--- description: Pick the right protein for your breakfast. title: 7 Breakfast Hacks for Weight Loss image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3500b650bff17f10/69878151e53aba08714d7cd5/time-50-healthiest-foods-greek-yogurt.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Diet & Nutrition](/tag/dietnutrition/) ## Diet & Nutrition Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 7 Breakfast Hacks for Weight Loss by [Eat This, Not That!](/author/eat-this-not-that/) ## Eat This, Not That! Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 17, 2016 11:00 AM CUT  Danny Kim for TIME by [Eat This, Not That!](/author/eat-this-not-that/) ## Eat This, Not That! Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 17, 2016 11:00 AM CUT In theory, opting for a homemade meal over something processed will almost always serve up more nutrition and save you tons of calories. The truth is, though, that many of us don’t know how to prepare a meal for optimal weight loss. These simple cooking tweaks can elevate your breakfast to the next level in terms of health and taste. **1\. Eat the yolk** If you’ve only been scarfing down egg whites, you’re missing out on one of most potent fat-fighting nutrients: choline. Yolks also deliver vitamins D and B12, so they’re great for your bones and brain, too. And not to worry that eggs will hike your cholesterol: Turns out health experts’ concerns from back in the day were premature. Newer studies have found that dietary sources of cholesterol have little to no connection with the kind that clogs arteries. **2\. Zap your tea** Green tea is rich in catechins, compounds that signal fat cells to release trapped lipids. For even better results, zap your brew in the microwave for thirty seconds as it steeps. Researchers in one study found microwaving green tea bags in water extracted 20 percent more catechins than simply letting them sit in hot H2O. Further research will pinpoint why, but until then, zap away. **_Eat This, Not That!:_** [_50 Best Overnight Oats Recipes_](http://www.eatthis.com/overnight-oat-recipes-for-weight-loss "undefined") **3\. Go green** If you usually make oatmeal or a smoothie in the morning, grab a slightly green banana, slice it up and add it to the mix. Underripe bananas are rich in something called resistant starch, a type of starch that passes through the small intestine without being digested. This feeds healthy gut bacteria, leading to prolonged feelings of fullness and more efficient fat oxidation. What’s more, just one small banana serves up 20 percent of the day’s vitamin B6, a vital nutrient that helps convert food into energy. **4\. Add an apple** If fruit salad is a typical addition to your morning meal, increase its fat burning power by adding in a chopped pink lady apple. Apples are one of the best fruit sources of [fiber](http://www.eatthis.com/11-best-high-fiber-foods-weight-loss "undefined"), a nutrient proven to be integral to reducing belly fat. In fact, one pool of researchers found that for every 10-gram increase of soluble fiber eaten per day, study participants shed 3.7 percent of visceral fat over five years. **5\. Sprinkle on cinnamon** Seems everything about this spice is nice. The latest news is that cinnamon improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin, according to findings in the _American Journal of Clinical Nutrition_, a powerful effect that helps ensure incoming calories are converted to energy, not fat. And earlier research has shown that cinnamon heightens cognitive processing and brain function. (No wonder it’s one of the [Healthiest Spices on the Planet](http://www.eatthis.com/healthiest-spices-on-planet "undefined")). Dust a spoonful on coffee, oats and Greek yogurt, or stir it into a protein shake. **_Eat This, Not That!:_** [_15 Healthy Breakfast Ideas: 5 Minutes, 5 Ingredients!_](http://www.eatthis.com/healthy-breakfast-ideas "undefined") **6\. Pick the right protein** Sure, bacon and sausage make your taste buds sing, but they should be a tasty cheat, not starring in your regular A.M. rotation. The reason: Many brands of cured meats are loaded with potentially harmful nitrites and saturated fat—bad news for your heart and waistline alike. To stay safe and start slimming down, opt for Applegate Naturals’ Natural Classic Pork Breakfast Sausage. Made with humanely raised animals and minimal ingredients, Applegate’s version of the classic breakfast side delivers a solid protein-to-fat ratio. Or better yet, get your morning protein from source like eggs, canned wild salmon (one of the [best fish for fat loss](http://www.eatthis.com/6-best-fish-for-weight-loss "undefined")) or Greek yogurt. **_Eat This, Not That!:_** [_25 Best Egg Recipes for Weight Loss_](http://www.eatthis.com/healthy-egg-recipes "undefined") **7\. Spice up your life** What do avocado toast, omelets, egg sandwiches and frittatas have in common? They all taste great with a sprinkle of pepper. Piperine, the compound that gives black pepper its characteristic taste, has been shown to stop adipogenesis, the formation of new fat cells. This can help shrink your waistline and lower your cholesterol levels. [_Read the full list HERE._](http://www.eatthis.com/homemade-breakfast-hacks-for-weight-loss "undefined") _This_ [_article_](http://www.eatthis.com/homemade-breakfast-hacks-for-weight-loss "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_Eat This, Not That!_](http://www.eatthis.com "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4225852/breakfast-recipes-weight-loss/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4225852/breakfast-recipes-weight-loss/"},"headline":"7 Breakfast Hacks for Weight Loss","datePublished":"2016-02-17T11:00:43.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T15:06:58.526Z","description":"Pick the right protein for your next homemade breakfast","url":"https://time.com/4225852/breakfast-recipes-weight-loss/","keywords":["Diet & Nutrition","Apple","breakfast","Weight loss","protein"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3500b650bff17f10/69878151e53aba08714d7cd5/time-50-healthiest-foods-greek-yogurt.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eat This, Not That!","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eat-this-not-that/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3500b650bff17f10/69878151e53aba08714d7cd5/time-50-healthiest-foods-greek-yogurt.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"healthiest foods, health food, diet, nutrition, time.com stock, greek yogurt, dairy, fage, chobani","caption":"healthiest foods, health food, diet, nutrition, time.com stock, greek yogurt, dairy, fage, chobani","creditText":"Danny Kim for TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/dietnutrition/","name":"Diet & Nutrition"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4225852/breakfast-recipes-weight-loss/","name":"7 Breakfast Hacks for Weight Loss"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Peeling Hard-Boiled Eggs","description":"Peeling hard-boiled eggs, when mastered, can lead to beautiful deviled eggs. 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