How do you answer the question “What did you have for breakfast today”? It is a question that can have a significant impact on your life. This article will address the importance of breakfast, show you how the traditional “Coffee Breakfast” with a muffin or rusks is a deadly mistake and give you ideas for healthy breakfast smoothie recipes. I will show you how different foods affect your performance throughout the day and how you can help your child do his/her best in the coming exams.
A strong connection has recently been discovered between bad breakfast and many health-related problems. It is estimated by the WHO that up to 70% of all Doctor visits are nutrition related.
So, What did you have for Breakfast Today?
So, Using my favourite South African expression: Ja, No well fine” Coffee and toast Just don’t cut it. Low in fibre, high in sugar and salt –
muesli is also not always the healthiest choice
They are sold as the healthy breakfast choice but our most popular muesli contains sky-high levels of sugar and salt. Some have as much as 27 grams of sugar in every 100 grams of muesli – and are actually low in fibre. Only half of the cereals tested by the Consumers Association of Ireland had a ‘green’ light to show they had a high fibre content.
The importance of eating a healthy, kick start your Day, Meal?
It really is the most important meal of the day, helping you reach your full quota of daily vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients while also helping to control cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Regularly eating this early morning meal may even help you live longer. A new study that tracked hundreds of Americans, found that people who regularly ate this important meal had lower rates of type 2 diabetes and were less likely to develop heart failure.
Profile of a Healthy Breakfast
What to Include:
Protein: Aim for about 12 grams from lean sources such as eggs or an egg substitute (about 6 grams per large egg or egg equivalent), low-fat cottage cheese (14 grams per half cup) or yoghurt (13 grams per cup), skim milk (about 8 grams per cup), or soy bacon or sausage (about 3 to 6 grams per ounce). Eggs, peanut butter, fish, tofu, and lean meats are a few better of better sources of protein.
Carbohydrates: Choose complex ones such as whole-grain bread or cereal, fruit, and vegetables. Carbs are not a necessity in your diet as you can do without them but they do provide you with quick, short-term energy.
Heart-healthy fat: Good sources include olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, like salmon. Fatty fish also provide you with the Omega 3 that you need but only if it is wild-caught and not farmed. Follow this link for more on food production.
What No Breakfast Does To You
If you don’t even eat breakfast you probably get nubblish at about 09:30 to 10:00. The ones that reach for a coke and pie, or a packet of chips. Then at lunchtime, you are exhausted.
In this graph,
you will see how your energy levels start low then when you drink your coffee and eat your carbs, the carbs turn to sugar and your blood sugar spikes. Shortly afterwards, your body produces insulin to counter the excessively high sugar. The insulin then drives your sugar down. Not having eaten any protein, your sugar levels plummet and you feel the hunger pains and lack of energy and you reach for coke and chips or breakfast muffin which in turn chases up your sugar levels again. This cycle continues until you eat a healthy meal.
What A Coffee And High-Carb Breakfast Does To You
Are you one of the “Coffee and Toast or Muffin” crew? You know, the ones that only have a “Light” Breakfast to lose weight or because you don’t have time to make and eat breakfast? If you are, you are not doing yourself any favours.
The Graph below
you will see that your blood sugar spikes as soon as you eat the high-carb breakfast. Once again, your sugar produces insulin to drive down the excessive sugar level and your sugar then plummets, leaving you hungry and without energy. You reach for the coke and chips and the cycle begins once again.
How Nutritional, High-Protein Breakfast Meals Help You
Eating Healthy breakfast meals to start your day is extremely important. Keeping your Blood Sugar at normal levels, a good breakfast will help you keep on top of your game, keeping you energised and mentally fit. This is especially important for students and scholars when they approach examination time. A nutritional breakfast will keep you mentally alert and help you focus on the issues at hand.
The graph below
You will notice how your sugar levels remain in the normal zone. this prevents the “sugar rush” from the high carb Breakfast. it also helps prevent the sugar lows and the hunger experienced when your sugar goes too low.
