Try these easy breakfast swaps to help you feel full and lower health risks

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What we eat at breakfast can have an outsize impact on our health. That’s because people tend to create a habit around breakfast, while they vary other meals more often. Many patients in my gastroenterology clinic report eating the same breakfast almost every day for years.

For me, the ideal breakfast should do three things:

— Have a low glycemic index. The more fiber and protein in your meal, the slower and more steady release of insulin, leading to a lower glycemic index. Lower glycemic-index breakfasts can boost memory and attention scores later in the day. But foods with a high-glycemic index are associated with multiple bad health outcomes, including diabetes and cancer.

— Keep you satisfied for several hours. Aiming for at least around 15 grams of protein per meal can help.

— Not raise your risk of cancer or other bad health outcomes. That means avoiding refined white flour and processed meats.

Try making a few simple swaps: Rolled overnight oats in plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit is a better choice than a bowl of cereal and a cup of fruit juice. Or try a breakfast sandwich with baby spinach, freshly shredded mozzarella and scrambled eggs on a whole-wheat English muffin – instead of sausage and American cheese on a plain bagel.

Here’s what else to keep in mind to build a better breakfast habit.

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Breads

Try this: Fresh whole-grain breads

Not that: Shelf-stable white breads

Whole grains are heart-healthy and help lower the risk of colorectal cancer. In part because of their higher fiber content, they tend to have a lower glycemic index than their more refined counterparts, such as refined white flour. Anything made from refined white flour lacks most of the healthy, high-fiber components of the wheat plant.

Fresh whole-wheat breads made by your local bakery or grocery store are a better choice than the shelf-stable and prepackaged kinds, which tend to contain additives. When in doubt, check the ingredient list. It ideally wouldn’t contain ingredients you wouldn’t have at home.

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Cereals

Try this: Rolled or steel-cut oats

Not that: Instant oats or sugary cereals

Rolled or steel-cut oats are whole grains, but not all oat products are created equal: Instant oats, for example, are more processed and tend to have a higher glycemic index.

One of the most popular breakfasts in America is also one of the worst: a bowl of cereal. I’m talking about the refined sugary breakfast cereals you get in a box at the grocery store. While these cereals hit the bliss point of crunch and taste, they fail you in almost every other way. Even if the fiber content is on the higher end, the “added sugars” often skyrocket, resulting in a high glycemic index.

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Fruits

Try this: Smoothies and fresh fruits

Not that: Fruit juices

A winning smoothie will contain a mixture of protein (such as from Greek yogurt), a serving of fruit (such as a small banana or half a cup of berries) and a blended veggie (such as kale or spinach) for fiber. Other additions, such as chia seeds and nut butters, can offer a nutritional boost. But be mindful of possible excess sugars. I find it’s easy to go overboard on fruits, rapidly raising the glycemic index, and many also skimp on the fiber, which we all never get enough of.

Fruits themselves in moderation (aim for four servings per day) are great for health, due to their micronutrients, antioxidants and fiber. While fruit juice seems like a natural extension of this, without the whole fruit, including peel and pulp, you actually lose many of those benefits and get a quick glucose spike that stresses your pancreas. Think about it this way: You probably wouldn’t eat three apples in a row, but you could easily drink the equivalent amount of sugar in one serving of apple juice.

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Dairy

Try this: Plain Greek yogurt or cheeses such as mozzarella and cottage cheese

Not that: Sugary yogurts and high-fat processed cheeses

Greek yogurt can help you avoid hunger with half the carbohydrates and twice the protein of regular yogurt. But it’s best to avoid flavors that have added sugar. Instead, boost the flavor profile of plain Greek yogurt with nuts, seeds and fresh fruits. Whether you should opt for low- or nonfat depends on how much you’re eating and your overall daily intake of saturated fat, which should be less than 10 percent (and ideally less than 6 percent) of your daily caloric intake. I’ve seen some individual servings of Greek yogurt that contain as high as 27 percent of the recommended daily value, so it’s always important to read the nutritional label.

You can enjoy cheese as a complement to your meal without a side of guilt, but remember there’s a difference between cheeses such as a freshly grated mozzarella or a cottage cheese and ultra-processed American “cheese” squares. Processed cheeses can contain as little as 50 percent actual “cheese,” with the rest composed of additives such as emulsifiers, salt and preservatives.

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Protein

Try this: Eggs

Not that: Breakfast meats

Eggs have gotten a bad rap over the years, mainly because of concerns about cholesterol concentrated in their yolks. Moderation is still key: While people with heart disease or high cholesterol need to consider how eggs add to their overall daily cholesterol intake, a study of about half a million Chinese adults found that eating one egg a day decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease. When cooked in a healthy way (not fried in animal fat such as butter or bacon grease), eggs can be a solid choice: One egg contains about 6 grams of protein.

While I love breakfast sausage as much as the next person, I’ve cut down profoundly in the last five years as data has crystallized about the detrimental role processed and red meat play in our gut health. Many of us know how bad processed meats are for our arteries, but bacon, smoked sausages and cured hams raise the risk of colorectal cancer, which has been rising among younger people. I wish I could tell you plant-based meat substitutes were the way to go, but many of these are ultra-processed and have been found to independently increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

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Coffee

Try this: Regular coffee

Not that: Sugary espresso drinks

A caramel macchiato can have about a fourth of your recommended daily saturated fat limit, in addition to the high sugar. Instead, choose regular coffee you drink at home with no or modest amounts of sugar added. Studies have found drinking a few cups a day is linked to lower mortality and boosts satiety. Plus, caffeine is a fantastic stimulant of colonic contractions.