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A Cereal Breakfast – WHY IT’S THE BEST WAY TO START THE DAY!!!

breakfast 1

Good Morning begins here….

I do not need to explain to you what Breakfast means. It has been iterated many times on this platform that it is one of the most important meal of the day. Still the phenomenon of skipping this meal is widely prevalent across the globe. People skipping breakfast is higher among those living in the metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and the likes.

First thing in the morning, the body is low on energy reserves and needs fuel in the form of breakfast. Hence, skipping it can impact general health both in short and the long term.

 Few benefits of breakfast to highlight its importance:

-It helps support brain function.

-It can improve nutrient intakes

-It helps to maintain weight

-It improves metabolism

-It promotes physical and mental well-being.

But, then the question arises- What does one have daily in the breakfast? Some examples of balanced breakfast are whole grain cereal with toned milk and 1 fruit, or  bowl of puffed rice (Poha), toned milk and few cubes of papaya or whole grain bread sandwich with veggies , 1 fruit and toned milk or oats porridge with dates , raisins apple and almonds.

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According to me, Cereal is the best breakfast. Most Indians staple diet is mostly based on cereals. I remember the days of my childhood, when my grandma used to give me cereal breakfast(wheat flour cooked in milk)and that used to keep me energetic throughout the day.

The word “cereal comes from the word ‘ceres’ meaning the ancient Roman goddess of the harvest.It is food derived from any plant in the grass family that yields edible grain or seed.

It is people’s basic food since Neolithic times, following the birth of agriculture.Wheat, Millet, Oats, Corn, Rice, Barley, Rye comes under cereal category.Research shows that eating a cereal breakfast can help kick-start our metabolism and set us up for a more successful day.

This is not restricted to this, eating cereal breakfast has lot more benefits:

1. Cereal eaters beat breakfast skippers in terms of BMI(body mass index)

2. It can help reduce disease risk factors: obesity and overweight are major risk factors for all lifestyle disorders. It helps to reduce the same.

3. Eating cereal break-fast can improve nutrient intakes:.Cereal taken along with milk gives carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals too especially vitamin B complex and iron and also gives a good amount of fiber. It is a simple, safe and inexpensive way to give required nutrition to a pregnant woman. Also, elderly get the required nutrition with such breakfast with fewer calories, as calorie needs declines with age but not nutrient needs.

4. It may help promote future health: The type of breakfast chosen may impact cardiometabolic risk. More frequent cereal consumption in children is associated with lower waist to height ratio, total cholesterol, and LdL cholesterol.

5. Cereal enhances general well-being:People who eat regular BF get less stressed, less anxious, and less likely to be depressed.

6. Cereal is typically a low fat, cholesterol free food which fits into healthy eating recommendations

7. Cereal is relatively low in calories and nutrient dense. An average serving of cereal with skim milk has fewer calories compared to other breakfast choices.

8. Cereal helps to incorporate milk into the diet. If eaten with milk, it is a terrific gateway to calcium, vitamin D, and protein. In fact, a bowl of high fiber cereal with skim milk has more than twice the calcium of a breakfast of toast and juice.And cereal is one of the top contributors for iron, thiamine, folate, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, zinc, and potassium, bringing essential nutrients to your breakfast table each morning.

But the next question that comes up in the mind- Is it fine to eat ‘Ready to Eat’ breakfast cereals?

There has been a lot of misinformation floating around about breakfast cereals. It’s so convenient and easy to prepare – even the kids can help out, making it a great breakfast option for busy families.

The amount of sugar contributed by ready to eat cereals is just 4% of the total daily intake of sugars.  Did you know that a glass of orange juice (125ml) has the same sugar content as a 30g serving of cornflakes?

Taste matters: If the food is unacceptable, it will not be eaten and unless it is eaten it cannot give nutrients. Even though it contains a slight amount of sugar, it doesn’t lead to tooth decay and dental problems.

Children who eat cereals at breakfast are likely to meet their recommendations of calcium and folic acid than those who eat non-cereal breakfast.

Taking sugar out of these cereals does not typically reduce the calories. So, if we remove a gram of sucrose, it lowers sugar content by one gram but, it does not affect the calorie level since the sugar is often replaced by one gram of starch to maintain the texture.

Ready to eat cereal contains less than one-half the sodium of many popular breakfast items and also the very small percentage of the total sodium in the diet.