Breakfast Ideas
Here is a list of what a healthy breakfast is and 10 Healthy Breakfast Ideas from Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training.
What Is a Good Breakfast?
The foods you eat for breakfast can affect how you feel and perform throughout your morning. There are several things that a good breakfast can do for you.
A healthy breakfast can…
- Help Keep you fuelled up until your next meal or snack will provide you with the staying power you need. Remember, protein helps to satisfy hunger, and high-fibre foods fill you up.
- energise your body and brain. In the morning, your gas tank is almost empty. By eating the correct foods for breakfast, you’re topping up your energy tank to keep fuelling your muscles and brain with the fuel they need for great performance.
- Help reduce cravings and avoid blood sugar swings. A balanced meal containing both protein and healthy carbohydrates will provide sustained energy and help prevent wild swings in your blood sugar that trigger cravings for sweets or other unhealthy foods. (This applies as long as you don’t have any medical issues regarding your body’s ability to regulate your blood sugar.)
- Help you choose better food throughout the day. Those who skip Breakfast often experience cravings for sweets and fats that can continue throughout the day. When you eat breakfast, the cravings drop dramatically. A high-protein breakfast tends to reduce cravings for Salty or sweet foods. The moral of the story is, eating a healthy breakfast in the morning can reduce cravings for unhealthy foods later in the day, and help you make healthier choices.
- Help support muscle health by providing sufficient protein. Eating enough protein in the morning can also help maintain muscle health. Muscle protein synthesis can improve when protein intake is more evenly distributed throughout the day.
10 Healthy Breakfast Ideas
A balanced breakfast should provide you with 20-30 grams of protein, a decent amount. This helps satisfy hunger and supports muscle health. Healthy carbohydrates can provide sustained energy and fibre. Carbohydrates must include some fruits or vegetables. If your calorie budget allows, add some whole grains as well.
With these simple guidelines, it’s easy to put together a healthy, well-balanced breakfast. Here are 10 healthy breakfast suggestions:
- 1. Cook fresh or frozen spinach, top with scrambled eggs or egg whites and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, fresh fruit on the side
- 2. Protein shake made with protein powder, low-fat milk or soy milk and fruit
- 3. Plain non-fat or low-fat yoghurt or cottage cheese topped with fresh fruit and cinnamon, or chopped raw vegetables and some fresh black pepper
- 4. Rolled oats prepared with milk or soy milk; stir in protein powder and fruit after cooking
- 5. Corn tortillas, heated and spread with black beans; top with grated low-fat cheese and salsa; fresh fruit
- 6. Whole grain toast spread with avocado and topped with slices of turkey breast; fresh fruit
- 7. Scramble extra-firm tofu, drained, crumbled in a little olive oil with fresh vegetables and herbs; fresh fruit
- 8. Whole grain crackers spread with non-fat ricotta cheese and topped with sliced berries
- 9. Salmon patty on a toasted whole-grain English muffin; fresh fruit
- 10. Leftovers: whole grains, protein and veggies make a great breakfast
Breakfast Smoothies For Weight Loss And Breakfast On The Go
Breakfast is so important that It is considered to be an effective method to lose weight. And if you don’t have the time to eat breakfast before your go to work, school or varsity, there is an answer for that too. Susan Bowerman recommends a shake to replace your breakfast that will keep you energised and sustained till your next planned meal. Watch her video below.
Breakfast Smoothies For Weight Loss And Breakfast On The Go
Breakfast is so important that It is considered to be an effective method to lose weight. And if you don’t have the time to eat breakfast before your go to work, school or varsity, there is an answer for that too. Susan Bowerman recommends a shake to replace your breakfast that will keep you energised and sustained till your next planned meal. Watch her video below.
Breakfast smoothies are great for those on the go, that don’t have time for breakfast and those needing
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