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3 Tips For More Hormone-Friendly Breakfasts (& What Not To Do)
Did you know having a balanced breakfast can help lead to balanced hormones? Turns out breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all.
What constitutes a hormone-friendly breakfast, you ask? To come, three tips to ensure your morning dish nourishes your hormones:
It starts with balance
Chicago-based registered dietitian Maggie Michalczyk, R.D., previously told mbg that the best breakfasts are the most balanced.
Naturally balanced meals contain protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates. For breakfast, look for foods like eggs, Greek yogurt, berries, nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil, to name a few staples.
Try to limit the presence of highly processed foods when you can, as whole and natural foods "can help maintain healthy levels of hormones like insulin (blood sugar hormones), cortisol (stress hormones), and others," she says.
Make your smoothies dense
A plain fruit smoothie may taste great on a hot summer day, but it's not necessarily the best option for hormone balance. See, many fruits like pineapple and mango (two popular smoothie additions) contain a whole lot of sugar. While there's nothing wrong with that, it's a good idea to pair them with proteins and fats (remember, balance is key).
So if you toss some fruit into the blender, consider adding some of the following:
- Almond or peanut butter
- Greek yogurt
- Almond milk
- Coconut butter
- Protein powder
For those aiming for hormone balance in the context of healthier skin, you may even add a scoop of collagen powder to the mix.
They're especially helpful during menopause (a famous hormonal shift), as you experience a 30% drop in collagen in the first five years of menopause, with a 2% dip every year after that. Just look for hydrolyzed collagen peptides, as they're the easiest to digest.
When shopping, look for other helpful ingredients like hyaluronic acid, L-glutamine, and additional vitamins to get more bang for your buck.
RELATED READ: The 8 Best Collagen Supplements For Skin, Joints & More
Don't skip breakfast
Not everyone is a breakfast person, and that's OK. However, research shows that this first meal may be more important than you think in terms of hormone balance.
Compared to eating a balanced breakfast, skipping breakfast has been shown to increase hunger1 and the desire to eat. What's more, skipping breakfast could throw levels of certain hormones out of whack.
In fact, one review found that eating breakfast actually raises levels of certain hormones like GLP-1 and PYY, which are responsible for controlling food intake2.
That being said, it's true that fasting in the morning can be beneficial for some people, so speak with your doctor to learn more about your unique hormone levels and lifestyle choices that align with them.
The takeaway
Eating breakfast is an important part of balancing your hormones naturally, but that doesn't mean you can't be strategic. Remember to balance your first meal with protein and healthy fats, especially if you're consuming loads of fruit in the morning. For more on hormone balance (including exercise and stress management), check out this guide.
