A power breakfast gets you through your day with loads of energy. It fuels your brain and doesn’t set you up for a mid-morning crash or sugar cravings.
Unlike muffins, cereals and breakfast pastries which are packed with sugar and unhealthy oils, avocado toast contains a good balance of protein, fiber, carbs and healthy fats that will keep you feeling satisfied and banish cravings while providing vital nutrients your body needs to function at its best well into the day.
I’ll give you my favorite way to make avocado toast below and then get into the nitty-gritty on the nutritional values.
Breaking Down the Nutritional Value of Avocado Toast
Now that we know how to make avocado toast, let’s talk about why it’s such a good choice for breakfast, brunch or any other time of the day, for that matter.
Avocado
Do you avoid avocados because you’ve been taught to believe that they’re too “fattening”? It’s true that avocados are pretty calorie dense. A 4 ounce serving of avocado contains about 190 calories and 18 grams of fat. All fats are not equal, though. Not by a long shot. Your body thrives on the monounsaturated fat found in avocados. In fact, it can help lower your risk of heart disease and may help you lose weight along with other benefits including brain health and improved cognition.
Avocado is also one of the most potassium-packed foods on the planet with 575 mg in one 4 ounce serving. Potassium is essential to normal cell function throughout the body. Potassium is critical for the contraction of muscles, including the heart, and in maintaining blood pressure and healthy nerve function. It’s also one of the more challenging micronutrients to get enough of in our diets regularly.
Avocados are also a good source of fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin K, zinc and B vitamins.
Eggs
Eggs are another storehouse of vital nutrients. One egg has about 6 grams of protein and contains a good amount of phosphorus, selenium, choline and vitamin A. They also contain good fats and some vitamin D which is another nutrient most of us fall far short of in our diet.
Make sure you don’t make the mistake of eating only the egg whites since most of the nutrients are concentrated in the yolks.
Bread
Avocado toast is not a low carb food but it does have a reasonably low amount of carbs per serving. The recipe above contains 33 grams of carbs, most of which are coming from the whole grain bread. Whole grain bread has more fiber per serving than breads made with refined grains which are stripped of much of their fiber, vitamins, minerals and beneficial phytochemicals during their processing.
I’m a big fan of Dave’s Killer Bread. I’ve been buying their organic 21 whole grain bread for years. It has nothing artificial in it and is full of healthy grains and seeds.
(Check out this video from FlavCity for good information on how to choose the best breads)
A quick note on the benefits of restricting carbs in your diet: I don’t follow a ketogenic diet so I can have a moderate amount of carbs. I try to stick to under 100 grams per day. It’s not low enough to get into a state of ketosis (when your body is burning fat for fuel instead of sugars) but I do intermittent fasting so I can access the benefits of ketosis that way.
When I stay under 100 carbs per day I stay at my desired weight without even trying and have very few, if any, cravings for sugar and carbs (unless they’re right under my nose in which case they’re still hard to resist).
Goat cheese
Sprinkling goat cheese on avocado toast adds 6 grams of protein per ounce along with some calcium, vitamin A and vitamin B2. I love the unmistakable tangy flavor goat cheese adds to a dish. Most people either love or hate goat cheese so you might want to substutite feta or delete it from the recipe altogether.
If you avoid cheese because of a diary intolerance, know that goat cheese is doable for some people with lactose intolerance because it contains a lower percentage of lactose than other dairy products. Goat cheese has zero carbs and also helps you feel full and satisfied due to the creamy, rich texture and flavor.
Sea salt
I like to use pink Himalayan sea salt, more for the amazing taste than anything. Although there’s not a lot of science to back it up, sea salt may be healthier than common table salt. The sodium content is the same in both but table salt is processed and has artificial additives where sea salt is harvested from the ocean and contains minerals like magnesium and potassium, although in very trace amounts.
Cracked black pepper
If you don’t use freshly ground pepper in your recipes you’re missing out. Grinding the peppercorns right before using them releases flavors you just don’t get from pre-ground pepper that’s been hanging out on the grocery store shelf for months. It also has a long list of health benefits including support for digestive health and immunity. The fresher the pepper, the more health-boosting compounds it contains.
Extra Credit
The more herbs and spices you use in the kitchen, the more you’re filling in the nutrient gaps in your diet. Many herbs and spices are rich in antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Herbs like fresh dill and fresh basil are a great compliment to the mild, tangy flavor of goat cheese.
You might also want to try some paprika or sprinkle some chia seeds over your toast for some added crunch and extra nutrients.
Have you tried making avocado toast? What’s you favorite way to make it? Let me know in the comments below 🙂
