The Healthiest Things You Should Be Adding To Your Toast
Most of us find ourselves short on time in the early hours of the morning. Getting dressed, packing a lunch, and getting the kids ready for school means we find ourselves in need of a breakfast that's not only quick, but that also gives us the energy we need to make it through the day. While people tend to avoid bread products for fear of overloading on carbs, toast can actually serve as a great option for a well-rounded, on-the-go meal, especially when paired with toppings that are both healthy and nutritional.
Whether you're someone with a natural sweet tooth, or you enjoy a morning meal packed with protein, there is no shortage of healthy topping options for any and all preferences. When paired with a slice of wheat or whole grain bread, you can mix and match to your heart's content so you can vary your breakfast on a day to day basis.
Fruit makes for a sweet and healthy topping
According to researchers at Penn State, "An avocado a day can help keep bad cholesterol at bay" (via ScienceDaily). When we think of the difference between "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol, it's the bad cholesterol that's responsible for clogging our arteries with potentially harmful plaque that can lead to health complications such as cancer, heart attacks, heart failure, and other forms of heart disease. Because avocados are packed with various nutritional components such as healthy fats, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and a slew of vitamins, it helps to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in our system, making it one of the healthiest toppings to add to your morning toast (via Everyday Health).
Alternatively, you may want to consider adding sliced banana to your morning bread. Bananas are high in potassium while also being low in fat and have a variety of health benefits that are less commonly known about. According to Verywell Fit, bananas are a great aid in digestive health as they enhance the growth of bacteria in our intestines that are needed to regulate the healthy processing of our food. Interestingly enough, there is also some research that indicates bananas are associated with healthy wound healing due to their antioxidants and vitamin value.
Nut butters keep the body feeling full
According to staff at the Cedars-Sinai healthcare organization, nut butters are a great alternative to our traditional love of spreads, such as butter or cream cheese. Like avocados, nut butters have the ability to decrease bad cholesterol levels in our body due to the fact that they are loaded with healthy fats. If you've made a personal choice to lose weight, nut butters can be helpful when attempting to maintain portion control, as they're full of fiber that keeps the body feeling full and can therefore help reduce the urge for a midday salty snack. Some suggested butters you may want to try are almond nut butter, walnut butter, peanut butter, and sunflower seed butter.
While the above are some great starting suggestions for your new favorite on-the-go breakfast, feel free to continue to get creative depending on whether you have an affinity towards savory or sweet morning meals. A healthy bread paired with healthy toppings not only has the ability to save time, but to also add to your long term health. Oh, and it's delicious too!