Who’s got time? And that too for breakfast! Mornings are the most rushed time of the day, be it for young school going kids, housewives, office goers, hence most of us end up either eating too little or skip breakfast completely. However, numerous studies have confirmed the health benefits of eating an adequate breakfast; hence we should take the expression “eat breakfast like a king” more seriously. Here’s why.
What is breakfast?
It literally means breaking the fast after the previous night’s meal. By virtue of being the first meal of the day, it fulfils an essential function of providing replenishment, after a long gap of not eating while sleeping.
I Avoid….
I do not have time
I am not hungry in the morning
I want to lose weight
I hate cooking the first thing in the morning
I do not know what to eat
My maid does not come so early
Why bother?
Refuel & Recharge: You use some energy even when you are asleep, so when you wake up you need to recharge. Your body is hungry in the mornings, even if you don’t feel it. People who do not eat breakfast feel more tired and sluggish throughout the day. Breakfast is the fuel we need, to take on the challenges of the day. So, boost your energy and feel bright through the day with a healthy breakfast.
Mood Booster: Good breakfasts consisting of carbohydrates not only replenish glucose levels to the brain (the only fuel which the brain accepts) but boost your mood by releasing serotonin – a feel good neurotransmitter. So eating breakfast keeps you happy as well as reduces stress. Moreover, breakfast eaters can count on enhanced memory amongst other gain of eating the first meal.
X- Factor: If you suffer from Metabolic Syndrome also called SyndromeX which includes obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglyceride, elevated insulin and unstable blood sugar, you can gain better control over your condition by eating a high fibre breakfast. It has been reported that eating breakfast promotes lower body weight along with lower insulin levels. The morning meal consisting of wholegrains or fibre rich foods have been shown to reduce artery blockage by 40%.
Children do better at school: There is strong evidence that breakfast improves cognitive functions related to memory and test grades. Students who ate breakfast are able to focus and have better attention span than their breakfast-skipping pears. The complaint for stomach aches and headaches also reduce amongst children who eat in the morning. Some studies have even shown that students who eat proper breakfast have fewer absences from school.
Keeps you thin – Some people delete breakfast from their diet as they think it will help them lose weight. But research shows that having breakfast actually helps you stay at a healthy weight because it helps control binges and cravings later in the day. It also triggers your metabolism and helps you burn calories throughout the day.
Burn More – Breakfast kick-start your metabolism. If you do not feed yourself in the morning you push your body into conservation mode and the body slows down and burns fewer calories. Moreover, if you deprive your body of food for long, it starts breaking down muscle to produce energy. Losing muscle means losing your burning capacity i.e. metabolism
Reduce Cravings – Those who skip breakfast feel more tired and irritable as the day passes by. By mid-morning, the sugar levels plummet and you crave for it in tea, coffee or anything sweet. By mid –morning you are starving and eat whatever is at your disposal, consoling yourself that everything is alright since you have not eaten at all. You are also more likely to eat fatty foods all day long if you go without breakfast. Moreover, studies have shown that those who skip breakfast and despite consuming a decent lunch struggle with cravings during evenings.
More Action: Research show that people who eat breakfast, are physically more active and have better health standards than those who don’t.
So, banish the thought of skipping a very important meal.
Most of us do try and have breakfast but more often we have inadequate or wrong breakfast. A glass of milk would not qualify as breakfast for a school going kid; so does a cup of coffee or tea with biscuits. We need to understand that it’s not just enough to have breakfast, it is as important to have a balanced breakfast at the right time.
How much?
A good breakfast can and should provide up to a quarter of the nutrients and energy you need for the day. Moreover, it should be balanced and should contain a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, fat, calcium, fibre and vitamins and minerals
Breakfast ideas!
- 1 egg + wholegrain toast + fruit/ vegetables
- Wholegrain Toast/ Roti + Vegetables+ Chicken/ Tuna/ Cheese/ Cottage Cheese = Sandwich/Frankie
- Muesli/ Oats with fruit or dried fruit + Milk or Soya Milk
- Besan or Dal Cheela with vegetables + Cottage Cheese
- A bowl of fruits with a glass of low fat lassi or yogurt
- Idli/ Plain dosa (made with less oil) + Sambhar + Green Chutney
- Upma/ Poha with Vegetables + Buttermilk
- Veg stuffed Paratha (made with less oil on a non-stick pan) + yogurt
- Roti + sabzi+ sattu ghol/ yogurt
- Chire + yogurt+ Fruit/ Nuts
- Sprouted Salad + buttermilk
Beverages
Tea
Hot/ Cold Coffee
Green Tea
Herbal Teas
Lassi/ Buttermilk
Milkshakes/ Smoothies
Lemon Water
Barley water
Suggestions for children
Banana or Mango or Strawberry Smoothie/ Milkshake
Cold Coffee + Fruit
Cheese/ Cottage cheese + Veg + Wholegrain Bread
Milk+ Nuts + Dried Fruit
Paneer/ Egg/ Chicken + Vegetables+ Roti = Wrap or Roll
Potato + Cottage Cheese/ Chicken + Vegs = Tikkis(Roasted with little oil on a non-stick pan)
Orange Juice + wholewheat bread + cheese
Stuffed Vegetable Paratha + Fruit Juice/ Fruit
Sounds like a mammoth task. Take heart. Plan your breakfast ahead. Save the hassle by keeping chopped vegetables, boiled potato, cottage cheese, eggs and you can concoct any dish in just a few minutes. If you want to give stuffed parathas or tikkis/ cutlets, prepare it the night before, all you need to do is roast it in the morning and will still have a lot of time. In case, you still cannot manage your time, drink something at home and munch on your way to work. If none of the above pleases and suit you, there are plenty of ready to eat options available. Opt for the no added sugar and lo-fat variants.
What is the best time ?
One should consume breakfast within an hour or two of rising. It is the first meal you have after you wake up. Hence it should be timed according to your dinner. One should watch that there is no more than a 12 hour gap. Now for those who work at night and go to sleep at 5 in the morning, breakfast would not be at 8 o’clock, but when they wake up after a restful sleep of 5-8 hours. For those who have normal work schedule, an ideal breakfast time would be between 8-10:30 a.m.; depending on your wake up time.