend to “throw out the baby with the bath water” and assume that ALL flab-burning products are a waste of time.

But the TRUTH is, some quality products contain ingredients that are backed by real clinical studies. In other words, a few rare products actually work.

We will be talking more about those later, but for now, I want to start by protecting your health (and wallet) by exposing some of the “deadly sins” many diet pills companies are pulling every chance they get.

Deadly Sin #1:
Products disguised to look like
prescription weight loss medications.

Diet pills are supplements; they are not medications. If they were, you’d have to get a prescription to buy them. Many companies try to make their products look and sound like medications in an attempt to trick you into thinking they are prescription-strength. They figure this way you’ll think the pills are more powerful and will pay more for them.

There is currently a pill just like this being advertised on TV and radio. The cost? $150 for the exact same type of cheap, ineffective product you can get at your local grocery store for $9. People think products like these must work if they are that expensive and sound like a medicine. They are wrong.

The truth is, companies like these often hire actors to pose as doctors and customers. These actors hold up large pants and say how much weight they lost when they really didn’t lose any weight at all. They’re ripping us off. If these products were really so amazing, why would the companies have to deceive us by making the products look like medications when they’re not?

Deadly Sin #2:
Diet pills that make you feel jittery,
anxious, depressed, or hungry.

Products like these can cause stress, which leads to emotional overeating and weight gain. They can also negatively impact your health in the long run. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

Deadly Sin #3:
Questionable product endorsements.

If you wouldn’t trust a celebrity to babysit your child, don’t trust her advice about a product. Celebrities and doctors are for hire. And, guess what? You’re paying their salaries when you purchase the products they’re pushing.

Deadly Sin #4:
Diet pills that make outrageous claims.

It’s true that the best diet pills are backed by science. However, no diet product can help you lose 30 pounds in 30 days. Nonsense. If you’re following a quality eating and exercise program and taking scientifically backed weight loss nutrients to speed up the results, you can expect to lose anywhere from eight to 12 pounds per month, depending on how much you have to lose, your age, body chemistry, commitment to the program, and a variety of other factors. However, there are ways to speed up these results BIG TIME. We’ll talk more about this soon.

Deadly Sin #5:
Diet products that are not backed by
a 100 percent money-back guarantee.

Oh, and also make sure this guarantee lasts long enough that you can actually try the product before it expires (I recommend at least a YEAR). This way if the product doesn’t work, your bank account doesn’t take the hit. After all, if a company isn’t confident in their product, why should you be? (Always be sure to read the fine print.)

Deadly Sin #6:
Diet pills that contain token amounts
of everything but effective amounts of nothing.

Some diet pills may contain trace amounts of scientifically backed ingredients, but this is only a technicality because they cut corners and only put tiny amounts of these ingredients in the pills—not enough to have a positive effect. This is akin to trying to make a loaf of bread with only a tablespoon of flour.

Look for products that list the amounts of every ingredient on the labels instead of hiding the ingredients in proprietary blends. Then search online to make sure the amounts listed in the products match those recommended by studies.

Deadly Sin #7:
Products that are not tested by independent,
third-party laboratories.

This is the only way to ensure they contain what their labels say. Here’s something you may not know: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not test supplements to verify the validity of their labels. The scope of this watchdog organization is limited to foods and drugs, which does not include dietary supplements.

So who does make sure that diet pills contain what their labels say and don’t contain any of the bad stuff? Well, it’s up to the manufacturing companies to monitor their own products. But most don’t. So in all reality, some shameless company fills their pills with worthless ingredients and charge you 20, 30, 40, or 50 (or more) bucks a bottle for it. Can you believe it? Some companies are cutting corners and padding their wallets by cheating their customers out of the products they’re paying for. It’s a scam, plain and simple.

Arm yourself with these tips and remember… buyer beware.