The current Low Carb fad is way off target. Our ancestors, depending on era and location, mostly ate more grains, fruits, vegetables, and less four legged meat than is common in present diets of North America and Europe.
It is no secret that fats can satisfy hunger, even long after the eating. That’s one reason for the traditional popularity of breakfast bacon, sausage, butter, breakfast pastries, et cetera. For most of us who are not athletes, farmers, stevedores, or other calory burning people, we should restrict fat intake, and prefer unsaturated plant sources over saturated fats from meat sources.
Refined sugars can give us a quick energy high, but this won’t last. Lumberjacks have long known that old fashioned pancakes and breads can sustain one through hours of heavy labor.
I don’t have a reference handy, but I recall reading that Roman Legionnaires got an early morning start by eating cereal grains, proving that cereals can make a hearty breakfast. In our “more advanced” society, we have many prepared cereals to pick from. My very strong advice is to avoid the ones having hydrogenated oils or refined sugars, or more than a trace of added salt. And don’t bother with enriched cereals if you are taking a daily vitamin – mineral tablet.
So what do I recommend for breakfast?
Example 1: eggs poached in a small covered pan with a small amount of water, plus whole grain bread with a small amount of one of the new butter substitutes that has no hydrogenation.
Example 2: Whole grain cereal such as shredded wheat, corn flakes, wheat flakes, oats, oat meal, or similar. You can make your own from whole grains, if you have a grinder. Some food blenders will work. Avoid wheat farina, from which the bran and most of the germ were removed prior to grinding.
Example 3: Pancakes made from whole grain flour. A blend of wheat and other grains, such as corn, rye, soy (a legume) can make a nice texture while providing complete protein. Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye, but pre made flour can be hard to find. Use just enough baking powder. Cook on non stick surface with a touch of non stick spray or vegetable oil, no animal fats.
The cereal and pancakes do NOT need sugar or syrup, unless one is truly starved for calories. Those are “bad carbs”.
Flavor and nutritional value are enhanced by adding some form of fruits, preferably with no refined sugar or fructose. I like to add sliced banana, raisins, or berries to cereal, mashed banana or unsweetened apple sauce to pancakes, and so forth. For serving more than one person, to justify the effort, grated apple gives more character than apple sauce. I often use orange juice instead of milk or water for pancakes.
If these breakfasts don’t hold you until lunch, try serving a poached or boiled egg with the cereal, or mixing egg into pancakes. They are not a threat to blood cholesterol levels. Also consider a few almonds on the side, which provides unsaturated fat to fight hunger, and Omega-3 fatty acids supposed to protect the heart.
Be inventive. And don’t avoid unrefined carbohydrates.