DO YOU SKIP YOUR BREAKFAST? - IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST

How does you morning look ?


Are you:

• sluggish in the morning ?
• slow to get going ?
• low in energy and concentration levels by mid-morning ?
• moody and irritable with colleagues and friends for no reason 

        If you have answered yes to one or more of the above, then perhaps you are one of the many people that skip the most important meal of the day -  breakfast. Many adults and even children skip breakfast. Nutritional experts and even health experts claim breakfast as the most important meal of the day. It plays a very key role in preventing many health problems, mainly obesity. Eating a healthy breakfast can reduce obesity, high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes. 

        There’s a reason why people have said for many years that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. After six, seven or eight hours – if you’re lucky – of sleep, your body and brain need some fuel to power and prepare them for the day ahead. Like a car, you can’t run on an empty tank, you need some petrol.

        Skipping breakfast also triggers bad eating habits during the day, as cravings ensue and quick-fix fast foods are often eaten.

Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work.

BENEFITS OF EATING BREAKFAST

Eating a healthy breakfast  everyday gives your brain and body a boost.

• Breakfast gives you energy:  Breakfast tops up your energy stores for the day and helps to regulate blood sugar. Experts recommend that around 25% of you daily food intake should come from breakfast.

• Breakfast gives you brain a boost: Eating breakfast improves your memory, concentration and aspects of mental performance. Just like any other organ in the body, your brain needs energy in order to work at its best. 

• Breakfast can make you happier: Eating something in the morning can help improve you mood and make you feel less stressed. Going for long periods without eating can result in low blood sugar which can affect you mood and performance. 

• Breakfast is good for your waistline: People who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and more likely to be in their ideal weight range than people who skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast can make you more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks too.

• Breakfast provides important nutrients: If you miss you breakfast you may miss out on important nutrients. Breakfast foods are good sources of nutrients such as calcium, iron and B Vitamins, as well as protein and fibre. 

• Children who eat a good breakfast perform better in school, pay more attention, are more creative, think better, score higher on tests and they are also less likely to be overweight. 

An ideal, healthy breakfast

           A healthy breakfast provides 25 per cent of the total energy and nutrients required by the body. Ideally, your first meal of the day should comprise a perfect combination of carbohydrates, protein and fibre. Make sure you include fruits, whole grains, berries and and good fats. Opt for light and soft idlis with sambhar, plain dosas with green chutney, milk with cornflakes or wheatflakes, vegetable poha or upma with a milkshake and sprouts. Also, include high fibre fruits like apples, papayas, muskmelons, oranges or watermelons. The ideal breakfast may vary depending on the geographical location and other factors. 

What to avoid ?

          Processed, deep fried or oily food, preserved meat, left over or junk food, cakes, pastries, and only juices are a no-no. Avoid refined foods like white rice and white bread. Instead opt for whole wheat bread and cereals. Stay away from deep fried pakodas, puris, samosas, doughnuts, cookies, potato chips, candy bars and sodas.  Food items like vada pav, bhajias, wafers, pizzas and French fries are loaded with fat, salt and calories and have very little fibre — keep them at an arm's length.

Disadvantages of skipping breakfast

• Lower concentration
• leaves you without energy
• increased weight gain
• decreased nutrient intake
• more likely to suffer cravings
• leads to many health problems in the long run

Common reasons for skipping breakfast

• not enough time
• too tired to bother
• wanting to spend extra time dozing in bed
• not readily available breakfast foods
• do not feel hungry

If you are one of those who fall into this breakfast skipping category, make sure from now on you ensure yourself a healthy breakfast for a healthier self.