I’m sure you have heard many times that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” I truly believe it is and even more important is WHAT you eat for breakfast! The reason it is important is in the name itself, it literally means “break fast.” So even if you ate right before you went to sleep, there is still a period of “fast” where you didn’t eat while you slept. So what you eat first can make or break your day–and your overall health.
I’ve been eating this (or a variation of it) almost every day since July 2022. You may look at the nutrition facts and think it is too much saturated fat or cholesterol because of what the mainstream tells us. Well, as I’ve written before and summed up in this article, this breakfast played a key role in obtaining INCREDIBLE lipoprotein (cholesterol) test results! My cardiologist is very happy with my results too! (NO, I’m not doing nor believe in long-term KETO!)
Traditional carb-heavy breakfasts are of no benefit.
Traditional carb-heavy breakfasts do nothing except to set you up for a rollercoaster of ups and downs of cravings, mood, brain fog, glucose/insulin spikes for the day resulting in chronic inflammation and oxidative stress (which are basically the ROOT causes of cardiovascular disease!) Eat a satiating (satisfied and full) breakfast WILL level out your mood, leave you full for a longer time, and you won’t be getting those nasty glucose swings. See how this breakfast sets me up for daily success?!
Those carb-heavy breakfast food products can also help FEED anxiety, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer (you will find MANY conflicting articles and studies on this!)
A very nutrient-dense “superfood” THE EGG!
I don’t like the term “superfood” but in today’s world, REAL food IS a superfood compared to the products sold as food! 🙄 Eggs are packed FULL of nutrients and there are many benefits to eating them! Pasture-raised is the best and the ONLY kind I buy!
One quick note about pasture-raised eggs and cost, because people ALWAYS comment on how much more they cost. Yes, they do cost more, but compared to conventional eggs, they have at least 2x more Omega-3; 3x more Vitamins A, D, and E; and up to 7 times more beta-carotene! So you ARE getting more for the added cost! Also, let’s do some math. Let’s say the pasture-raised eggs are $8 a dozen (I see them for that and even $4.00 at some stores so shop around!) IF I eat 4 per breakfast, that is only $2 per day for the main item in my breakfast! There are many things that are comparable in cost which are definitely NOT as nutritious that people have no problems in buying… (BTW, this image is not to be detrimental to VitalFarms, I love their eggs and usually get them but I am showing that there can be good buys out there! Even some stores sell VitalFarms for less than other stores!) Also, note that the image shows two different pasture-raised eggs at a vastly difference in cost, so SHOP AROUND!
DO NOT BUY CAGE-FREE or FREE-RANGE! Those a BS marketing terms and ARE a waste of money! IF you truly can’t afford pasture-raised, then don’t waste your money on cage-free or free-range, go ahead and get the least expensive ones–it’s still better than a bowl of cereal!
Bacon! Give me BACON!
Bacon gets a bad rep for many reasons, but I’ve experienced that it CAN be a tasty and beneficial food! How? DO NOT OVERCOOK IT for starters! Heat is one of the most common ways fat and cholesterol oxidize (get damaged) so cooking it too high for too long WILL damage any meat. Bacon is thin so it cooks very quickly. Want it crispy? Enjoy that oxidative stress and if you’ve read my articles, you know what that leads to. Check out this section of this review to see how oxidized fats in meat can affect us.
Go for uncured bacon. This basically means that it is minimally processed.
Also, go for uncured bacon with the “Certified Humane” logo if purchasing from a grocery store. It is very difficult to find “forest-raised” hogs in the store, but “Certified Humane” is a good bet that the animal lived a healthy life which is good for them, and us. IF these are too expensive, still get uncured bacon.
Bacon is rich in B Vitamins, selenium, and phosphorus! While bacon does contain about 40% saturated fat, it isn’t “all” saturated fat like “they” say it is. Besides, saturated fat seems to positively affect LDL particles! (I experienced this in my own results.) We don’t want oxidized fats, so don’t overcook it! BTW, light and air also oxidize… My logical mind thinks that oxidized saturated fat gave all saturated fat a bad rep.
