October 5, 2026, 2:33 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Oatmeal, yogurt and berries, or perhaps bread and eggs? Those who eat breakfast have countless options. But a good breakfast should not only be filling, it should also provide the body with essential nutrients. Which foods are particularly suitable for this, what they do in the body, and whether we need to eat breakfast at all, you can find out at FITBOOK.
What makes a good breakfast?
A good foundation includes oatmeal, unsweetened muesli, or whole-grain bread. They provide fiber. Oats also contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that can influence cholesterol levels. An analysis of 28 controlled studies with a total of 1,494 participants showed that oats, specifically beta-glucan, could lower total and LDL cholesterol.1
A good breakfast should also include a protein source like plain yogurt, skyr, quark, or eggs. A review analyzed 49 studies on the short-term effects of protein. After protein-rich meals, participants were less hungry and felt fuller. However, the studies focused on protein in general, not specifically on breakfast.2
Fruits or vegetables should also be included if possible. Berries or apples go well with oatmeal and yogurt, while tomatoes, cucumbers, or bell peppers suit a savory breakfast. They provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals.
Nuts or seeds can round out the breakfast. They provide unsaturated fatty acids, protein, and fiber. An analysis of 113 controlled studies with a total of 8,060 adults showed that regular nut consumption could slightly lower total and LDL cholesterol.3
What shouldn’t be on the plate every morning?
Croissants, chocolate spread, or heavily sugared breakfast cereals are, of course, not forbidden. However, they are less suitable as a daily staple. Many such products provide a lot of sugar or highly processed carbohydrates and comparatively little protein and fiber.
Especially with ready-made mueslis, it’s worth checking the ingredient list. Even seemingly healthy breakfast products can contain a lot of sugar. Those who enjoy eating fruit in the morning should also opt for whole fruit rather than juice more often. Whole fruit provides more fiber and is more filling.
Also interesting: Men who eat differently on weekends have a higher heart risk
What happens in the body when we eat in the morning?
Not only the composition of the meal could play a role. The timing also seems to be interesting for our metabolism.
In a small study, 20 healthy adults were given the same meal once at 8 a.m. and once at 8 p.m. This allowed researchers to examine whether the body processes the same food differently depending on the time of day. In the morning, it used more energy to process the meal. At the same time, blood sugar and insulin responses were lower than in the evening.4
Another study with 16 healthy men came to a similar conclusion. Participants were given a large breakfast and a small dinner once, and the reverse in the second round. The energy the body needed after eating, including for digestion and processing, was about 2.5 times higher in the morning than in the evening.5
However, this does not mean that a large breakfast automatically makes you slim. The results rather show that our internal clock apparently influences how the body processes food.
What Makes a Healthy Breakfast? These Foods Are Ideal
Can a Smoothie Replace Breakfast?
What a good breakfast can look like
The various components provide a simple guideline: A balanced breakfast can include whole-grain products or oatmeal, a protein source, fruits or vegetables, and nuts or seeds.
Those who prefer sweet breakfasts can combine oatmeal with plain yogurt or skyr, berries, and a small portion of nuts. For a savory breakfast, whole-grain bread with eggs or hummus and tomatoes, cucumbers, or bell peppers is suitable. There’s no need for a specific “superfood” or complicated rules. The key is the combination of various nutrient-rich foods.
Do you have to eat breakfast at all?
Despite the potential benefits of a balanced breakfast, healthy adults do not necessarily have to eat right after getting up. There is no scientific evidence that breakfast alone makes you healthier or slimmer.
An analysis of 13 controlled studies compared people who ate breakfast with those who did not eat in the morning. For body weight, seven studies with a total of 486 participants were evaluated. Those who skipped breakfast weighed about 440 grams less on average. Ten of the studies with a total of 930 participants also provided data on daily energy intake. Here, breakfast eaters consumed about 260 more kilocalories per day on average. However, many studies were short and of low quality. Researchers therefore caution against concluding that skipping breakfast helps with weight loss.6
Ultimately, no one needs to force themselves to eat in the morning, nor should they compulsively avoid it. Those who enjoy breakfast can use the first meal of the day to include fiber, protein, fruits or vegetables, and healthy fat sources on their plate.