Everybody has heard it before: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But still many people often skip breakfast with reasons such as they are not hungry, they do not have time and some even think that they are being healthy by fasting.
There are many reasons why eating breakfast is one of the healthiest thing to do. After spending around eight hours with no food or water, you are dehydrated, you have little energy and your blood sugar level is low. It is the point of the day when you need to "break the fast" and feed the body with energy and nutrients to keep yourself healthy and fit.
Besides, eating a healthy breakfast is most important for those who are watching their weight. People who eat breakfast daily are the ones who are more successful at losing weight and keeping off extra weight. This is because eating breakfast helps them eat normally the rest of the day instead of going after unhealthy and high-calorie snacks before lunch. In addition, eating breakfast can speed up your metabolism early in the day. When you eat a healthy breakfast, you're more likely to have better concentration and productivity throughout the morning.
Basics of a Healthy Breakfast
There are many healthy foods in the Food Guide Pyramid that are good for breakfast and easy to make. The key to planning a healthy breakfast is to pick foods from 3 to 5 food groups. That way you will have a good variety of foods and nutrients. For example, a bowl of cereal with milk and a piece of fresh fruit includes 3 of the food groups (bread and cereal, milk and fruit groups). A meal that includes an egg, slice of toast, an apple, and a cup of milk includes foods from 4 of the food groups (meat, bread and cereal, fruit and milk group).
The perfect solid breakfast should be:
- Nutritious and fortified, supplying at least 25 percent of the daily requirements.
- High on whole grains that supplies complex carbohydrates and fiber that are filling.
- Low in fats like butter, but with enough healthy fats (nuts) to prime the brain.
- Include good quality protein like milk or egg that supply calcium for bone building.
- Not a sugary drink that initially shoots up blood sugar, mood and energy levels and later cause cravings and affect performance.
Nutritious breakfast choices
Here are some examples of healthy breakfast options:
- A variety of healthy fortified cereals are a good source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Further, milk supplies the much needed calcium and proteins.
- Oatmeal with nuts like almonds (badam) or dried cranberries.
- Try a small platter of fruit and a cup of yogurt.
- An omelette with vegetables can be a healthy choice.
- A whole-wheat sandwich with vegetables (such as cucumber, tomato and onion) and low-fat cheese.
- Idli, poha, chilas and upma also make healthy breakfast options with a glass of milk or fruit juice.
- A parantha stuffed with cauliflower, radish (mooli), fenugreek (methi), potato or any other filling eaten with a cup of yogurt.
- If one prefers toast, then get some wholewheat bread and serve it with some scraping of butter or jam with a glass of milk or fruit juice.
Your morning meal doesn't have to be time-consuming to be healthy. Keep the breakfast basics in mind and set yourself up for healthier eating all day long.
