Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, regardless of your diet, as it gives us the energy we need to start the day and carry out our daily activities. Whether it is a common breakfast, a vegetarian breakfast or a vegan breakfast, it is essential if we want to maintain a balanced diet.
Sometimes you may not have much energy in the morning and prefer to have a bag of cookies from the supermarket for breakfast. But as practical as it sounds, it’s definitely not the healthiest option.
In this article, we compile some vegetarian and vegan breakfast ideas that will help you stay healthy with ease. Shall we start?
Also read: 5 Myths About Food and Nutrition
Table of Contents
Why a vegetarian breakfast?
As we already mentioned, breakfast is basic for our day and should be made up of healthy foods that provide essential nutrients to the body.
The better we eat breakfast, the better we will feel physical, mentally and emotionally. However, it is important to be clear that breakfast is not enough, since the rest of the meals of the day are also necessary for our performance. Now let’s answer the question: why choose vegetarian breakfasts?
In the first place, we do not need to consume meat to achieve complete nutrition. In fact, a nutritious breakfast contains grains, fruits, and dairy, so the animal protein doesn’t even come into play in a healthy scheme.
If you prefer a vegan diet, it is possible to do without animal products altogether. Either way, you can find substitutes that provide you with good nutrition and the energy you need for day-to-day life. In our article on vegan alternatives to substitute foods of animal origin, you will find some ideas to design your diet.
Also, you should know that a vegetarian or vegan breakfast is much lighter than one that contains meat. Therefore, breaking the inevitable fast that we have when sleeping is less difficult for our bodies. Digestion is more orderly and the feeling of well-being increases considerably.
Vegetarian breakfast ideas
Sometimes it is difficult to organize our mornings. In order to spend a few more minutes in bed, we can resort to unhealthy alternatives, such as ultra-processed foods.
For this reason, here we share some vegetarian and vegan breakfast ideas so that you always have your healthy fuel at hand.
Whole wheat banana and oat pancakes
It is a typical breakfast, but in a much healthier version than the traditional one. Plus, it can be easily adapted and made into a full vegan breakfast. Choose vegetable drinks, olive oil and banana instead of animal milk, butter and eggs.
There is also the possibility of replacing wheat flour with wholemeal flour, and including oatmeal and all kinds of fruits to have greater variety, nutrition and flavor. Super easy and fast, whole-grain pancakes are an ideal candidate to become your wild card breakfast.
Acai bowl with avocado
If there is a popular option among vegetarian breakfasts, that is the açai bowl. Delicious smoothies or açai milkshakes with fresh fruit, coconut or chocolate chips (make sure it’s vegan), oatmeal and other cereals that increase its flavor and nutritional value. In this version, you can add avocado to add healthy fats to your breakfast and obtain a creamy and smooth result.
Oatmeal cookies and applesauce
Cookies are delicious and many times you want to eat some for breakfast, but that’s not why you have to resign yourself to the industrial ones. There is a wide variety of easy homemade alternatives to always have in the pantry.
In this order of ideas, oatmeal cookies and applesauce are delicious, and healthy and provide just the right sweetness to satisfy the temptation. To prepare them you do not need eggs, flour, dairy products or fats. They are perfect for the table of vegetarians, vegans or anyone who has dietary restrictions.
Rye bread with almond butter, strawberries and coconut
Nothing like some good toast before leaving home in the morning! Now include a good rye bread and the triumph will be assured. If you also add a little almond butter, coconut and some strawberries or red fruits, you will have a complete and delicious breakfast.
Oatmeal porridge with hazelnuts and pomegranate
This is the perfect breakfast for fall or those days when the temperature starts to drop. Freshly prepared it is amazing as it retains the heat of cooking, although you can also store it in a thermal container to eat it later. The combination of flavors and textures is delicious. The best? It is prepared quickly and easily.
Also read: How to increase the consumption of healthy foods?
What are the benefits of eating oatmeal regularly?
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed that many of our vegetarian and vegan breakfast options contain oatmeal. And that it is one of the favorite cereals for its low cost, easy preparation and versatility, without forgetting that it is very nutritious.
If you are looking for how to start a vegan diet, oatmeal is a great ally. Among its main benefits, we can mention the presence of fiber, which, in addition to being good for the body and improving the entire digestive process, helps to achieve a faster feeling of satiety. Let’s see other advantages of this food:
Helps reduce bad cholesterol
The fact that oats are rich in soluble fiber and linoleic acid has a positive effect on lowering cholesterol. This happens because fiber absorbs water and forms a viscous solution in the intestine, which slows down digestion and prevents the absorption of some nutrients such as glucose and cholesterol.
Increase defenses
Oats also contain a high level of beta-glucan, a nutrient with an immunomodulatory function. In addition, it protects us from various diseases by increasing the body’s resistance to external viruses and bacteria.
Conclusion
Vegetarian breakfasts are very versatile and healthy, as there are for all tastes and needs. If you want to learn more about alternative diets visit our Lifestyle category.