HEALTHY
BREAKFAST
Why is it important to have a Healthy Breakfast ?
Breakfast is important because it literally breaks a fast : the overnight fast. Eating a healthy breakfast supplies our bodies with essential nutrients that help keep energy levels up throughout the day.
According to Mayo Clinic, children who habitually eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to be alert, focused, and at a healthy body weight.
In addition, adults who habitually eat a healthy breakfast tend to consume less fat and cholesterol, which contributes to good weight management.
Is drinking fruit juices a Healthy Breakfast?
No. By extracting juice from fruits, we get a substance that is rich in fructose and stripped of fiber. This means that we take in more calories when drinking fruit juice compared to eating whole fruits.
Fruits contain many beneficial nutrients, such as dietary fiber, that are stored in their skins and pulps. Fruit juices are not as nutritious as fruits in their original forms because the skin and pulp are often removed during the juicing process.
How about Big Breakfast?
Reduce your intake of animal-based foods like fried eggs, ham, and bacon. They are often high in fats and cholesterol.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a person should consume less than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. A fried egg (about 46 g) contains approximately 210 mg of cholesterol. By eating two fried eggs for breakfast, you are exceeding the recommended daily intake of cholesterol in one meal!
Having unhealthy blood cholesterol levels can cause plaque to build up in one's arteries. Plaque hardens and narrows arteries over time. This greatly increases the likelihood of diseases such as heart disease and stroke, and may even lead to death.
Hence, avoid eating oily, fried foods such as dough fritters and fried noodles for breakfast. Your digestive system may not cope well with the sudden influx of fats and oils after a night's rest.
Also refrain from eating processed meats like ham, bacon and sausages for breakfast. They are often high in fat and sodium. What's more, preservatives found in processed meats can raect with other substances to form nitrosamines, which have been linked to an increased risk of cancer.
What is a Healthy Breakfast?
A healthy breakfast is
1) high in dietary fiber and plant protein,
2) is low in calories and
3) contains a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
Psyllium husks and wheat bran are good sources of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber promotes bowel movements, thereby helping to remove toxins that accumulate int he body overnight during sleep.
Proteins build and repair body tissues. They are also essential for growth and development. Soybeans are an ideal sources of plant protein and do not contain cholesterol.
Soybeans have about twice the protein in meat, three times the protein in eggs, and 12 times the protein in cow's milk.
It is important to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables of differing colors to obtain various phytonutrients that help strengthen the immune system and help defend the body against pollution and other environmental aggressors.
How can I conveniently start my Healthy Breakfast ?