
We all sit down to breakfast with the best of nutritional intentions. But even if you've managed to avoid the temptation of the doughnut case, the sugar-dosed latte, and the butter-smeared bagel, you're still not out of the danger zone. Debunked ideas about what makes a morning meal "healthful" still persist and could be steering you toward bad choices. Here's how to break those bad habits.
Mistake #1: You Don't Do Yolks
If you believe that ordering an egg-white omelet is a sign of nutritional virtue, your thinking is definitely scrambled. Emerging science shows that eating whole eggs actually reduces your risk of heart disease. Case in point: A 2012 University of Connecticut study had volunteers consume either 3 whole eggs per day or the equivalent amount in yolk-free egg substitute for 3 months while following a diet with a moderate number of carbs. Both groups experienced drops in triglycerides and oxidized LDL (bad) cholesterol, two risk factors for heart disease.
What's more, those eating whole eggs saw a bigger boost in HDL, which helps lower cholesterol. "Egg yolks seem to increase the amount of cholesterol delivered to the liver for removal from the body," says study author Maria Luz Fernandez. Besides, yolks are loaded with vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium, and choline. And the extra protein will silence your hunger. A study in Nutrition Research found that people who ate an egg-based breakfast consumed far fewer calories when offered an unlimited lunch buffet, compared with those who ate a bagel-based breakfast of equal calories.
TRY THIS: Don't save eggs for weekend brunch. "You can reap a range of health benefits by consuming 1 to 3 eggs a day," says nutritionist Alan Aragon.