Beans and eggs for breakfast are a classic. They are easy, cheap, and full of good things that will keep you going.
This makes eggs and beans healthier, and you can include it in a meal plan to help you lose weight and keep it off.
White beans cooked with cherry tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and oregano until soft, lightly spiced scrambled eggs, and wholemeal toast make up our breakfast beans and eggs.
Protein and fiber are both important for your health and for making you feel full. These breakfast beans and eggs will give you a lot of energy and help you eat less junk food.
Eggs and beans are healthy on their own, but if you make your breakfast with white bread, canned beans, and butter, you will be adding a lot of extra sugar, salt, and saturated fats that you don’t need.
This recipe uses less salt and sugar, unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats, and whole grains for energy that comes on slowly.
Eggs and beans are two nutritious foods that make a satisfying protein-packed breakfast But are eggs and beans together really a healthy way to start your day? Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional benefits and potential drawbacks of pairing eggs and beans for breakfast,
The Benefits of Eggs for Breakfast
Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Here are some of the key nutrients you get from eggs:
-
High-quality protein to keep you full and energized. One large egg contains about 6 grams of protein.
-
Important vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, folate, selenium, and choline.
-
Antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health.
-
Healthy monounsaturated fats that support heart health.
Studies show that eating eggs for breakfast can help you feel fuller for longer compared to carb-heavy breakfasts. This can prevent overeating later in the day.
Eggs are also relatively low in calories with about 70-80 calories per large egg. Overall, eggs are a nutritious and satiating addition to a healthy breakfast.
The Benefits of Beans for Breakfast
Beans also offer important nutrients:
-
Fiber to keep you full and regulate digestion. One cup of cooked beans provides around 15 grams of fiber.
-
Folate, potassium, magnesium and iron for healthy blood and circulation.
-
Protein to provide sustained energy. Beans have about 15 grams of protein per cooked cup.
-
No cholesterol compared to animal protein sources.
-
Low glycemic index to help control blood sugar levels.
Beans are very versatile. You can make a bean scramble, add beans to omelets or hash, purée them into dips, or enjoy a side of roasted beans. Beans help balance out eggs by adding fiber, controlling blood sugar spikes, and reducing cholesterol.
Complete Protein When Paired
One of the biggest advantages of pairing beans and eggs is that together they provide all nine essential amino acids that form a complete protein. Beans are low in methionine while eggs provide extra methionine. Eating them together ensures you get high quality complete protein to start your day.
Potential Drawbacks
The main drawbacks of regular egg and bean breakfasts come from preparing them in unhealthy ways:
-
Frying eggs in lots of butter or oil adds extra saturated fat and calories.
-
Serving beans with salty meats like bacon or sausage increases sodium intake.
-
Some bean preparation methods lead to overconsumption of salt and fat. Refried beans can be high in saturated fat for example.
As long as you’re mindful about how you prepare and serve your eggs and beans, these drawbacks are easily avoided.
Healthy Ways to Enjoy Eggs and Beans
Here are some healthy cooking tips:
-
Poach, boil, or scramble eggs in nonstick pans to avoid excess butter and oil.
-
Try sprouted whole grain toast topped with mashed avocado and beans alongside poached eggs.
-
Add a side of roasted or steamed vegetables like tomatoes, kale, onions for more nutrients.
-
Flavor beans with herbs, spices, lime juice, vinegar instead of lots of oil or salt.
-
Make a Southwest scramble with eggs, black beans, peppers, onion, and avocado.
Are Eggs and Beans Healthy for Weight Loss?
Eggs and beans can both be part of a healthy weight loss diet. The protein and fiber help control appetite and blood sugar spikes that lead to overeating.
Some tips for enjoying eggs and beans as part of a weight loss plan:
-
Cook eggs and beans in healthy ways without excessive oil, butter, salt or sugary sauces.
-
Pay attention to portion sizes. Beans and eggs are calorie-dense so keep moderate serving sizes.
-
Add a side salad or non-starchy veggies like broccoli to provide bulk and nutrients.
-
Choose whole grain carbs like oats or quinoa instead of refined carbs like white toast or hash browns.
Overall eggs and beans together or separately can be nutritious additions to support weight management. Just be mindful of how you prepare and portion them.
Are Eggs and Beans Good for Diabetics?
Eggs and beans are considered diabetes-friendly foods.
The protein and fiber help slow digestion to minimize blood sugar spikes after meals. And the low glycemic index of beans makes them less likely to cause spikes compared to carb-heavy breakfasts with juice, cereal, pancakes etc.
