BREAKFAST

BREAK FAST

It`s the meal with which you break your fast after the last meal you had the day before. Healthy breakfast is required to help you kick-start your day. Skipping it, on the other hand, can lead to long-term health hazards including convulsions in the stomach.

After a long night`s sleep, your blood sugar drops. Your body requires fuel to help it function normally. An early breakfast provides this energy and boosts your metabolism. Without it, your body will continue to crave for sugary and high calorie snacks (like fast foods, for instance), and may cause you to develop unhealthy eating habits.

Breakfast has an important effect on fitness, body composition and glucose in the blood. Missing out on breakfast means losing out the day`s vital nutrients which may not be consumed otherwise throughout the day. A carbohydrate-rich breakfast fuels the brain with glucose improves concentration, problem-solving and eye-hand coordination in children. It can also curb hunger-related minor headaches and stomach aches, leaving children energetic during school hours.

A nutritious breakfast is one which is high on carbohydrates, low on fat, and which contains vitamins, minerals, proteins and calcium. It should make up a fourth (i.e. 400 to 500 calories) of your daily recommended intake of approximately 2,000 calories. These are some healthy breakfast choices:

1. Whole-wheat bread, oats, bran flakes, or muesli with nuts, eaten with skimmed or non-skimmed milk. The enzymes in the oats and muesli are good for cutting down cholesterol.
2. Whole fruit, juices or fruit salads of seasonal fruits with a dash of chaat masala. Vegetable juices, such as tomato, lauki (gourd), carrot and spinach. Fruits and vegetables have fibre and are good sources of antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E.
3. Plain yogurt or curd, a glass of buttermilk or lassi, cottage cheese (paneer), cheese in moderation, or a glass of milk. These are the best sources of protein and calcium. You can also incorporate protein in your breakfast with boiled or poached eggs, soya or ham. A breakfast rich in protein releases energy at regular levels.
4. Green tea, herbal tea or fruit tea are good choices for breakfast. Have tea or coffee with caffeine only if you need to stay alert.
5. Include nuts such as almonds, cashews and pistachios, and raisins in your breakfast. Raisins can be added to items such as oat porridge.