Ahhh, Breakfast! My absolute favourite meal of the day, hands down!
Breakfast means exactly what the word describes: break(ing) the fast. As our bodies have been fasting and been in ketosis (fat-burning stage) since we ate our last bite for dinner, we are about to pull it out of that state and fuel it up with energy for a long day ahead.
We eat breakfast for numerous reasons:
- Glucose is the body’s energy source. It is broken down and absorbed from the carbohydrates you eat. In the morning, after you have gone without food for as long as 12 hours, your glycogen stores are low. Glycogen is the glucose that has been stored in your muscle tissue and liver where it is released slowly overnight to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Eating breakfast restores your glycogen stores and boosts your energy levels, as well as your metabolism for the day.
- Breakfast provides a significant proportion of the day’s total nutrient intake and offers the opportunity to eat foods fortified with nutrients such as folate, iron, B vitamins and fibre.
Essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can only be gained from food, so even though your body can usually find enough energy to make it to the next meal, you still need to top up your vitamin and mineral levels to maintain health and vitality. - Researchers have found that, on average, people who eat breakfast are lower in weight than those who don’t. That could be because eating foods with protein and fibre in the morning, keeps your appetite in check for the rest of the day, without the bingeing and snacking carelessly.
When you eat breakfast, you’re telling your body that there are plenty of calories to be had for the day. When you skip breakfast, the message your body gets is that it needs to conserve, rather than burn any incoming calories. - When you’re hungry, not only do you feel the physical effects, such as stomach discomfort, headaches or weakness, but it can have mental effects as well. Hunger affects your mood, concentration and alertness, which can be a detriment when you’re trying to tackle your to-do list. Eating a healthy breakfast helps improve your concentration and focus, allowing you to stay productive through to lunch.
Enough reasons for you to start eating breakfast? Great!
So, what do you eat for breakfast? Well, getting a mix of carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein is vital for keeping, not only your tummy happy, but also your mind and mood.
Let’s start with protein. Protein is what will keep you feeling full for longer. See below for a few Protein Sources for your breakfast:
- Eggs (boiled, fried, scrambled, poached)
- Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
- Cheese (cottage cheese, goats cheese, full-fat feta)
- Fish (salmon, mackerel, trout)
- Yoghurt & Kefir
- Tofu
- Hemp Seeds
- Protein Powder
Carbohydrates:
- Wholegrains (whole grain bread, oats, root vegetables, quinoa, buckwheat)
- Vegetables (all of them – especially eat GREEN vegetables!)
- Berries & some fruits
- Nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, pine nuts)
- Seeds (pumpkin, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds)
Healthy Fats:
- Fatty Fish (Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines, Herring, Trout, Kippers, Anchovies, Shrimps)
- Avocado
- Nuts & nut butters (Brazil nuts, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios)
- Oils (hemp seed oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil,
As you can see, some of these sources cross over meaning they both go as a carb, protein and fat source. That’s okay, just make sure you don’t pick the same from each category, so you double up everywhere
You’ll be surprised at how easy it really is to compose a healthy breakfast, if we just simply use our common sense. You with me?
Now, here’s a few suggestions as to what you could put together for a healthy breakfast that’ll fill you up in every area of the carbs, fats and protein area:
- Steel Cut Oats Porridge with Banana & Nuts
- Smashed Avocado on Ezekiel Bread with Poached Eggs & Tomatoes
- Biodynamic Yoghurt with Fresh Berries, Raw Honey & Unsweetened Muesli
- Pea, Corn & Chickpea Fritters
- Shakshuka
- Vegan Spinach & Banana Oatmeal
- Chia Seed Pudding with Fresh Fruit & Greek Yoghurt
- Pumpkin, Potato & Zucchini Frittata
- Chickpea Pancakes with Hummus & Vegetables
- Wholegrain Toast with Fried Eggs, Sauerkraut, Vegetables & Avocado
- Smoothies
- Wholegrain Toast with Nut-Butter, Banana & Raw Honey
Please remember to by fresh produce and organic/farm-fresh wherever, and whenever you can..
As a society, we’ve almost been bred to believe that fresh, quality produce costs twice the amount than what we can get at the Supermarkets – this is not true. You can make some great bargains at your local farmers-markets on the weekends, and through the week you can supplement with supermarket groceries if you need to. You can also use a delivery service like Community Organics who deliver a fresh fruit & veggie box do your doorstep every week. Just make the choice – then stick to it!
A bit of inspiration from my own breakfasts to get your creative mind going.
Sprouted Bread with Scrambled Eggs, Parmesan, Greens, Avocado & Tomato.
Elixir from Orchard St. made of Raw Cacao, Salted Caramel, Ground Herbs & Coconut/Cashew Mylk
Greens with Hemp Seeds & Feta, Sauerkraut, Avocado, Fried Eggs & Gluten-free Grainy Toast.
Now, go eat your breakfast!
Love, Cx
