A healthy breakfast is one of the most important meals in the day. It’s called “breakfast” for a reason. It means you are breaking the hours-long fast that you’ve had while you were sleeping! Need some healthy breakfast ideas?
To jumpstart your day, your body requires the right amount of energy and a good dose of nutrients from your first meal. But, with the hectic lifestyle that a lot of Americans have, many opt for the nearest fast food chains to get their early grub.
17 Healthy Breakfasts Ideas that You Should Try
It’s time we take inspiration from countries who have a healthy selection of breakfast choices down. Break your unhealthy breakfast routines and try out these 17 healthy breakfast ideas from around the world!
1. India – Cucumber Roti Flatbread
Source: https://eatandedit.com/2015/04/02/cucumber-roti-flatbread/
A lot of Indians believe in the power of a good breakfast. The base of a balanced morning meal consists of fiber-filled carbohydrates like a roti flatbread. Fiber is good for your overall health because it helps to regulate bowel movements and lower your cholesterol levels.
2. Korea – Traditional Breakfast
Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/gallery-of-korean-breakfasts-4086369
Korea’s breakfast staple includes a choice of rice, soup, kimchi, meat, or fish. Generally, they are low in fat while being very nutritious and satiating because of the lean proteins they use.
3. Spain – Pan con Tomate
Source: https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/pan-con-tomate-recipe
Pan con Tomate is a simple yet healthy breakfast combination in Spain. It’s basically tomato paste spread on a toast, but it’s deemed to be a better option than the usual jam and butter as tomatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
4. Israel – Shakshuka
Source: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/shakshuka.html
Israelis enjoy a nutritious breakfast through a traditional chopped salad filled with fruits, vegetables, hummus, tahini, eggs, and Shakshuka. Shakshuka is protein-heavy as it is made up of scrambled eggs in cumin-spiced tomato sauce and fresh cheese.
5. Sweden – Swedish Breakfast
Source: http://cookingtheglobe.com/swedish-breakfast/
The Swedes take their breakfast seriously as they regard it as their vital meal of the day. Their usual breakfast foods consist of eggs, open sandwiches, oatmeal, and a sour tasting yogurt called filmjölk. This yogurt is especially high in vitamins and probiotics, which are great for your gut health!
6. Iceland – A Dose of Co Liver Oil
Source: https://www.thegrommet.com/lysi-cod-liver-oil
With their country’s weather, Icelanders eat a hearty healthy breakfast to kick start their days. This includes a bowl of oatmeal, skyr (a high protein yogurt), and a dose of cod-liver oil. Cod liver oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids which claim to improve heart health.
7. Vietnam – Pho
Source: https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/danny-bowiens-hanoi-style-breakfast-pho
People in Vietnam get their dose of energy from their breakfast foods. That’s why having a bowl of warm Pho is considered a perfect breakfast dish. It’s carbohydrate-heavy, filled with proteins from the lean meat and vitamins from the herbs and greens!
8. Japan – Traditional Japanese Meal
Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-japanese-breakfast-2030063
A traditional Japanese breakfast contains a bowl of steamed rice, vegetables, dried seaweeds, and fermented soybeans. Another great addition to their breakfast combination is the omega-3 healthy fishes, like salmon and tuna.
9. Costa Rica – Gallo Pinto
Source: https://www.blueosa.com/costa-rican-rice-and-beans-gallo-pinto/
Get your protein, vitamin, and mineral packed breakfast with this Costa Rican favorite. It’s called Gallo Pinto — a rice-based dish flavored with cumin, pepper, and garlic with eggs and fruits on the side. It’s definitely the healthy balanced meal you need at the start of your day!
10. Egypt – Ful Medames
Source: https://www.souschef.co.uk/blogs/the-bureau-of-taste/egyptian-breakfast-recipe-ful-medames
A traditional Egyptian breakfast is called Ful medames which is basically beans spiced with parsley, cumin, garlic, chilies, and onion with a garnish of hard-boiled eggs. Beans are great sources of protein and other vitamins.
11. Russia – Kasha
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017205-kasha
Kasha is a basic yet nutritious breakfast in Russia, which are made out of oat groats, buckwheat or millet boiled in milk and topped with spices, nuts, and butter. It’s definitely the bowl of fiber you’d need in a day!
12. Malaysia – Nasi Lemak
Source: https://www.herworld.com/lifestyle/health-fitness/eating-nasi-lemak-breakfast-could-be-good-you
Nasi Lemak is a popular breakfast dish among Malaysians. It’s rice cooked in coconut milk, with roasted peanuts, cucumbers, boiled eggs, and anchovies. With its proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, it’s the healthy breakfast idea you’d crave for every morning!
13. Turkey – Kahvalti
Source: https://www.turkeyhomes.com/blog/post/kahvalti-the-turkish-breakfast
A Turkish breakfast consists of a lot of heart-healthy choices that features fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins from the vegetables and olives. They also contain monounsaturated fats that help lower your cholesterol levels and improve heart health.
14. Pakistan – Chana Dal Khichdi![]()
Source: https://www.archanaskitchen.com/chana-dal-khichdi-recipe
In Pakistan, lentils are whole-grain riced are spiced and cooked with pickles, veggies, and some yogurt on the side for breakfast. This simple breakfast staple is surely a good option for vegetarians looking for a protein-rich meal!
15. Brazil – Fruits & Coffee
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/wellbeing/healthy-lifestyle-tips/breakfasts-from-around-the-world/
Brazilians are simple breakfast eaters. They enjoy a good cup of coffee and a fiber-rich fruit like papaya. In addition, these fruits are also high in vitamin A and C which builds your body’s immunity.
16. China – Jianbing
Source: https://blog.arousingappetites.com/jianbing-chinese-savory-breakfast-crepe/
Want a healthy grab-and-go breakfast? Jian bing is one nutrient-dense breakfast option in China! So, it’s basically a very thin pancake covered in green onions, spicy chili bean paste, and topped with an egg.
17. Venezuela – Scrambled Eggs & Black Beans
A healthy breakfast idea in Venezuela often includes baked corn flour bread called arepas, which are filled with cheese, fish, beef, or chicken, or eaten as a side with shredded beef, black beans, white cheese, avocados, and/or fresh fruit juices. So all in all, you get the much-needed energy and nutrients you will need to start your day!
