Best Breakfast Foods for Energy

Breakfast should be energy-boosting and brain-fueling. Let us help you find the foods that will charge your day!

I think the first, best thing to consume in the morning isn’t actually food. I recommend drinking a lot of water (at least 48 ounces) with fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to instantly alkalize the body. Now, you may be thinking, “But aren’t lemon juice and vinegar acidic?” Yes, but when they are metabolized, they become alkaline in the body – it’s counterintuitive but true!

Your first meal of the day needs to be full of energy-boosting and brain-fueling foods like chia seeds, hemp seeds, spirulina, chlorella, fresh greens, dark berries, cacao, coconut, and nuts. Also, eating a light meal for breakfast ensures that you won’t be compromising your digestive efficiency and will have energy reserves throughout the day.

Here are my top recommendations for energy-boosting foods for breakfast:

Chia Seeds

This is a prized seed that was used for thousands of years by Ancient Mesoamerican cultures to feed their warriors and athletes. Chia seeds are high in fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and pack a dense amount of calories in a small volume.

Hemp Seeds

Up to 33% protein by weight, hemp seeds are also high in heart-healthy GLAs (gamma linolenic acid). They’re rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and contain high amounts of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Chlorella

A single-celled, freshwater green algae, chlorella is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on Earth. Chlorella is 50–60% protein. What's more, it's a complete protein source, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. It’s also backed with brain-nourishing vitamin B12, iron, vitamin C, antioxidants, trace minerals, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Beet Root Powder

In terms of energy, beetroot powder supplementation has been shown to improve muscle oxygenation during intense exercise, suggesting that increased dietary nitrate intake has the potential to enhance exercise tolerance during long-term endurance exercise. Beet root powder could improve the quality of life for people with cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases, or who find the activities of daily living physically difficult because of lack of oxygenation.

Fresh Greens

Adding greens to your breakfast is an easy way to get a boost in the morning. My favorite greens include kale, which is high in Vitamin K for strong bones and teeth. I also love watercress, which has the highest antioxidant value of any green leafy vegetable. And spinach is amazing, especially when paired with a citrus fruit that’s high in vitamin C, which helps to make the iron in spinach more bioavailable and assimilable.

Dark Berries

Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, acai: dark berries are some of my favorite foods because of their super high antioxidant content, which helps to scavenge toxins and free radicals from the body before they have a chance to damage healthy cells.

Coconut

Coconut products are high in healthy saturated fats, soluble fiber, and contain MCTs (medium chain triglycerides), which bypass the liver and can be immediately used by the body as an energy source. What’s more, coconut oil is awesome externally as a moisturizer as well.

Matcha Green Tea

My favorite source of natural caffeine, matcha green tea is also an antioxidant powerhouse and has a special amino acid called L-Theanine, which has been shown to improve cognition, memory, and overall brain power.