Breakfast for Thought

Breakfast, the most neglected meal, and routinely skipped meal. While all three traditional meals play an important part in supplying out bodies with the daily recommended levels of essential nutrients, most experts agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. From articles of many sources to food facts and studies, it is clearly obvious that breakfast results in a more positive attitude, slimmer body, and better concentration. Breakfast really does kick start your day so don't skip it no more.


Breakfast is Brain Food


According to Foodfactsasia, eating breakfast is associated with improvements in mental performance. Starting the day with a light meal has positive impact on alertness, concentration, and helps to establish a positive attitude towards school studies, workplaces task and other activities. This is hardly suprising, given breakfast, especially carbohydrate-based breakfasts boost brain glucose levels, and micronutrients, such as B vitamins commonly added to breakfast cereals are also known to have positive effect on brain functions.

Breakfast eaters are slimmer

People who claim they are cutting calories by skipping breakfast, also are the very same people who are found snacking later in the day and fighting the low energy battle in the late afternoon and evening. Breakfast was designed to rev up your body for the rest of the day by boosting your energy, keeping your eating patterns even and stimulating your body's metabolism. No wonder those who skip breakfast are constantly in the "focus on weight loss" mode.



Make it Easy

One of the most common reasons given for skipping breakfast is 'lack of time'. The morning rush to get out of the house on time is a common feature in so many busy lives nowadays. This time pressure combined with assumptions that a nutritious breakfast will take time to prepare and eat, is a common reason why breakfast may disappear from the morning routine.

Another very common reason given for missing breakfast is 'lack of appetite.' Normally night time is the longest period in the daily routine when no food or drink is consumed, and yet despite this, many report not wanting to eat in the early morning. If you want to re-establish the breakfast habit, but 'no appetite' is the obstacle, start with something small, and easy, and concentrate first on making it part of the morning routine. Something is better than nothing.

One solution to both of these challenges is to plan ahead, and choose foods which seem most appealing in the early part of the day, and then ensure they are on hand and ready in the morning, or why not consider getting up just 10 minutes earlier in the morning?

Also, think beyond cooked and elaborate traditional breakfasts, and choose foods from the starchy cereals and grains; high calcium; fruit and vegetable food groups: Quick, cold dishes such as breakfast cereal and dairy or soy milk or breakfast bars with a carton of juice or milk; pots of yoghurt, fresh or dried fruit; rice crackers with a sweet or savoury spread, buns or other lower fat bakery goods offer easy grab-and-go options, that can be eaten on the way to work or school if necessary. If picking up food after leaving the house, try to avoid fried foods and aim to include some fresh fruit or vegetables; for example grilled fish with vegetables instead of fried rice, an omelette stuffed with finely chopped vegetables or a carton of juice with a muesli bar.

Ref: Food facts asia and www.adksportsfitness.com/