Angela Dowden explains what we need to be eating in the morning
It’s Farmhouse Breakfast Week (22-28 January 2012), a time to celebrate the most important meal of the day.
One in four people skip breakfast at some point during the week and one in six people never eat a morning meal yet research shows that breakfast offers huge benefits to health and wellbeing.
Many of us are suffering from the January blues and it can seem a struggle to get out of bed in the morning when it’s dark and cold outside. But if you start the day with a tasty nutritious meal, it really can set you up for the rest of the day and help encourage healthy eating habits.
Eating a healthy balanced breakfast every day gives your brain and body a boost. Overnight your blood sugar falls so eating breakfast helps top up the energy stores used by the body overnight, as well as providing energy for the day ahead. If you eat breakfast in the morning you’ll find that you’re less likely to reach for a sugary snack mid-morning. Research shows that breakfast eaters tend to have more energy, better concentration, feel less stressed and are less likely to be overweight – in other words it can make you healthier and happier.
So what’s the ultimate brekkie? Quick, nutritious, energising and tasty – that’s what! Follow Angela Dowden's tips below and my five easy healthy breakfast suggestions which are designed to fit into busy working lives.
For the best start to the day, aim to follow these four easy steps:
1. Include something wholegrain: oats, wholemeal bread or bagels, or a breakfast cereal labeled wholegrain for example. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy and wholegrain foods will help you to stay fuller for longer and are a good source of fibre which is vital for a healthy diet
2. Add a protein source: that could be milk or dairy, eggs, or for a treat, bacon, sausages or smoked salmon. Protein also helps you feel and stay full and helps your body grow and repair
3. Add one or more portions of fruit and /or veg: A portion is 80g, or a good handful. When you’re measuring juice it’s a 150ml glass. If it’s dried fruit, around one tablespoon. Fruit and veg provide plenty of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which are essential for our health. Getting some of your five a day in the morning helps make the job easier later on
4. Factor in your own personal circumstances: You need to find a breakfast choice and pattern to suit you. If you have an active lifestyle then go for a higher calorie breakfast, but if you spend a lot of time sedentary then slim it down. If you eat erratically for the rest of the day then a fortified cereal can be a good way to cover some of your vitamin and mineral needs. There are lots of fast healthy options if you find it hard to get time to eat breakfast, from instant porridges through to toast, smoothies or cereal bars.
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