The best anti-inflammatory breakfasts combine three things: fibre (oats, whole grains, fruit), protein (eggs, yogurt, fish or pulses) and good fats (nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado), with little added sugar. You can make one in ten minutes either by spending five minutes the night before on overnight oats, chia pudding or Bircher muesli, or by cooking eggs, fish or beans on toast in the morning. Below are ten ideas with quantities, a simple formula for making up your own, and the common mistakes that quietly turn a healthy breakfast into a sugary one.
What makes a breakfast "anti-inflammatory"?
No single breakfast food calms inflammation. What nutrition science broadly supports is an overall way of eating that's rich in plants, fibre and unsaturated fats and low in refined sugar and heavily processed food. For more on the bigger picture, see our guide to anti-inflammatory eating.
Breakfast is where that pattern often slips. Many cereals, flavoured yogurts, pastries and shop-bought granolas carry a surprising amount of sugar. The good news is that the alternatives are quick, cheap and much more satisfying.
The ten-minute formula
Pick one from each line and you have a balanced breakfast without a recipe:
- A base: oats, rye or wholegrain bread, plain yogurt or kefir, chia seeds.
- A protein: eggs, Greek yogurt, smoked mackerel, sardines, tofu, chickpeas, nut butter.
- A colour: berries, apple, spinach, tomatoes, avocado.
- A crunch or fat: walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, a drizzle of olive oil.
- A flavour: cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, lemon zest, chilli flakes, fresh herbs.
Make it the night before: five minutes' work
These take no cooking at all, and they're ready when you open the fridge.
1. Overnight oats
In a jar, stir together 50g rolled oats, 125ml milk (dairy or unsweetened plant), 2 tbsp plain yogurt, 1 tbsp chia seeds and a pinch of cinnamon. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, top with a handful of berries and a few chopped walnuts. For a golden version, add ¼ tsp turmeric and a grind of black pepper.
2. Chia pudding
Whisk 3 tbsp chia seeds into 200ml milk with a drop of vanilla. Stir again after five minutes (this stops clumps), then chill overnight. It sets to a soft, spoonable pudding. The book's Vanilla Chia Pudding with Berries is the simplest version and a good one to start with.
3. Bircher muesli
Coarsely grate one apple, skin and all, into 50g oats. Add 100ml milk, 3 tbsp yogurt and a squeeze of lemon. Chill overnight and finish with toasted almonds. Make three or four jars on Sunday and breakfast is sorted until Wednesday.
Five minutes, no cooking
4. Yogurt and berry bowl
Spoon 150g plain Greek yogurt into a bowl or glass. Add a big handful of berries (frozen ones, thawed overnight, release lovely juices), 1 tbsp chopped walnuts and 1 tsp ground flaxseed. Greek Yogurt & Berry Parfait in the book layers it in a glass with a little homemade granola.
5. A balanced smoothie
Blend 200ml milk or kefir, 150g frozen berries, a handful of spinach, 1 tbsp nut butter or seeds and half a banana if you like it sweeter. The greens disappear into the colour, and the fat and protein make it more filling than fruit juice.
Ten minutes at the hob
6. Turmeric scrambled eggs with greens
Warm 1 tsp olive oil in a small non-stick pan over a low heat and stir in a pinch (about ¼ tsp) of turmeric for 20 seconds. Add a handful of spinach until it wilts, then two beaten eggs. Stir slowly for 2–3 minutes until just set, and finish with black pepper and a few seeds. This is essentially the book's Turmeric Scrambled Eggs. For more on why the spice goes in first, see how to cook with turmeric.
7. Savoury oats with an egg
Cook 40g oats in 200ml water or stock with a pinch of salt for 4–5 minutes. Stir in a handful of greens, top with a soft-boiled or fried egg, a drizzle of olive oil and chilli flakes. It sounds unusual, but it's comforting.
8. Oily fish on rye
Toast a slice of rye bread, top with half a mashed avocado, flaked smoked mackerel or tinned sardines, lemon juice and black pepper. Smoked Mackerel & Avocado Rye in the book adds a few radishes and herbs. It's one of the easiest ways to get oily fish into your week.
9. Smashed avocado and chickpea toast
Roughly mash half a tin of drained chickpeas with half an avocado, lemon, salt and cumin. Pile onto wholegrain toast and finish with chopped tomatoes. Plenty of fibre and plant protein, and no eggs needed.
10. Quick tofu scramble
Crumble 150g firm tofu into a hot pan with 1 tsp olive oil, ¼ tsp turmeric, a pinch of cumin, salt and pepper. Add mushrooms or spinach and cook for 5 minutes. Serve on toast or with leftover roast vegetables.
Tip: On Sunday, boil six eggs, make three jars of overnight oats and toast a tray of mixed nuts and seeds (180°C, 6–8 minutes). That's most of the week's breakfasts ready in about 20 minutes. Our Sunday meal prep plan has more on getting ahead.
Common mistakes
- Flavoured yogurts and granolas. Many are sweetened heavily. Buy plain yogurt and add fruit; make granola at home or check the label.
- Juice instead of fruit. A glass of juice has the sugar of several pieces of fruit but little of the fibre. Eat the fruit, or blend it whole.
- Skipping protein. A bowl of fruit alone rarely keeps you going until lunch. Add yogurt, eggs, nuts or seeds.
- Whole flaxseed. Whole seeds often pass straight through. Buy ground flaxseed, or grind it yourself, and keep it in the fridge.
- Making it too complicated. Two or three breakfasts you actually enjoy, on rotation, beat a new recipe every day.
If you'd like more ideas, The Anti-Inflammatory Kitchen has a full chapter of breakfasts, from baked oats and pancakes to shakshuka, and you can search the recipe finder for oats to see them side by side.
This article is general information about food, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about what's right for you.
Questions people ask
Is porridge a good anti-inflammatory breakfast?
Porridge made with plain oats is a good base: oats are a whole grain rich in fibre. Keep added sugar low and top it with berries, nuts or seeds rather than syrup.
Are smoothies as good as eating whole fruit?
A smoothie made from whole fruit, greens and a source of protein or fat keeps most of the fibre, unlike juice. Chewing whole fruit tends to feel more filling, though, so it's worth doing both.
What if I'm not hungry first thing?
That's fine. Overnight oats, chia pudding and boiled eggs travel well, so you can eat mid-morning at work instead.
Is granola healthy?
It can be. Many shop-bought granolas are high in sugar, so check the label or make your own with oats, nuts, seeds, a little oil and just enough honey or maple syrup to bind it.