It’s no myth that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I personally can’t function without breakfast to refuel after an overnight fast, to beat my cranky morning mood and to help me concentrate.
So what’s all the hype about breakfast? Here are four good reasons:
1. Energy:
Breakfast ‘breaks the overnight fast’, restoring blood glucose levels to refuel our body with energy. In particular for those of you who workout in the morning, eating a small, well-rounded breakfast raises your muscle glycogen stores for optimal performance during training and other physical activities.
2. Cognitive Function
A nutritious breakfast has beneficial physical as well as mental affects by providing our brains with fuel to enhance mood, concentration and alertness.
3. Nutrients
Breakfast provides a significant proportion of our daily nutritional requirement of essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
4. Weight Management
In the long-term, eating breakfast regularly encourages weight maintenance by boosting your metabolism and therefore you ability to burn fat. Breakfast skippers are also more likely to experience that mid-morning slump, making you more likely to reach for high fat and sugary snacks. Not only can these extra calories derail your weight loss efforts, but going without food increases the production of insulin in your body, which can cause your body to store more fat.
Starting the day off with a nutritious breakfast, sets the tone for a healthy day ahead. You want to aim for balance- that is combining high-fiber carbohydrates, some lean protein, and a little healthy fat. Here are some tips for the most uplifting breakfast to jump-start your day ahead.
1. Wholegrains to fuel you brain and body: Fiber rich foods such as oats, whole-wheat breads, bagels, and 100 percent bran cereal.
2. Lean protein to maintain muscle mass and suppress hunger: Eggs, lean meats and fish, and nut butters, greek yoghurt and soy-based products for vegetarians.
3. Fruits and vegetables for essential vitamins and mineral: wake up to your 5 a day by including fruits and vegetables, such as a glass of freshly squeezed fruit/vegetable juice, adding a banana or berries to your porridge. Vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms are great toppings for omelets or with wholegrain breads.
4. Liquids to avoid dehydration: Water, fresh juices or herbal tea. The caffeine content in coffee and tea makes it less hydrating that other options.
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