Living Wheat-Free For Dummies
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A typical breakfast in the United States is a wheat feast, usually accompanied by lots and lots of sugar. How a piece of whole-wheat toast with jelly, or a bowl of sugary cereal, and a glass of fruit juice passes for a great way to start the day is a mystery.

Both of these scenarios send your blood sugar through the roof; they get you charging out the door only to have your energy plummet two or three hours later. Suddenly, the only options are the donuts on the break room table at work, which send you through the same yo-yo energy cycle.

There are plenty of tasty wheat-free options to choose from at breakfast. Sure, most people are frantic in the morning trying to get themselves and the kids out the door, so you need to have some quick smoothie options.

On days when you have a bit more time, you can make something like wheat-free crepes, sausage, or casserole and then enjoy the leftovers on a busy weekday morning. Healthy and speedy; you can't beat that.

If you can set your alarm clock about 10 minutes earlier in the morning, you should have enough time to make some really tasty, healthy breakfasts that the whole family will enjoy.

The little ones may complain for a few days about not getting their sugar fix through cereals or pastries, but they'll soon get used to it. They'll also probably notice that their energy levels stay elevated, making paying attention in school much easier.

You have many choices for breakfast foods beyond the quick-and-easy cereal and donuts. Eggs are an excellent choice for the first meal of the day. Eggs, especially the yolks, have gotten a bad rap for the last 40 years.

Doctors and dieticians across America told patients to cut the eggs from their diets because of the high cholesterol and fat content. But research now shows that ingesting cholesterol doesn't make your cholesterol go up and that the egg yolk is even more nutrient-dense than the white.

In fact, the egg yolk contains more than 90 percent of the recommended daily allowance for 14 nutrients. It even includes 100 percent of vitamins A, D, E, and K. This superfood practically replaces the need for a vitamin pill.

And though most people think the white supplies all the protein, the yolk actually contains over 40 percent of the protein content in an egg. If possible, always try to get pastured eggs, which contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

You can look up omelet and egg casserole recipes, but you can also serve eggs prepared other ways — fried, hard-boiled, poached, scrambled, and over-easy, among others. With all the different cooking methods, you can serve a new egg every day of the week. So much for a boring breakfast!

Breakfast sausage is perfect for keeping on hand in the fridge or freezer on the days when you hit the snooze button. It requires you to spend a bit of time in the kitchen, so you may want to prepare it on a weekend morning (or the night before) and serve the leftovers on mornings when time is at a premium.

Smoothies offer a chance to be creative with added flavors or nutrients. Throw in some coconut oil for a healthy fat or any type of dark green leafy vegetable to add some nutrient density.

Don't be afraid to venture out of the customary breakfast choices. Leftovers from the night before may be the easiest option and probably only require the microwave.

  • Homemade Breakfast Sausage

  • Beef and Spinach Breakfast Casserole

  • Chorizo and Cheese Frittatas

  • Spinach and Cheese Omelet

  • Fruit smoothies

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Rusty Gregory has a master’s degree in kinesiology and runs a personal training studio. He is an active contributor to dailyRX.com, an emerging leader in publishing health news for consumers, and is the author of Self-Care Reform: How to Discover Your Own Path to Good Health. Alan Chasen has a degree in kinesiology and has run a personal training studio since 1989. He advises his clients on exercise, proper nutrition, and general well-being.

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