Healthy Breakfasts to Start Your Day

Jumpstart your day by eating a nutritious breakfast

Breakfast being the most important meal of the day one needs to maximize this first meal by packing it with healthy nutrients. How true is this quote by John Gunther - “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.”!

Time and again the need for eating a healthy, filling and nutritious breakfast has been harped upon by all right from the elders in our family till medical practitioners. Yet in our daily rush the major compromise which we tend to make is on sitting down at our dining table and eating a proper breakfast. Be it children or adults citing the standard alibi of a ‘hectic morning schedule’ everyone simply gulps down milk or munches on a sandwich on their way to work or eats a donut in the school bus. The result : hunger pangs and low energy levels a couple of hours later which lead professionals to guzzling down umpteen cups of coffee or ordering fast food; and school children to eating whatever food is available either at the canteen or outside their school gate irrespective of its health quotient. The long term consequences of these bad habits include – obesity; low immunity thresholds and energy levels; and fragile tempers.

For people with a sturdier tolerance threshold cutting back on the most important meal of the day viz. the breakfast leads to attacking the dinner with a vengeance! While, actually the latter should be the smallest meal of the day. Remember the adage – Breakfast like a king; lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper?

So let’s take a quick look at the importance of this first meal of the day and what goes into the making of an ideal breakfast -

Significance of Breakfast

Eating the first meal of the day helps–

• Boost metabolism
• Maintain energy levels
• Meet daily nutrient requirements
• Enhance concentration and problem solving skills
• Improve - hand-eye coordination; alertness quotient; and creativity
• One to be more physically active
• Maintain a healthy weight

Ideal Breakfast

An ideal breakfast needs to provide the consumer with at least 25 per cent of their daily energy and nutrient needs. Hence it’s advisable to opt for a high-fibre and high-protein breakfast (minimum 5 grams of each). 

Examples of high-fibre foods include – oatmeal; whole-grain cereal; whole-wheat bread; whole-wheat bagel; nuts; berries; bananas et al

Examples of foods high in protein comprise – skimmed milk; low-fat yogurt; cottage cheese; egg; peanut butter; lean meat etc.

Healthy food does not necessarily equate to boring and tasteless; on the contrary one can blend the healthy with yummy and spice things up for one’s self! Surprised? Well Foodism shares with you some tempting Indian and Continental breakfast ideas 

Ideas - Indian Breakfast

BEETROOT DOSA: 

Give a healthy twist to the normal dosa with potassium-rich beetroot 

CHEELA:

Chutney with protein-rich cheela prepared in mustard or sesame oil (or even ghee) is a staple breakfast in multiple Indian households which are vegetarian by choice. Cheela comes in multiple variants - chickpea flour; or lentils and pulses like chana dal or moong dal; et al

IDLI SAMBHAR: 

A perfect combo of proteins, fibre, fats, carbs, vitamins and minerals, this South Indian variety is a hot seller on the healthy breakfast menu! 

MASALA OMELETTE: 

Eggs, one of the best sources of whole protein, teamed with veggies like onions, tomatoes, capsicums fried in a fry pan will enable you to meet your daily protein requirement

MULTIGRAIN PARANTHAS: 

Paranthas made from multi-grain flour and stuffed with the filling of your choice – cheese, potatoes, cabbage et al are replete with proteins, vitamins, fibre and carbs and a yummy way to kick start your day.

OATS POHA: 

A healthy Indo-Western blend – poha prepared from oats can be consumed with water or milk; or you can also add your favourite veggies and even fruits.

PANEER BHURJI: 

Paneer is the protein messiah for vegetarians! This dish basically comprises of crumbled cottage cheese (paneer) cooked with onion, tomato and spices. It can be had with a chapatti or a parantha and helps you stay fuller for a longer period of time.

SPINACH POORIS AND ALOO: 

This dish justifies Popeye’s faith in spinach as a miracle food! While the yummy spinach puris bring in the fibre factor; the complex carbs which potatoes epitomize are good for weight loss

SPROUTS SALAD: 

This one’s for the salad buffs! Have sprouts salad (rich in dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins) along with poached or boiled eggs. 

THEPLA:

An underrated healthy breakfast option from Garvi Gujarat, theplas prepared from fenugreek leaves, wheat flour, coriander leaves, turmeric powder, salt and spices; when teamed with pickles make for an awesome breakfast!

UPMA:

A wholesome South Indian speciality upma is prepared from semolina and lends enough energy to the body to sustain it through the day.

VEGETABLE DALIA: 

Vegetable dalia (cracked wheat) is an Indian super-food extremely popular across India and considered to be one of the simplest, healthy and scrumptious one pot vegan meal low in fat and high in iron and fibre.

Ideas – Continental Breakfast

• Bran muffin, cottage cheese and fruit
• Homemade smoothie with one cup of frozen fruit, one cup of low-fat yogurt and a couple of tablespoons of flaxseed tossed in
• Oatmeal with skim milk, raisins and walnuts
• Scrambled eggs with whole-grain toast and a piece of fruit
• Whole-grain bagel with light cream cheese and apple or skimmed milk
• Whole-grain cereal with skimmed milk, low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit
• Whole-grain toast with peanut butter and banana slices and skimmed milk
• Whole-grain tortilla filled with vegetables, salsa and reduced-fat cheese
• Whole-grain waffle with peanut butter

So hope you are now fully-geared to whip up a healthy-cum-delicious breakfast for your family tomorrow and more importantly ensuring that everyone tucks it in…!

This weekend remember to sit down with your family and brainstorm ideas for a healthy and easy-to-prepare breakfast – trust us you’ll be floored with the number of suggestions! And Hey don’t forget to share some ideas for a healthy breakfast with the Foodism Team too…because sharing is caring isn’t it!