Eat a better breakfast

Get a better breakfast with our hints and tips

You've probably heard that it's the most important meal of the day and for good reason. Research shows that eating breakfast can boost your metabolism, keep your blood sugar steady and give you energy throughout the day. One study showed that obesity and insulin resistance rates were 35-50 per cent lower among people who ate breakfast every day, compared to those who didn’t. But if you really want to experience the benefits of breakfast, you need to include the right fuel.

Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned to believe we should only eat certain types of foods in the morning. But ‘unconventional’ breakfast foods are often healthier, and higher in protein, fibre and essential fats. Japanese breakfasts may include miso soup, fermented soy, eggs or grilled fish. While Scandinavians may include bread at breakfast, they typically accompany it with meats, fish, cheese and vegetables, that are rich in nutrients and essential fatty acids. Other cultures eat fermented foods and drinks, such as kefir and yoghurt, that are beneficial to digestive health and immune function. Here's what you could be eating.

Protein

It’s essential you eat protein at breakfast, to stoke your metabolism and burn calories, while controlling your appetite. Good choices include eggs, meat, fish, plain yoghurt, beans, tofu, nuts, seeds or protein powders. To accompany your protein, think vegetables, especially leafy greens like kale, broccoli, spinach, which are packed with phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Read more: CLICK HERE

Vegetables

Sautéing a handful of kale or spinach with scrambled eggs, or adding cooked vegetables to an omelette, are simple, speedy options. Vegetables are alkalising, which helps balance the acidity of protein foods. This is also important if you’re exercising hard, as it can counter the build-up of lactic acid that leads to muscle soreness after a workout. Green smoothies, combining leafy greens or super foods such as chlorella, spirulina and wheatgrass with a little fruit and coconut water, are becoming popular breakfast or post-workout options and can be combined with protein powder to create a quick ‘meal in a glass’.

Good fats

Essential fats are also needed for optimal insulin function, healthy cell membranes and blood sugar control. A healthy breakfast option should therefore include healthy fat such as omega-3 essential fats – think wild or sustainably caught cold-water fish, such as smoked salmon or mackerel. And also eggs; organic meats, particularly game (try venison sausages), or omega-3 rich seeds such as chia and flaxseeds, or a handful of walnuts. Include ingredients rich in monounsaturated fats, such as olives, olive oil, avocado and avocado oil and nuts. Also consider those rich in medium-chain triglycerides such as coconut oil, which contains lauric acid, a powerful anti-inflammatory fat that can be used instead of butter for cooking, spreading or adding to smoothies.

Try this! 

Salmon, eggs or cooked slices of lean meat and high-quality sausages with vegetables. You could cook an extra salmon fillet, chicken breast, or hard-boil some eggs in the evening and serve them for breakfast to save time in the morning. Drizzle a little olive oil or avocado oil to get in some healthy fats, or add coconut oil to a smoothie. Slices of avocado, cucumber, tomato and alfalfa sprouts take no time to prepare, or whizz up an alkalising protein shake.

Read more: CLICK HERE