Why is it so important to eat breakfast?
Eating a healthy breakfast is the best way to start your day. It is a good habit which, if maintained, kick-starts your metabolism (the body’s ability to burn calories) and leaves you feeling much better throughout the morning and the rest of the day. Children who eat nutritionally balanced diets are more likely to have the energy and self-esteem needed to enhance their ability to learn and perform better at school.
What happens to your body when you don’t eat breakfast?
Skipping breakfast is the number one cause of a slow metabolism. Your body expects to be refuelled several times each day – starting in the morning. When you fail to provide it with this fuel, you get tired and your brain and body run low on sugar levels. By mid-morning, you might grab a cup of coffee or a sugary snack to wake up again. This might work for a few minutes, but by lunch time you are hungry, cranky and your mood swings might push you to make unhealthy food choices. The food eaten in subsequent meals is hardly converted to energy and mostly stored as fat, which in the long run leads to putting on weight. If you really don’t like to eat breakfast, split it up into smaller meals.
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What are the best foods to eat for breakfast?
A healthy breakfast should contain protein (from low fat dairy, meats, eggs or beans), carbohydrates (from bread, cereals, oats) and some fibre (found in
whole grains, vegetables and fruits) because they satisfy your hunger and will keep you feeling full until lunch time. A good example of a healthy breakfast is a hard-boiled egg, an orange and a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk. The amount of food a person should have for breakfast depends on their total calorie allowance, which should be integrated into a ‘three meals and two snacks’ daily food plan.
What are the worst foods to eat for breakfast?
Stay away from high sugar cereals, syrups, pastries and white breads because they are digested quickly and will leave you feeling hungry in a couple of hours. Also avoid high fat foods such as sausages, bacon, hash browns and high fat cheeses.
Should you drink tea or coffee at breakfast?
According to research, coffee and tea have various health benefits if consumed in moderation (a total of three cups of caffeinated beverages per day). However it is recommended to keep your caffeinated beverages for snack time rather than breakfast. For a start, coffee tends to fill you up and you might end up skipping your breakfast meal all together. Also, caffeine limits the body’s ability to absorb calcium and iron, which are widely available in a healthy breakfast.
What should children eat for breakfast?
Kick start your child’s day with a good breakfast. Involve your kids in planning and preparing their breakfast to stop them from trading their sandwiches for their friends’ cookies at school. Examples of healthy breakfasts for kids are:
• Peanut butter and a teaspoon of jam on whole wheat bread.
• Cheese, turkey or low fat chicken breast sandwich with cut vegetables.
• Fortified cereal or oats with dried fruit, a handful of nuts and a glass of low fat milk or yogurt.
What should you eat for breakfast if you are trying to lose weight?
Skipping breakfast is a common strategy among people trying to lose weight, but certainly not a smart one! In fact, people who eat breakfast are more likely to lose and maintain weight if they are
following a healthy diet plan. When on a weight loss plan, try to control your calorie intake by limiting the amount of sugar and fat in your meal yet ensuring adequate quantities of carbohydrates, proteins and fibres. A good example would be a sandwich made of whole wheat bread with low fat white cheese and some cut vegetables on the side. You may also have a small glass of freshly squeezed juice or a piece of fruit.
Live’ly Health & Nutrition Lounge, Abu Dhabi (02 643 3301).
