Give your breakfast a heart healthy makeover
We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is your breakfast as heart healthy as it can be?
Ideally, a balanced breakfast should include foods from at least three of the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide. For a heart healthy breakfast, include some fibre-rich foods, use less saturated fat, include less sodium and switch to ingredients with healthy fats.
To see how easy it is to give your favourite breakfast items a heart healthy makeover, find your usual breakfast below, and try our easy switches.
Cereal with milk
- Choose a whole grain cereal with at least four grams of fibre - four grams qualifies as a "high source."
- Mix in some bran or bran cereal for extra fibre.
- Use lower fat milk (2%, 1% or skim) or lower fat fortified soy beverage.
- Have some fresh fruit on the side or add it to your cereal.
Hot cereal
- Try quick cooking oats as a sodium-free choice instead of instant packaged oatmeal.
- Make it with lower fat milk instead of water for extra calcium and vitamin D.
- Add some dates or raspberries to give your oatmeal a fibre boost.
- Stir in some chopped walnuts for polyunsaturated omega-3 fats and fibre too.
Fruit smoothie
- Use fresh or frozen fruit. Frozen bananas are perfect for thickening a smoothie.
- Make your favourite smoothie with lower fat yogurt or lower fat milk or fortified soy beverage.
- Add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed for omega-3 fats.
- Balance this breakfast with a handful of nuts or a slice of whole grain toast with your favourite Becel® margarine.
Bacon and eggs
- Skip the bacon strips! Try back bacon or lean ham instead.
- Poach or boil omega-3 enriched eggs. Or cook them in a small amount of Becel® margarine instead of butter.
- Add a slice or two of whole grain toast, topped with your favourite Becel® margarine.
- Balance the meal with a serving of lower fat milk or orange juice.
Coffee with muffin
- Try drinking your coffee without sugar.
- Make your own muffins using whole grain flours and Becel® margarine or oil instead of butter.
- Include some protein at breakfast time. Try peanut butter on your homemade muffin.
- Don't forget to grab a piece of fruit as you charge out the door!