The Best Type Of Grits To Buy For A Fiber-Rich Breakfast

Scroll through social media, and you'll likely find several fitness influencers extolling the virtues of loading up on protein for breakfast. While it's true that protein-rich ingredients, such as eggs and cottage cheese, are incredibly filling foods, fiber-packed ingredients are equally important if you're trying to maximize satiety and honor the needs of your gut. Grits are a fantastic high-fiber breakfast you can whip up quickly in the mornings, but there's one particular type you should select to get as much of the good stuff as possible: The stone-ground variety.

Stone-ground grits are made by grinding whole-grain corn between heavy stones. This classic technique produces grits that have a coarse texture and a higher fiber and vitamin content because it uses the entire corn kernel, including the germ. Unlike other varieties of grits, such as quick or instant, which are processed more finely, stone-ground grits have a toothsome quality and a more robust flavor. Stone-ground grits are different from hominy grits, too, because they aren't soaked in an alkali solution before grinding.

The chewier texture of stone-ground grits does mean they take longer to cook than other varieties, but you benefit from the extra fiber in return (there's about 2 grams in every quarter cup serving). However, if you have very busy mornings and want to speed up the cooking process, soak your grits overnight. This move will help them cook faster and produce a creamier result.

One of the cool facts about Southern grits is that it can be prepared with all manner of add-ins, such as brown sugar, honey, or molasses, for a sweet finish, or extras like cheese, sausage, and gravy for a savory note. But irrespective of whether you like your fiber rich breakfast to be sweet or savory, your personalized grits recipe will always have that rich, creamy, and thick consistency that makes this classic ingredient so comforting. To amp up the fiber content of your morning meal, consider topping it with pepitas or flaxseed, or stir through a spoonful of oat bran, which contains 6 grams of fiber per one-cup portion. You could also enjoy a serving of fruits or veggies with your breakfast on the side to boost fiber and lend your grits vibrancy and color.

Don't have the time to prepare stone-ground grits in the morning? Have it for dinner! This Mediterranean-inspired shrimp and grits recipe is cooked in chicken broth, which boosts its protein content, but also features fiber-rich veggies like onions and tomatoes. You could also prep your-stone ground grits in batches and refrigerate. That way you can simply reheat them in the morning instead of cooking them from scratch.