BREAKFAST BASICS

Extensive medical research confirms the wisdom of many generations of mothers, 'Don't miss breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day'.

Eating breakfast is a vital step towards optimal health. Numerous scientific studies performed in the last 25 years have shown that there are many benefits to starting your day off with the right breakfast. Indeed, investing in a really good breakfast will give the most 'bang for your nutrition buck'.

Breakfast improves your metabolism

The word breakfast itself tells one reason why this meal is so important: breakfast literally breaks a fast. A fast is an extended period of time in which one goes without food. This occurs while we sleep at night. One way the body responds to fasting is to slow down the metabolism. So, the longer you go without food, the slower your metabolism becomes. Breakfast gets your metabolism going. Breakfast eaters tend to have higher metabolisms, and burn more calories to produce more energy.

Breakfast kick-starts your brain

Eating breakfast provides energy for the brain and improves alertness - a very critical factor for learning. Additionally, breakfast restores the body's blood-sugar levels - the brain's energy source. Adults and children who eat breakfast have better concentration, memory, problem-solving abilities, mental performance, and mood than those who do not. After fasting overnight, eating a good breakfast ensures that our brains are fuelled and ready for work.

Breakfast powers up your day

Eating a nutritious breakfast gives your body the energy and nutrients it needs to get through the morning. Research shows that those who skip breakfast, don't make up for the nutrition that they missed, later on in the day. A good breakfast should provide protein (for building and maintaining muscle), carbohydrates (for energy), fibre (for healthy digestive function), calcium (for building strong bones), iron (for healthy red blood cells and oxygen transport), plus additional vitamins and minerals. All these nutrients are essential for the body to repair itself, as well as for healthy growth and development.

Breakfast supports healthy weight control

When you miss breakfast, your body's general function (metabolism) slows down and remains low for the rest of the day. This makes it harder for you to burn up the energy from the foods you eat later in the day. This will encourage unhealthy weight gain. Also, without a healthy breakfast, we tend to get very hungry by mid morning and are more likely to fill up on snack foods that are convenient but poor in nutrients. The traditional coffee-and-donuts type mid-morning snack so popular in the corporate world, or the sweet biscuit, bun and box drink sold in the schoolyard, reflect the results of a poor breakfast.

Common Reasons for Skipping Breakfast

In spite of the numerous benefits to eating breakfast, many people have lots of excuses for missing this very important meal. Some of these excuses include;

I don't have the time. This is the No. 1 reason people give for missing breakfast. This often results in a grab-and-go unhealthy breakfast or no breakfast at all. Still, as the American Dietetic Association suggests, 'breakfast doesn't have to be fancy or traditional to meet nutritional needs'. You can get started on simple, easy and healthy breakfasts.

I am not hungry in the morning. This is a result of eating a full meal late in the evening or snacking late at night. When you go to bed with a full stomach, the body is still busy trying to digest all that food when you awaken. Digestion goes into a slower gear during sleep and there is still food in the stomach in the morning. Your stomach needs a rest too. A tired stomach does not feel like having breakfast. Break that pattern by having the evening meal earlier and by having an easy-to-digest, nutritious breakfast.

I am trying to lose weight. Many people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight. Bad plan! As indicated earlier, skipping breakfast often leads to overeating later in the day. As a matter of fact, most obese people miss breakfast. It's easier to control one's weight by eating healthy smaller meals earlier in the day.

A simple breakfast solution

Many of those who do eat breakfast need to eat a better breakfast. According to Foodwatch, a United States consulting firm, many people are eating 'dessert for breakfast' - mainly refined carbohydrates in sugar-filled processed breakfast cereals. These 'foods' create fatigue, hunger and poor health, so we need a better breakfast alternative.

For almost 20 years, I have recommended a simple and nutritious liquid breakfast:

It is a three-course meal. The first course is a glass of water to which is added a pleasant-tasting aloe vera-based digestive aid. It cleanses and improves digestive function. The second course is a patented herbal-tea blend based on a concentrate of green tea. This significantly enhances your morning metabolism and increases energy levels through the day. It also provides the many other health benefits of green tea including cancer protection, blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol balancing and stress relief. The final course is a soy protein meal-replacement shake engineered by expert scientists to provide an ideal meal containing a blend of 50 different important nutrients without too many calories. It's a fantastic combination that sets you up for a great day. My team of wellness coaches has set up nutrition clubs all over the island where this convenient 'healthy breakfast' is served each day. So, make an important step towards better health - try my healthy breakfast and feel the difference.

You may email Dr Tony Vendryes at tonyvendryes@gmail.com or listen to 'An Ounce of Prevention' on POWER 106FM on Fridays at 8 p.m. His new book 'An Ounce of Prevention - Especially for Women' is now available.