A healthy vegan breakfast is perhaps the most important meal of the day. I think all of your meals are equally important, but a good healthy breakfast does set the tone.

Important: For anyone who tends to skip a breakfast in favor of a caffeine hit, having a healthy vegan breakfast instead could be the most important thing you do!

Here are 3 tips that make up the majority of my breakfasts:

Healthy Breakfast 1 - Fruit (Not Just The Same Old Bananas)

Fruit is an excellent vegan breakfast, and fruits are full of antioxidants, fiber and natural sugars for quick energy. All fruits are low in sodium, and many of them are high in potassium, which helps to re-balance previously high sodium intake.

But be sure to get a variety instead of just the usual bananas and oranges. Melons are extremely good for you. Berries are even better. Try to eat 6 different fruits in the course of a week.

If you are generally warm and energetic, or if it is the peak of summer, a healthy breakfast of fruit could be perfect. If you have cold hands and feet, are feeling sick, or if it's cool outside, fruit probably isn't a very good start to your day.

Healthy Breakfast 2 - Grains (Not Just The Same Old Cereal)

In those cases, grains are an excellent alternative for your healthy vegan breakfast. Whole grains are an important source of nutrition; when they are kept whole, they have protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber and a wide variety of essential nutrients. They are an excellent choice for breakfast since they are mainly made up of complex carbohydrates, which will be digested slowly by your body to carry energy through your morning.

Whole grains have been shown in studies over the last few decades to lower cholesterol. Many recommendations point to oat bran as an ideal source of fiber, and getting more fiber is a good tip for anyone. In general, eating the whole grain rather than one part of it, like the bran, means it maintains its freshness and nutrients better.

There are grains that most people don't see on a regular basis - buckwheat, millet, quinoa, kamut, spelt, brown rice. They each have their own personality, and bring different nutrients and energies to our bodies. A healthy vegan diet includes a variety of these grains, so use as many different types as you can.

Healthy Breakfast 3 - Vegan Brunch (Not Just The Same Old Toast)

You can also make a healthy vegan breakfast that leans more towards the yummy side occasionally - pancakes, waffles and vegan french toast. You can still do these in a healthy way by using whole grain flour and keeping them low in fat. You have to know how to make these things properly so that when you have friends over you can make them the best healthy vegan brunch they've ever had!