What Is A Healthy Breakfast?

That’s one of the questions people ask me all the time. Let’s start at the beginning. Here is one possible definition:

breakfast
(noun) that with which a person breaks his fast in the morning; the first meal of the day – Etymology: Middle English brekfast: breken, to break;  faste, a fast (from Old Norse fasta, to fast);  first documented in 1463 – Translation: French: petit déjeuner; German: Frühstück; Italian: prima colazione; Spanish: desayuno.

healthy
1. possessing or enjoying good health; hale or sound (in body), so as to be able to discharge all functions efficiently;  2. conducive to, or promoting health; whole-some, salubrious, salutary;  3. denoting or characteristic of health or sound condition; enjoying health and viguor of body, mind, or spirit: (being) well – Etymology: from: health + y;  first documented in 1557 – Translation: French: sain, en bonne santé; German: gesund; Italian: in buona salute; Spanish: sano.

Now picture this:
“The alarm screams, you torture yourself out of bed, still tired, quickly gulp a cup of coffee and rush off to work. You arrive at work still tired, stressed, grumpy and in urgent need of another cup of coffee, or perhaps a chocolate bar to get your energy kick started.”

Sounds familiar? What a start to the day!

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to get your day off to a great start, instead?

No problem. Here is how:

Breakfast breaks the fast, usually after 8 to 10 hours of not eating or drinking anything. Good enough reason not to start the day on empty. What is the first thing you need in the morning (or at whatever time you get up; there is no difference for those who work night shifts)?

Water.

Drinking plenty of water is vitally important. Have a large glass of water first thing in the morning.  Re-hydrating after 8 to 10 hours of losing lots of water through breathing, perspiring and perhaps also having been to the toilet a couple of times should be a no-brainer. Water plays an essential role in helping your body process nutrients, maintain normal circulation, keep the proper balance of fluids and with your concentration and staying alert.

Suitably refreshed, what’s for breakfast? Broadly speaking, people opt for one of three choices:  skipping breakfast; a traditional, carbo­hydrate-based breakfast, or a balanced protein-based breakfast.

Skipping Breakfast
It’s like being between a rock and a hard place: no time for breakfast, tired, not fully awake, you rush, grab a coffee and then the vicious circle of snacking for energy and being tired because of your snacking sets in again.

When you skip breakfast, blood sugar drops below the normal level, you experience cravings and a drop of energy. You usually turn to simple carbohydrates (a chocolate bar, a donut or other junk food) to achieve a quick surge of blood sugar and to overcome hunger and a drop of energy. Simple carbohydrates will cause an immediate surge of blood sugar level and a substantial insulin emission. The insulin removes sugar from your blood turning its excess into fat. Then this cycle repeats itself 2 to 3 more times during the day. Not only is this no permanent solution but this vicious circle also constitutes one of the major reasons for diabetes, high blood pressure and extra weight.

This is what the skipping-breakfast roller coaster looks like:

Carbs-Based Breakfast

You’re sensible; you take more time in the morning and prepare a ‘traditional’ breakfast. It’s usually carbohydrates of the refined variety (sugary, refined cereals, white bread, toast, etc.) because not only does it taste nice, it’s also quick to prepare and gives you a fast, almost instant energy boost. That’s why many families send their kids off to school with a bowl of cereal as fuel for the day.

Bad choice. Let’s have a look how this type of breakfast fuels your body. In the morning simple carbohydrates cause an immediate surge of blood sugar level, which results in a substantial emission of insulin. The insulin removes sugar from blood turning its excess into fat. The result is a decreased level of blood sugar, and thirst for more carbs. This cycle repeats itself 2 to 3 more times during the day.

The carbs-based breakfast roller coaster looks uncannily like the skipping breakfast roller coaster. Only the hunger phase has been shifted one step further into the day. Now we start with more energy from the word go; but the energy comes from the wrong type of fuel again. Long term, it doesn’t do us nor our kids much good. Again, it’s the same vicious circle that constitutes one of the major reasons for diabetes, high blood pressure and extra weight. Is there no way out?

Of course, there is a way out.

Balanced Protein-Based Breakfast

A balanced, protein-based breakfast is the answer. And, no, this does not mean a cooked breakfast as in Full English breakfast or any other Fry Up of the same variety.

It means balanced nutrition, protein based and including the right kind of carbohydrates, wholegrain, with sugar coming preferably from fruit.

Such a breakfast supplies our body with all vital nutrients and energy without increasing blood sugar and insulin levels. It helps to avoid dependence on carbs during the day. In this way, appetite stays under control, cravings for carbs (snacks, chocolate, pastry, junk, soft drinks, etc.) diminish and the body uses its own stored fats to get more energy.

The roller coaster collapses into a gently undulating curve within normal blood sugar levels.