Put down the donut. There are better ways to fuel up for the day.
It’s hard to behave ourselves in a city full of fresh-out-the-oven pastries, fluffy buttermilk pancakes, and bottomless Sunday morning mimosas. As much as we want to surrender to all the tasty treats served up by our lovely neighborhood cafes, bakeries, and diners, those of us striving for a healthy lifestyle need to know what our breakfast options are.
See also: The Power of Protein: Why and Where To Buy Healthy Meats Near St. Louis
Lucky for us, St. Louis has plenty of balanced and nutritious options to satisfy our cravings without sacrificing our health goals.
Veggie Egg Wrap at Russell’s Cafe
Russell’s on Macklind is a sweet city café that offers patrons a full spread of guilty pleasure pastries as well as a variety of tasty breakfast dishes. The Veggie Egg Wrap is a nutrient-rich dish that combines scrambled eggs, fresh spinach, red and yellow peppers, tomato, feta, and onions in a wheat wrap.
The Sunrise at Peacock Loop Diner
This 24-hour diner is every customer’s happy-place with colorful décor and unique menu items for any time of day. Starting your day off with The Sunrise might be just what you need to power through the mundane of your morning. This protein-packed dish balances two eggs, turkey sausage, wheat toast, and breakfast potatoes.
Porridge Please at The Mud House
The Mud House offers a rotating cast of coffees to give us the kick in the butt we all need on a slow Monday morning. For breakfast, order the Porridge Please, which combines natural steel cut oats and grains sweetened with honey and cream instead of sugar.
Quinoa Pancakes at Kingside Diner
They know how you take your coffee at this family-friendly diner and serve breakfast whenever you want it. For a gluten-free twist on an American classic, order their stack of Quinoa Pancakes.
Hungry Warrior at PuraVegan Cafe
You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy their array of smoothies, detox juices, and healthy meal options. This health center will remedy you into a healthy lifestyle with a combination of plant-based foods and healthy living education. Their whole food-based and nutrient-dense Hungry Warrior acai bowl blends acai pulp, banana, peanut butter, hemp protein powder, and agave and is topped with cocoa nibs and coconut.
Buff Elvis at Revel Kitchen
Leading us to real victories with real food, this fitness-fanatic favorite wants to help people live healthy lifestyles without all the hassle. Their protein-packed Buff Elvis is a smoothie that combines banana, protein powder, peanut butter, almonds, Greek yogurt, and almond milk to create a seriously satisfying blend.
Breakfast Tips
These aren’t the only healthy options in the city to get your day started off on the right foot. There are many breakfasts that support a healthy lifestyle, but when making that decision there are several things to keep in mind including balance, use of whole ingredients, and portion size.
By balance, I mean choosing a meal that has substantial amounts of the three macronutrients: protein, carbs, and fat. Typical breakfast meals are high in carbs and fat and low in protein. The ideal meal includes equal amounts of all three. Because menus are often misleading, the only way of being able to predict what meals fit the bill is to do a little research. A quick Google search can make the difference between the so-called “healthy” option and the satisfyingly balanced breakfast.
Whole-food ingredients have names you recognize, assuming that additives like sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and carnauba wax are not in your daily vocabulary. Simple, whole foods are easier for your body to process and often contain more vitamins and minerals, which benefits both your mental and physical health. If you are ever unsure about what options include whole foods than never hesitate to ask.
Portion size is another fairly common-sense type of suggestion and yet can be the biggest struggle of people trying to eat healthier. This one comes down to knowing your body. Some people can handle a supersized meal without any problems while others need to opt for the smaller options. Eating too much of anything leads to weight gain and adverse health effects. So when choosing a breakfast, be sure not to overwhelm your metabolism.
Emily Eckley is a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) and NCCPT (National Council for Certified Personal Trainers) certified personal trainer.
