BEING fit is not just about what you eat and drink or how you move. It’s about having the right mindset and enough energy to be active and to choose healthy food.
Many people go wrong by eating a breakfast made up mostly of refined carbohydrates with very little fibre and protein — like a refined-flour bagel, a muffin made with sugar and white flour, or a sugary low-fibre breakfast cereal. Balancing carbohydrates (preferably from whole grains, fruit and vegetables) with some protein and a little healthier fat will do a better job of staving off hunger until lunch and fuelling your entire morning’s activities.
Speaking with a nutritionist, Mrs. Ngozi Nnaemeka, she explained that it’s better for your health (and your healthy eight) to eat breakfast than to skip it. And it’s definitely better to eat a health breakfast, high in fibres and major nutrients, than one full of refined grains, sugar, salt, and/or saturated fats. But what if you’re fresh out of healthy breakfast ideas?
“One quick tip I use to keep my breakfast balanced is to “strive for five.” That means I try to include at least five grams of fibre and five grams of protein in every breakfast.”
She gave the following as tips for making sure your breakfast is a well-balanced one, as well as some quick and healthy breakfast ideas and recipes. “A healthy breakfast has at least five grams of protein low-fat or none fat; dairy products can add protein to your breakfast, as can egg whites or egg substitute (egg yolk doesn’t contribute protein).” Lean breakfast meats like bacon, extra-lean ham, or light turkey sausage; and soy milk and other soy products are also good for breakfast, she concluded.
