Breakfast is often hailed as the most important meal of the day, but all too many people eat a rushed, unhealthy breakfast or skip it altogether. It’s important to remember that a good, healthy breakfast will give you a much-needed energy boost in the morning and will set you up to make better eating decisions for the rest of the day. Here are some of the best breakfast foods you can eat to start your day off right.

Oatmeal

Tasty and nutritious, oatmeal is a great food to start the day with. It’s full various important nutrients such as magnesium, selenium and iron, as well as beta-glucan – a type of fibre which has been shown to lower cholesterol when eaten regularly. Just try to avoid the flavoured kinds which contain lots of added sugar.

Yoghurt

Eating yoghurt for breakfast is a nice way to fit a good dose of calcium into your daily routine, as well as some protein. Choose Greek yoghurt for a double dose of protein or probiotic yoghurt to add some healthy bacteria to your digestive system. Whichever type of yoghurt you like to eat, try to pick up a plain, low or non-fat variety, which you can sweeten by adding fruit.

Cereal

There are many different cereal options available, but wholegrain or bran cereals are the ones you should be reaching for. As well as being full of digestion-boosting fibre, they’re often fortified with a variety of beneficial vitamins and minerals, including riboflavin, thiamine and folic acid. Eating a breakfast containing all these essential nutrients can really help you maintain a well-balanced diet.

Fruit

Any fruit is a good addition to your breakfast, whether eaten alone or mixed in with one of the above breakfast options. Bananas are a great breakfast fruit because they’re a good source of resistant starch – a healthy carbohydrate which keeps you feeling fuller for longer – and they contain plenty of potassium, which lowers blood pressure naturally. Grapefruit is another popular choice because it’s hydrating, filling and packed with immunity-boosting antioxidants. Various berries, such as blueberries and strawberries, also pack a big antioxidant punch and go well with yogurt and oatmeal.

Flaxseed

Just two tablespoons of flaxseed contains more than 100% of your recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce blood fat and inflammation, and are essential for good health. The good news is flaxseed is very easy to incorporate into your breakfast. It can be sprinkled on cereal and oatmeal, mixed in with a smoothie or added to an omelette. Just make sure you buy flaxseed ground or grind it yourself – whole flaxseeds pass through the body without being digested!

Whole-Wheat Bread

Consuming carbohydrates for breakfast will give you the boost of energy you need to get through the day, but you should opt for the healthiest kind. Whole-wheat bread and other wholegrains contain more fibre and beneficial nutrients than their white, refined counterparts. You can get your morning dose of wholegrains in whole-wheat bread, toast or English muffins. To keep toppings as healthy as possible, try swapping fatty butter for almond butter.

It’s easy to skip breakfast on busy or lazy mornings, but if you set aside the small amount of time needed to start the day with a healthy, nutritious meal, you’ll certainly feel the benefits.