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WHY EAT A PALEO BREAKFAST?

A great deal of research has shown that eating a healthy breakfast is extremely important for weight management, maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, mental focus, and many other desirable benefits.

Unfortunately, because our lives are so busy and our schedules so unrelenting, many of us skip breakfast altogether or rely on a cup of coffee to start our day. Those of us who do eat breakfast often sit down to a bowl of cereal laden with sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and very little nutrition. Others get their breakfast at the drive-thru—generally, highly processed foods full of unhealthy fats and plenty of sugar.

A healthy breakfast should include several key things:

• A good serving of high-quality protein to help you feel full, feed your muscles, and slow the absorption of carbohydrates for a steady supply of energy

• Healthy fats to help your body metabolize micronutrients, help you to feel full and satisfied, and support cognitive function throughout the morning

• Plenty of fiber to aid healthy digestion, provide energy, and help you to feel satisfied all morning long

No matter how busy you may be, you don’t have to choose between an unhealthy breakfast and no breakfast at all.

The Paleo breakfast is a great way to start the day, even if you normally don’t have time for a real meal. There are many ways to make time for a healthy Paleo breakfast. The recipes in this book offer lots of options for even the busiest families.

Many of the recipes take just a few minutes to prepare, a number of them can be made ahead of time, and quite a few can be enjoyed on the run. With so many healthful Paleo options, there’s no need to start the day on an empty stomach or fill your body with drive-thru meals that offer little in the way of good nutrition.

What’s on the Menu for Your Paleo Breakfast?

The Paleo diet is far from limiting and uninteresting. Although processed foods, grains, cereals, and sugar are out, there are still plenty of great foods to eat for breakfast. All vegetables are allowed on the diet except corn (it’s a grain) and white potatoes (they’re too starchy). All fruits are allowed and should be enjoyed as much as possible for their vitamin content, fiber, and natural sweetness.

Even though grains are off-limits, you can still enjoy delicious breakfast favorites, such as muffins, breakfast bars, pancakes, and waffles. These foods are made Paleo-friendly through the use of nut and seed flours, and they taste wonderful. They also pack a lot more nutrition than the traditional versions.

The focus on meats and eggs on the Paleo diet means you get plenty of protein and healthy fats in your morning meal, which is a very good thing. Protein and healthy fats help you to feel full so that you can avoid those mid-morning cravings for donuts and other junk food sitting around the office. They also slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which can help you to feel focused and energized without facing a sugar crash later on.

Try not to think that you’re limited to “breakfast foods” for your morning meal. Many people on the Paleo diet have a breakfast that looks more like a traditional dinner: perhaps a serving of chicken and some vegetables. However, there are still plenty of more traditional breakfast options available to you on the Paleo diet.

You can prepare meals featuring all types of fruits and vegetables, most meats (including sausage), and items like muffins and pancakes made from nut and seed flours. Almond milk and coconut milk are excellent substitutions for cow’s milk and can be used to drink, to prepare breakfast smoothies, and on homemade cereals and granolas.

See Chapter 11 for a comprehensive list of the foods you’ll enjoy on the Paleo diet. Among them are plenty of delicious and healthful ingredients for whipping up a tasty Paleo breakfast.