Have you ever wondered why bacon and eggs go so well together? It’s because of Umami. What is it? Enjoy this read! Basically it is synergy of a glutamate and nucleotide and bacon and eggs really bring it together very well!
Strawberries & Blueberries
There are many benefits to these two berries from vitamins to antioxidants. Feel free to include blackberries and raspberries too! I usually put those two in ice cream, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese as snacks. (All whole-milk, full-fat, and if available grass-fed versions!)
Use organic because they’re like sponges and can actually taste like chemicals if not organic.
Other important tidbits…
Don’t substitute oil for butter! In fact, don’t use fake butter spreads either! Use real butter from grass-fed cows. Kerry Gold is my go-to as it is in most stores.
Don’t overcook anything! I seriously believe “crispy bacon” gave bacon a bad rep.
Use grass-fed/pasture-raised/certified-humane when possible. People will argue, but there ARE nutritional differences and just like everything else, it all adds up over time!
Experiment! There are many other things that can be used to “jazz it up” but this is my standard breakfast dish. I often don’t eat lunch because I’m still full throughout the day!
IF you’re used to eating a good amount of carbs, you may experience a little GI discomfort for a couple of days when adjusting. Your gut should balance out.
Eat this meal (and all meals) in this order to keep blood glucose spikes at a minimum. Eggs/bacon then berries. So always eat in this order: Vegetables > Fat/Protein > Carbs. There aren’t many carbs in this dish, but it is good practice and since we are starting our day with this, I feel it is important to do.
Enjoy!
BTW, you don’t have to use the amounts. Use less butter if you want. Eat 2 or 6 eggs instead of 4. (I have to enter quantities. LOL!) Often times, I’ll eat some salmon and yogurt as well.
Breakfast of Delicious & Nutritious Eggs, Bacon, & Berries!
Equipment
- 1 Large Non-Stick Saute Pan
INGREDIENT NOTES
I specifically use certain ingredients and will link to them. I have valid reason(s) for choosing those items. Substituting other types may not yield the best nutritional results. Quality of ingredients matter!
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp Butter (GRASS-FED!)
- 4 each Egg – Large (PASTURE-RAISED!)
- 2 slice Bacon (Uncured)
- 100 g Strawberries (Organic)
- 60 g Blueberries (Organic)
- Black Pepper (Fresh Cracked/Ground)
Optional Ingredients
- 29 g Smoked Salmon (Wild-caught)
- 29 g Shiitake Mushrooms
- 15 g Fresh Pico (Tomato or Fruit)
- .25 ea Avocado or a Wholly Guacamole Mini Cup
- .75 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (Grass-fed)
Instructions
- Melt 1/2 tbsp Butter in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat swirling in the pan to coat.
- OPTION: Cook 29 g Shiitake Mushrooms (or spinach or any other vegetable) about half way before adding anything else. You may want to use a little more butter especially with mushrooms.
- IF your 2 slice Bacon is raw, go ahead and start cooking in the pan before adding eggs to half of the pan. Add eggs when you flip the bacon.
- Crack each 4 each Egg – Large placing the white and yolk in the pan. (You may whisk in a bowl beforehand, but I like to mix them up in the pan as they cook.)
- Add fresh cracked Black Pepper to the eggs.
- IF you par-cooked your bacon, you may now add the bacon in half of the pan.
- DO NOT OVERCOOK THE EGGS OR BACON AS THIS WILL OXIDIZE THE FATS MAKING THEM DAMAGE YOUR LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL PARTICLES!
- While the eggs and bacon are cooking, wash your 100 g Strawberries and 60 g Blueberries. Place them on a plate. Leave the tops on the strawberries, they're totally edible and nutritious!
- OPTION: Add 29 g Smoked Salmon, 15 g Fresh Pico, .25 ea Avocado or a Wholly Guacamole Mini Cup, or any other healthy acconpinament.
NUTRITION
