Benefits of Spinach & Eggs for Breakfast

Spinach and eggs can be a good alternative for breakfast if you do not like sweet breakfast foods, such as cereal or pancakes, and you want to try a savory meal for a change. Getting high-quality protein from eggs and a range of essential minerals and vitamins from spinach can give you a head start on meeting your daily nutrient requirements. This healthy breakfast can provide a variety of health benefits as part of a balanced diet.

Eating breakfast regularly can help you maintain a healthy weight, according to MayoClinic.com, and a filling breakfast can reduce hunger throughout the morning so that you are less likely to snack on high-calorie convenience foods. A large egg contains 6 grams of protein, and 1 cup boiled spinach has 4 grams of dietary fiber. Compared to refined starches and sugars, protein and fiber stay in your stomach for longer before being released into your bloodstream. Having a full stomach for longer can delay the onset of hunger so that you choose to eat less at the next meal, helping control your weight. Spinach and eggs can also be good breakfast choices because they are low in calories. Each cup of spinach contains 41 calories, and 1 large egg has 72 calories.

Spinach and eggs are nutrient-dense foods, and starting off your day with a nutritious breakfast can help you meet your daily nutrient recommendations. Spinach is high in calcium, which is necessary for bone health; iron, which is essential for preventing anemia; magnesium, which supports proper muscle function; and vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy vision. Eggs also contain vitamin B-12, which is necessary for preventing nerve damage, and vitamin D, which helps your body absorb and use calcium.

Make a spinach omelet with mushrooms and Swiss cheese, or with onions, peppers and cilantro to make a southwestern-style dish. Alternatively, fill a tortilla with chopped hard-boiled eggs and wilted spinach, or with scrambled eggs and cooked spinach with optional cheese. Using a whole-grain tortilla for your wrap increases the amount of dietary fiber in your breakfast. For a simple breakfast, simply scramble the eggs with spinach.

High-calorie, high-fat ingredients, such as cheese, butter and breakfast sausage, can make your breakfast with eggs and spinach less healthy. These components are also high in saturated fat, which raises your blood cholesterol levels. Quiches and other pastries have additional calories and fat in the crust. Because the yolks contain all of the egg’s fat and cholesterol, you can reduce the calories, fat and cholesterol in your meal by using egg whites instead of whole eggs.