While many Americans are reaching for an early morning doughnut and a cup of coffee, Brian Sroub reaches into his garden and snips some radicchio, endive and chard. As other Americans prepare to start their day with a jolt of sugar and caffeine, the Ohio marketing executive is already enjoying the intense flavors of the fresh chipotle peppers and homemade adobo sauce that he sprinkles on his beloved breakfast salad.

 Breakfast salad? Now there’s some food for thought.

 Although unlikely to unseat cereal, eggs, pancakes or toast as one of the more popular breakfast offerings, a plate of greens before work or school is attracting the attention of health experts and food bloggers alike. Loaded with fiber and plenty of nutrients, morning salads can boost energy, stabilize mood, influence metabolism and benefit the immune and cardiovascular systems, explains Beth Ricanati, MD, medical director of the Lifestyle 180 program at the Cleveland Clinic.

 “Food is really like medicine. We need to think of it that way,” Dr. Ricanati says. “You can help symptoms you already have or symptoms you don’t want to get by making the right food choices.”

A sticky bun — or spinach salad? Waffles with syrup — or watercress?

Sure, the very notion of vegetables before 8 a.m. may be a turnoff to some, but it can be very rewarding, health-wise, if you can stomach it.

 Compared with people who skimp on fruits and vegetables, those who eat generous portions of them are less likely to develop chronic diseases including stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

With many Americans failing to eat enough fruits and vegetables — and far too many skipping a morning meal altogether — the breakfast salad is a concept that is perhaps long overdue.

“It’s such a foreign idea, but I think it’s a good idea,” says registered dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick, wellness manager of the Cleveland Clinic’s Lifestyle 180 program. “A lot of people really struggle to get enough vegetables in their diet. If you can knock out two or three servings at breakfast, that’s a good thing.”

Indeed, a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that fewer than one in five American adults consume at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day. Considering that the U.S. Department of Agriculture now recommends that many Americans get nearly double the Five a Day servings of produce that was once the nutrition mantra, many people who start their day off with bacon and eggs — or just a cup of java — are destined to fall far short of the dietary guidelines.

Participants in the Cleveland Clinic’s Lifestyle 180 program are encouraged to eat five handfuls of fruit and five handfuls of vegetables per day. The U.S. Department of Agriculture believes that some Americans may need as many as 13 servings per day for optimal wellness. That’s why the government’s Five a Day campaign is no longer. In its place: Fruits & Veggies — More Matters.

“No matter how many fruits and vegetables you’re eating a day, it can’t hurt to add more,” says Jill Le Brasseur, a spokeswoman for the Produce for Better Health Foundation.

It took Brian Sroub 50 years and a few extra pounds to come to that realization. As someone who tended to skip breakfast and sometimes even lunch, he would find himself feasting at dinnertime — and not always on the most nutritious foods.

A doctor encouraged him to change his culinary ways: Eat breakfast. Eat more vegetables. Sroub decided to accomplish both goals at once and noshed on a bag of spring mix that very first morning. Now he grows many of his own vegetables and tops his salads with mushrooms, wasabi peas, ground flaxseeds and homemade dressing.

“There are people who think it’s kind of odd,” he concedes. But he has no intention of replacing his salads with sweet rolls. After four months of his new morning routine, he lost 20 pounds and says he no longer has the intense cravings for the fattening foods that he once did. “It is,” he says, “a great way to live.”

Go green for breakfast

If a breakfast salad just doesn’t sound palatable to you, Cleveland Clinic experts suggest other ways of sneaking vegetables into your morning meal:

• Drink them up. A glass of juice doesn’t sound like outrageous breakfast fare. So why not sip on some carrot juice or tomato juice? Even though they come in a container, they’re still loaded with antioxidants and other important nutrients, and they’ll help you meet your vegetable quota.
• Give it a whirl. If you’re feeling a little industrious, mix a few vegetables together in a blender and you’ve got yourself a veggie smoothie. The Internet is teeming with nutritious recipes. Select the smoothie that sounds most appealing to you.
• Eat spinach and be strong to the finish. This dark, leafy green vegetable lends itself well to many breakfast dishes. Add it to a frittata or egg-white omelet. Or lightly saute it and add it to a warm mushroom salad. It will help keep you warm on a cold winter’s day.

Still haven’t convinced you? Then focus on getting plenty of fruit and fiber in your first meal of the day and work on the vegetables later:

• Add berries to a bowl of oatmeal.
• Eat a banana with a slice of whole-grain toast lightly covered with natural peanut butter.
• Grab an apple as you’re rushing out the door.

How much do you need?

How many servings of fruits and vegetables should you be eating per day? Calculate your individual needs at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/.