What to Eat for Paleo Breakfast

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Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by Cathy

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, on a Paleo diet, you may be wondering what you can eat. On the standard American diet (SAD), breakfast is typically full of gluten, sugar, and carbohydrates, everything you should be avoiding.

For many people, breakfast is a quick bowl of sugary cereal or it’s one or two cups of coffee as they’re rushing off to work. And then there’s the convenient quick stop at Starbucks for that popular Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino. Is that coffee or a milkshake? No matter which of these breakfasts people choose they are all a stimulant to wake you up, only to have you crashing a couple of hours later.

Should you eat breakfast? Should you skip breakfast? Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are on a ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting diet, so they only eat twice a day. A USC research has shown that a diet involving periods of fasting could help fight MS which leads to the production of new healthy cells.

I am one of those people who does the intermittent fasting diet. I fast for 12-14 hours every night between dinner and breakfast. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m skipping breakfast, I either eat “breakfast” or I drink bone broth first and eat two meals later.

Healthy Breakfast

Whether you eat breakfast or not, eating a nutrient-dense healthy breakfast is extremely important. It helps with food cravings also with gut dysbiosis (imbalance of bacteria in your gut flora), inflammation, Candida, and bacterial overgrowth, it also helps maintain stable blood sugar.

Skipping breakfast is likely to make you hungry causing you to eat something you will regret later. A healthy breakfast should supply you with nutrients, energy, and satisfaction until your next meal.

Fats

Since the 1970 doctors have been pushing a “low fat” diet, and everyone began eliminating the fat from their diet. Many long-term studies have now proven a low-fat diet is not only ineffective it can be harmful to your health.

Good Fats:

Avocados
Fatty fish (avoid mackerel and tuna since they are higher in mercury)
Nuts (except peanuts they are a legume)
Oils (coconut, nut, olive, palm, and seed oils)
Seeds (ground flax, sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds)

Ghee is a healthy fat. However, studies found MS patients who consume more dairy have more flares. It is best to avoid all dairy including ghee.

Incorporate some healthy fats into your diet, like avocados, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, or smoothies using full-fat coconut milk as a base. It is believed that eating a diet high in healthy fats is good for you, I was one of those people. However, after consuming more healthy fats following a paleo diet I now have high cholesterol. It is best to increase your fruits and vegetables and lower your fat intake.

Protein

Protein is usually not a big breakfast item on the SAD. Yet, on the Paleo diet, it is important to include protein as part of breakfast. It will help keep that full feeling longer and the hunger pains away until that next meal. Or try spreading almond butter on apple slices or vegetables like carrots and celery.

Make-a-head sausages are another great protein breakfast item:

Grass-fed ground beef or pasture-raised ground turkey
Add seasonings and mix
Form into small patties and place onto a baking sheet
Bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes

I like to add sautéed baby spinach to the meat before baking it. Adding spinach is a great way to add more vegetables to your day.

Vegetables

Yes, vegetables for breakfast. Toss them in your smoothie, and eat avocado, rutabaga hash browns, or leftovers. One of our favorite Sunday morning breakfasts is the Easy One Pan Rosemary Chicken with Mixed Vegetables, it seems like I can never make enough!

Smoothies

Smoothies make a quick tasty breakfast. The problem many people make when having a smoothie for breakfast, they make it using lots of fruit. Yeah, a fruit smoothie may satisfy you at the moment. Unfortunately, as soon as your body comes off that sugar high, you will start to feel hungry, moody, and tired.

A better option for making a breakfast smoothie is by adding vegetables, green smoothies can be delicious. Add full-fat coconut milk, avocados or spinach, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and a few berries. Just experiment until you find a flavor you enjoy.

To keep from feeling hungry a short time later, it is important to eat fat and protein during breakfast. For the fat just add full-fat coconut milk to the smoothie. I like to use Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk or the Whole Foods brand 365 Organic Coconut Milk. For protein add almond butter to the smoothie or eat bacon, liver pâté, or some slices of chicken or beef.

Avoid High Carbohydrates

There are many recipes on the internet for Paleo pancakes, Paleo waffles, and Paleo muffins, these are okay to eat on occasion. Unfortunately, starting your day with a high dose of carbohydrates will spike your blood sugar and cause you to feel hungry sooner. It is best to eat a high-carb breakfast only once or twice a week.

If you are trying to remove Candida overgrowth or bacterial overgrowth it is important to limit your carb intake. They both feed off sugar and carbs. Candida is a systemic fungus that spreads throughout the entire body including organs and is very hard to get under control.

It is time to start looking at breakfast differently

Fruits and vegetables make an excellent breakfast. Make a bowl of cereal using fruit and almond milk. Paleo pancakes, waffles, and muffins are okay on occasion. However, they should be consumed only occasionally.

A typical healthy Paleo breakfast looks something like this:

Healthy fats: avocados, bacon fat, good oils
Protein: eggs or meat (avoid eggs to heal quicker)
Vegetables: any vegetables except corn (it’s a GMO)

Instead, choose a healthy breakfast such as fruit or a smoothie.

It’s okay to stick with “traditional” breakfast foods. Although, you will be amazed at how quickly you can adapt to new breakfast items. Start your day with a breakfast that is high in fat with protein. This will maintain stable blood sugar and long-lasting energy that will keep you going until lunch.

You do not have to eat “breakfast foods” for breakfast. I love leftovers from the night before, it saves time by not having to cook something. One of my favorite breakfasts (especially in the winter) is leftover soup. It helps warm me up before I head out into the cold. This Easy Paleo Chicken Vegetable Soup is easy to make, healthy, and delicious!