Some tips for diabetics:
-
Avoid adding high carb/high sugar sides like pancakes, syrup, jam, sugary cereals etc.
-
Choose whole grains like steel cut oats or sprouted whole grain bread.
-
Add non-starchy veggies like spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms to further regulate blood sugar response.
-
Avoid excessive oil or butter when cooking.
With smart preparation, eggs and beans make a very diabetes-friendly breakfast combination.
Pairing eggs and beans makes for a highly nutritious breakfast. The complete protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants provide sustained energy and nutrition to start the day strong.
This combo is especially healthy when prepared using low-fat cooking methods and served alongside vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. For most people, eggs and beans can be safely enjoyed as part of a regular healthy breakfast. Just be mindful of portions and preparation to maximize the nutritional benefits.
Why we back breakfast beans and eggs for weight loss!
People who are trying to lose weight should eat breakfast beans and eggs together (read more about why eggs are good for weight loss here!)
Some people think that diet food should be low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie, and low-everything else, but we don’t agree! That’s why we suggest such a hearty breakfast as part of a weight loss plan.
Maybe a bowl of fruit for breakfast will help you get some of your five-a-day, but it will also ruin your weight loss plans in the long run.
Within no time, you’ll be hungry again, and you’ll probably eat snacks in between meals, which will cause you to gain weight.
Being hungry all the time is also bad for your mood and energy; it’s not healthy or sustainable.
That’s why our meal plans for weight loss include hearty, filling meals with healthy ingredients that give your body the fuel it needs.
We think of it as eating the most calories possible so that you stay in a calorie deficit without getting hungry.
For example, studies have suggested that an egg breakfast keeps you full for longer than a calorie-equivalent carb-based breakfast, and can also help reduce your calorie intake later in the day.
Check out our free weight loss meal plan if you want to see this theory in practice!
With only 406 calories, an egg and bean breakfast is full of protein, fiber, and other healthy things, and doesn’t have many simple sugars. This will keep you going until lunch.
We are LOVING beans at the moment. They are nature’s GIFT to vegetarians and the possibilities are endless when it comes to cooking with them!.
Our bean and pasta casserole for dinner and our black bean burrito bowl for lunch are both made with beans. Now it’s time for beans for breakfast!
As we already said, our beans are much better for you than the baked beans in tomato sauce that you can buy in a can.
To begin, we use fresh cherry tomatoes instead of tomato purée that has been processed. This way, all of the healthy nutrients from the tomatoes are still there.
Furthermore, our recipe uses far less sugar. Your standard tin of Heinz baked beans will have 9.8g sugar per serving. Our beans contain only 3g sugar per serving!
Eggs are also pretty healthy, as they contain plenty of protein and crazily eggs contain almost every nutrient you need, including some hard to get ones like Vitamins D and B12.
There are plenty of heart healthy nutrients in eggs, along with carotinoids which help with eye health.
Now eggs and toast for breakfast seems like a good idea, don’t you think? I bet these 400 kcal breakfasts could do the same for you.
Try our huevos rancheros recipe or these simple breakfast egg muffins for more healthy egg breakfast ideas.
What are you waiting for? Start making your breakfast now that you know why you should eat eggs and beans!
- Put the olive oil and crushed garlic clove in a small pot set over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic clove begins to brown. ½ tbsp olive oil, 1 clove garlic.
- Add whole cherry tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme and oregano. Mix and cook until some of the tomatoes break open and the tomatoes are soft. 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
- Add vinegar, water, honey and beans. Mix and cook until the beans are warm. Reserve until needed. Three tablespoons of water, one cup of white beans, and half a teaspoon of honey.
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs until there are no more streaks of white or yolk. Mix in the cumin, black pepper, chili flakes and salt. Four eggs, ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon of chili flakes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Put an 8-inch nonstick pan over medium-low heat and add olive oil. Leave the eggs to cook until a thin layer of cooked egg forms around the edge of the pan.
- With a rubber spatula and big, sweeping motions, move the eggs around the skillet’s edge and then across the bottom. Move the eggs all over the pan and around it until they are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. The top of the eggs should still look runny.
- Put it on two plates right away and sprinkle with sea salt and more black pepper. Serve with beans and whole grain toast.
This Beans And Eggs For Breakfast Recipe Is SO MUCH BETTER Than The Original
FAQ
Is it good to eat beans and eggs together?
Are eggs and baked beans a good breakfast?
Is it healthy to eat beans in the morning?
Are beans a good breakfast for weight loss?