Are you ravenous by morning tea time, keen for something sweet with coffee to keep you going? Our cultural breakfast habits have altered over recent decades, becoming less substantial. Its time to start choosing a healthier alternative if you want to keep your energy level high through the day.

 

By the time you wake up, you haven’t eaten for over eight hours. Your body is ready for a substantial meal to provide slow release energy over the coming active hours. A small bowl of famous brand name cereal with milk, alas, probably isn’t going to keep you going until lunchtime.

 

There’s an easy way to make sure your breakfast is enough to give you a slow, steady and sustained rise in your blood sugar level. The breakfast of champions is high in fibre, high in protein, and has a small amount of fat. Here are some ideas to get you started:

 

Baked beans on toast – high in fibre, with protein too, beans are easy to heat up. For a fast meal on the go, use a toasted sandwich maker to create a baked bean jaffle. Other great toppings for toast include mushrooms (high in fibre and vitamins) poached or scrambled eggs (high protein), or sardines (great for an omega-3 boost.)

 

Got a little more time? Why not create an omelette, filled with capsicum, tomato, mushroom and zucchini. This can easily be made in one pan if you cook the veggies first, move them to a warmed plate, then cook the omelette, filling and folding it just before serving.

 

On the weekends you might like to make something really spectacular: Kangaroo sausages (high in protein and iron, low in fat) or lambs kidneys plus a selection of vegetables like mushroom, tomato, onion, wilted silverbeet – whatever vegies you have on hand that appeal. Just one caution – save the bacon for an occasional treat, its highly processed and very fatty food.

 

A substantial breakfast is ideal for people reducing their weight too. It makes sticking to your diet for the rest of the day much easier – no overwhelming food cravings.

 

Are you one of those people who “can’t eat breakfast”? Before you give up on breakfast completely, halve the portion size of your evening meal. A smaller meal at night might be just what you need to get your body back into sync with breakfast. Until then, have something small and light – even if its just half an orange cut into wedges, or a small tub of yoghourt.

 

Feeling inspired about breakfast now? Remember that new good habits take a while to integrate into your routine, so start simple and go from there. You’ll know when you’ve got the breakfast balance right – morning tea becomes just a top up, you’re hungry but not ravenous by lunch, afternoon tea is another top up and you look forward to a light evening meal.

 

Enjoy the breakfast of champions and feel good right through the day.

 

Article © Olwen Anderson, 2008

Breakfast of Champions