Eating whole grains is one of the most important parts of an anti-acne diet.  If you like to eat a good filing breakfast to keep you going through the day, hot cereal is a great way to go.  Unlike most cold cereals, healthy, whole-grain cereals without extra sugar and preservatives are easy to come by. Plus, a bowl of hot cereal calls out for other delicious and healthy ingredients like omega-3 rich nuts and vitamin rich fruits.

My most recent breakfast discovery is teff.  Teff is a fine textured, nutty and rich flavored whole grain that is great for a hot breakfast. It is the smallest grain in the world and highly nutritious.  Because of its small size, the germ and bran, which are the most nutrient dense part of all grains, make up more of the grain proportionally than in most other types of grains.

When cooked, teff is a dark golden brown color with a light texture and pleasant flavor.  I love adding all kinds of goodies to my bowl of teff; I’ve listed a few ideas below which are also foods that help acne. You may have trouble finding teff in the grocery store. I get mine at Vitamin Cottage.

How to Cook Teff

Cook it on the stove or in the microwave.  To cook it on the stove top, add half a cup dry teff to 2 cups boiling water, turn down heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This makes enough for two people, but leftovers are also good so I usually make this much even if I’m just making it for myself.

When it’s done, spoon into your favorite bowl, add soy or almond milk to your preferred consistency and mix in goodies.  These are some of my favorite additions:

Nuts:
chopped walnuts
chopped pecans
slivered or sliced almonds

Fresh Fruit:
sliced fresh banana
diced apple or pear
peach slices
blueberries, raspberries, or other berries (fresh or frozen and thawed)

Dried fruit:
raisins
golden raisins
dried cranberries (apple juice sweetened)
dried apricot, mango, pineapple pieces, or other fruit (sulfur free without extra sweeteners)
shredded raw coconut (preservative free)

Spices:
cinnamon
nutmeg
clove (don’t overdo this one, it will make your tongue numb)
a bit of fresh grated ginger

Sweetener:
honey
agave nectar
maple syrup

Eat and enjoy as part of your delicious, anti-acne diet!