The Importance of Breakfast
All of us have our own morning rituals. Some of the things that are usually done after waking up, in no particular order, are going to the bathroom, reading the newspaper, checking emails and text messages, watching the morning news, drinking coffee and cleaning the car. These things are all okay because they set us off for the day. But the one important thing missing here is eating breakfast. It is a healthy eating habit that we must all have.
Many people skip breakfast because of a lot of reasons. Some miss breakfast because they are in a hurry to go to school or to the office. Others think that missing breakfast will help them lose weight. There are also those who think that breakfast foods are boring. Still others believe that breakfast isn’t as important as lunch and dinner.
We must remember that we always have to start our day off right if we want to be productive. A good breakfast will boost our energy and our metabolism. We need this in order for us to be able to do our responsibilities for the rest of the day. It will help us increase work productivity.
A good breakfast will also increase our attention span. We will be able to focus on our daily tasks and we will be able to finish them fast as is expected of us. It will help prevent lack of alertness and slow reaction time.
In the morning, our blood sugar level is low. Since glucose is an important fuel for the brain, we need to have a good breakfast to help us think fast and prevent sluggishness. It will also prevent us from being irritable.
For people who are always in a hurry to go to work or to school, there are ways to have breakfast without using too much time. You can choose breakfast that are easy to prepare like cereals. It only takes a few steps to prepare this. You just have to open up the cereal box, pour its contents in a bowl and add milk. It is also easy to eat. You can also have buttered toast. You can toast it while you are taking a bath or checking your car. If you want a special breakfast like bacon and omelet, you can prepare them before going to bed and store them in the fridge. Just heat them up the next day while doing your other morning rituals. You can also take fresh fruits that would require no preparations like eating apples or bananas.
For those who find breakfast food boring, there are also ways to turn them into even more healthy foods. Cereals can be topped with fresh strawberries or melon slices. You can also top them with nuts for additional texture. You can turn toasts into exciting ones by spreading them with not just butter but guava or pineapple jam. These are good combinations. You can also make your bacon and omelet meals look like gourmet meals by garnishing them with sliced tomatoes and some herbs. You can even add grated cheese. All of these add calories, but also vital nutrients that just a plain piece of toast or bowl of cereal does not provide.
For people who are skipping breakfast to lose weight, just remember that missing meals will lower your body’s metabolic rate. It will only slow down the weight loss process. The breakfasts recommended above are not high in calories anyway so have them.
If you are used to skipping breakfast, it is recommended that you start slowly. Just have a few slices of fruits or a few scoops of cereals on your first week or until your body adjusts to it. Always remember that eating breakfast is a healthy eating habit, especially when you choose healthy food to eat, and that you shouldn’t miss it if you want to start your day off right.
June 06 2010 12:15 pm | Featured and nutrition