Substitute these unhealthy breakfast foods with 6 more 'complete' options

smoked salmon toast
Jayson Leow/Flickr

The phrase "part of a complete breakfast" is plastered onto cereal boxes and spoken at the ends of commercials, but few of us know exactly what it means.

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Turns out, starting your day with a nutritious and hearty meal is surprisingly simple: all you need for a complete breakfast are carbohydrates and proteins. Your body breaks carbs down into sugars, which fuel your brain, and proteins keep you satiated until lunch time.

Many companies that market breakfast foods claim that their products contain at least parts of this golden ratio, but processed foods like sugary cereals usually contain "bad" carbs, such as simple sugars, which are quickly converted to fat rather than energy.

Here are a few common breakfast foods you should ditch for some healthier, more complete alternatives.

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For something sugary:

steel cut oats
thebittenword.com/Flickr

Instead of a donut, eat steel cut oats with peanut butter.

Many cereals are loaded with sugars and processed flours. Steel cut oats contain about 5 grams of protein, zero sugar, and are low in saturated fats and high in fiber.

The peanut butter adds an extra shot of satiating protein, healthy fats, and a sweet kick without the sugar blast of a donut.

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For something toasty:

smoked salmon toast
Jayson Leow/Flickr

Ditch a plain bagel and cream cheese for whole grain toast with avocado, smoked salmon, and a poached egg.

You're technically getting carbohydrates from the bagel and protein from the cheese, but plain bagels contain refined white flour and simple carbs, which provide a quick burst of energy to your brain that quickly fades.

The complex carbs in the toast take longer for your body to process, leaving you satiated for longer. The smoked fish, avocado, and eggs are packed with good lean protein and heart-and-brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

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For something creamy:

greek yogurt
Celeste Lindell/Flickr

Instead of flavored yogurt, eat plain whole milk Greek yogurt with berries, nuts, and cinnamon.

Flavored yogurt cups are chock full of sugars. Just one serving of Yoplait Whips! Raspberry Mouse yogurt contains 21 grams of sugar — 84% of the maximum daily recommended sugar intake for women — and only 5 g of protein.

Substitute with plain Greek yogurt, which packs in 17 g of protein and only 6 g of sugars. If it's too bitter, sweeten with antioxidant and fiber-rich berries, protein-rich nuts, and cinnamon.

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For something eggy:

eggs avocado tortilla salsa
jeffreyw/Flickr

Instead of a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, eat eggs with avocado and salsa in a corn tortilla.

Bacon is a good source of protein, but it's high in sodium and saturated fats, which increase your risk of heart disease. Substitute bacon with protein-rich avocados.

They contain about the same amount of protein per serving as bacon, yet contain many essential vitamins and healthy fats, which also increase your absorption of antioxidants, like lycopene, from the salsa.

Corn tortillas are also low in unsaturated fats, sugars, and sodium, and high in fiber and vitamins like magnesium.

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For something syrupy:

pancakes fruit 2
Wikimedia Commons

Instead of regular pancakes with maple syrup, eat whole wheat pancakes with a fruit compote on top.

Nowadays you can find whole wheat flour from just about any grocery store. It's high in fiber and sticks with you for longer than white flour.

Be sure to crack an egg into the batter to include your protein!

Substitute the maple syrup with a fruit compote made from frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries for a low-sugar and antioxidant-rich sweetener.

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For something fruity:

Smoothie in Blender
Flickr / Daniel Lee

Instead of a glass of orange juice, make a smoothie of plain Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and frozen berries.

Fruit juices contain a ton of simple sugars and few protein and fibers.

The protein in the yogurt and peanut butter keeps you satiated for a long time, while the berries not only naturally sweeten the drink, but contain good complex carbohydrates and antioxidants.

Breakfast Nutrition
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