Starting The Day
Whether you are a breakfast person or not, here are some tips to give your body and mind the nutrition it needs to get the day started.
Hydrate
It is important to rehydrate after a night’s sleep with water for your first drink of the day - make it easy by having a glass of water ready on your bedside table for when you wake up or if you fancy a warm drink try a mug of hot water with a slice of lemon or ginger or a mug of herb tea. It is then fine to move on to your favourite cup of tea or coffee!
Breakfast
Cereals - the good, the bad and the ugly!
Well known for being a great start to the day, porridge is a good source of complex carbohydrates and fibre which can keep you feeling full for several hours. Make with jumbo or whole rolled oats, unsweetened milk (dairy, nut or soya but not rice), a handful of unsweetened nuts or seeds for added protein and berries for extra taste. Combine 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water per person. You can soak this overnight and heat gently in a pan for 4-5 minutes or if short of time cook on medium heat in microwave for 2 minutes stirring regularly. Add an optional light drizzle of honey or try Carrot Cake porridge for a treat!
‘Instant’ or ‘ready’ versions of porridge are more processed and often less healthy with added sugar, syrup and/or cream. This will probably promote a blood sugar spike and make you feel hungry not long after eating it.
Muesli can be an alternative to porridge but try to choose one that has a good ratio of nuts and seeds with minimum dried fruit and no added sugar. if you are a muesli fan consider making a batch of your own personalised mix and save money! Shop bought granolas can also be very sugary so eat in moderation and take a look at Easy Peasy Granola recipe to make at home.
Most traditional breakfast cereals, such as cornflakes, rice pops etc should be avoided - they are so heavily processed and sugary that the only real nutritional benefit comes from the vitamins that the manufacturers have to add back in and they will almost certainly disrupt your blood sugar!
If you don’t fancy cereal
Unsweetened yoghurt (dairy, coconut or soya) with fresh berries and a sprinkling of flax or chia seeds
Wholegrain bread toasted with a thin spread of nut butter or a scrambled, boiled or poached egg
Vegan Brunch stack - tomatoes, mushrooms, avocado and tofu
Protein shake combining unsweetened protein powder with fresh or frozen vegetables and/or berries
© C Spurling BA (Hons) Dip ION
© GS Method