Anti-inflammatory foods are key to losing weight. Eating a healthy breakfast is another important piece of slimming down. Now let’s put combine: these are the best anti-inflammatory foods to eat in the morning. They give you long lasting energy, keep you feeling full and counteract unwanted internal inflammation.
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Avocado
Let’s start with the fact that avocados are super easy to find for at-home cooking or on the menus at your favorite restaurants. Nutritionist Violet Santana says avocados are anti-inflammatory and packed with antioxidant. They are naturally high in unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K, and many B vitamins as well as potassium and magnesium. “While the avocado is rich in healthy oils, it’s not as high in calories as people fear,” says Santana. Much of it is composed of water and fiber, and both help keep you feeling full. Use them to thicken breakfast smoothies, as a topping for toast or as a side for eggs.
Quinoa
“Research suggests that quinoa helps suppress the release of cytokines, which could be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of inflammation,” says Dr. Luiza Petre. We say: it’s not just for lunch and dinner! Cook up 2 cups and add unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon, raw honey, walnuts and chia seeds for a healthy porridge. Walnuts are chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, as is chia. In addition, the seeds have protein and fiber.
Green Tea
Do you drink a lot of alcohol, high calorie sodas, sugar-laden sports drinks and fruit juices? Simply replacing these high-calorie quenchers with green tea will have a positive effect on your scale, says Rachel Swanson, a RDN at Lifespan Medicine. On the science side, green tea contains the compound EGCG, a catechin “which shines as an anti-inflammatory superstar thanks to its proven effects on a wide ranging spectrum of conditions and diseases,” she says. “Sipping on a beverage like green tea has the ability to raise your metabolic rate, too, allowing you to burn more calories – and who wouldn’t want that?”
Flavonoid-Filled Fruits
“If this F word sounds foreign, don’t fret - it simply refers to the bioactive component of fruits and vegetables which have the potential to influence weight,” says Swanson. Upping your intake of flavonoid-filled foods like blueberries, strawberries, apples, pears and oranges is associated with preventing weight gain. Whole fruits are best: they have fiber and are low calorie.
