BREAK THE FAST

Breakfast provides the energy your body needs for the day. When you wake up in the morning, you haven’t eaten for 8-12 hours, ‘ITS TIME TO BREAK THE FAST’. More so, after a long period without eating, your blood sugar level will be low.
Research has shown that breakfast helps to improve mental and physical performance (making you more alert and assertive.) and contributes many important nutrients to your diet.
The reasons for skipping breakfast are many. The most frequent heard include; ‘there isn’t time’, ‘food that early makes me sick’, ‘I don’t like breakfast foods’, and ‘am skipping breakfast for weight control’. Mostly, these are just excuses. Breakfast does not have to take a lot of time, it can be simple or elaborate, cooked or uncooked, eaten sitting down or while on the run, low or high in calories, the main thing is to make it part of your morning routine.
Skipping breakfast is not a good way to cut calories, it can make your body to start to crave for something sweet and you may end up eating more at lunch, or relieving your hunger with unhealthy and less nutritious snacks “quick fixes”.
Overcome reasons not to have breakfast and make it part of your day. If you are too busy in the morning, prepare as much as you can the night before. If you can’t stomach anything first thing in the morning, try just a glass of pure unsweetened fruit juice, a banana, yoghurt or a slice of toast. Get into the habit of trying different dishes at breakfast and enjoy it!

WHAT’S FOR BREAKFAST?

A good breakfast is one that is higher in carbohydrate and lower in fat.(high carbohydrate foods include: bread, cereals, other grain products, vegetables and fruits.) choices from at least three or four food groups are suggested for a variety driven and nutritional adequate breakfast.
Breakfast can be just about anything, from last night’s left over rice to toast with milk. For the person on the run, a glass of milk with fruit or juice might hit the spot. If this doesn’t appeal, there are always cookies and biscuits. When served with milk, this provides the needed energy for the kids on the go. Apples, grapes, bananas, yogurt, cooked eggs are other easy on the go breakfast ideas. When planning a breakfast remember bread, fruit and milk. They are the basic components of a nutritious breakfast.

DELICIOUS BREAKFAST SUGGESTIONS

BREAKFAST CEREALS: go for low calorie muesli (no added sugar or salt) or a high fiber cereal, such as shredded wheat, Quaker oat, cornflake, etc with semi skimmed or skimmed milk. Add some fresh fruit, a slice of banana or dried fruits like raisins to add natural sweetness and help you reduce the sugar. (They also count towards your daily fruit and vegetable quota.)

FRESH FRIUT SALAD: this provides a slow release of energy to get you through until lunch time and also gives you a healthy top up of vitamins and minerals. This healthy choice will motivate you to make healthy choices throughout the day.

EGG: eggs are excellent and compact source of nutrients. They are relatively low in calories (75kcals each if boiled or poached) and contain very little saturated fat.

Use whole meal bread, avoid butter spread, accompany with a glass of fruit or vegetable juice.

BON APETTI