Last but not the least beneficial component of cereal is fiber. It helps to protect against colon cancer, breast cancer, reduce the risk of Dm, coronary events, bulkier stools

So, if, you are always short of time, snoozing the alarm and waking up late….just pour a cup of milk over two tablespoons of your favorite cereal, sprinkle some nuts or fruits and get yourself nourished.

Hence, let’s take five minutes off to relax and prepare for the day with a bowl of cereal , milk and fruit and ensure a POSITIVE start of the day!!!

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QUICK BREAKFAST IDEAS FOR BUSY MORNINGS

Breakfast, widely considered as the day’s most important meal, is often skipped due to various reasons. Usually, mornings in most households are a little chaotic, as people roll out of their beds, feeling hungry. This is because of fasting all through the night with the need to eat something good, to get refuelled for an active morning.

Though patience is a virtue, it’s not true for many, especially picky eaters. Difficulties add up when breakfast options are limited and almost the same thing is served every day! So here are some quick healthy and nutritious breakfast ideas to satisfy your taste buds each morning.

1. Omelette Muffin: Unlike scrambled eggs that have become a little boring, this is identical to an omelette, but in the shape of a muffin. You can make a batch earlier night and simply grab it.

omlette muffin
 RECIPE:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or lines with paper liners.
  2. Beat eggs together in a large bowl. Mix cheese, shredded chicken, bell pepper, onion, salt, black pepper and water to the beaten eggs.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until muffins are set in the minute for 18-20 minutes.
  1. Banana Bites

banana bites

This is one of the quickest breakfast sandwiches with or without bread! Simply use banana slices to sandwich your seed butter or nut butter of your choice.

RECIPE

  1. Toast whole/multigrain bread slices.
  2. Apply peanut butter/ seed butter of your choice on it.
  3. Slice banana into small pieces and place it on the spread.
  4. Sandwich with another toasted bread.
  1. WHOLE GRAIN PANCAKES

flour pancakes

Almost every family loves pancakes which can be kept in the refrigerator for microwaving during busy mornings.

RECIPE:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
  1. Add wheat flour and milk to a blender and blend on high for 3 minutes.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth,.
  3. Cook on a hot greased griddle for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. (The batter will be very thin and you may start to question my judgment, but a few minutes later you would see they will puff up, and perfectly light and tender.)
  4. Serve hot or prepare the batter ready in the fridge and toss it in the morning for hot steaming pancakes.
  1. FRENCH TOAST STICKS

french toast

You only need to make the French toasts, cut each of them into four strips and serve with the dip of your choice.

RECIPE:

  1. Whisk the eggs and skimmed milk together in a bowl.
  2. Dip each piece of bread into the egg mixture and then press gently into the cereal, turning to coat completely.
  3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, cook the coated breadsticks in melted butter until golden, about 4 minutes each side.
  4. Serve with a healthy dip such as Strawberry Yogurt Dipping Sauce.

 5. OATS AND HONEY BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

oats

A perfect glass to start your day by just blending all things together.

RECIPE:

  1. Add ripe pear, ripped and peeled banana, boiled porridge oats, honey, yogurt in a blender and blend on high 5 minutes.
  2. Add ice cubes if required.
  3. Garnish with Roasted oats.

BENEFITS OF HEALTHY BREAKFAST

  1. Weight Control: It can lower your hunger throughout the day and help you choose healthy foods at other meals.
  2. Improved Concentration: It keeps you productive and alert throughout the morning, by improving your attention span, creativity, problem-solving skills and concentration.
  3. Sticking to a Healthy Diet: When you eat a healthy breakfast regularly, you are more likely to stick to a healthier day. It acts as an encouragement to have the next meal balanced too.

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How to include proteins to your Breakfast?

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All of us are well aware that breakfast is the first important meal of the day. The second most important thing is to have frequent meals to keep our metabolism high. Our body goes into the rest mode for almost 8 to 10 hours after dinner when we are sleeping through the night. Hence, it becomes essential to eat a good, balanced meal which has the right proportion of carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibres, anti- oxidants etc.in the morning. More often than not it is a difficult task to incorporate all these nutrients in the morning breakfast due to our rush to get to work.But, one can always try to incorporate as many nutrients as we can out of the above if not all.

It is advised to include proteins in every meal. The inclusion of proteins to your breakfast becomes a challenging task especially if you are a vegetarian. Lacto- Ovo vegetarian breakfast can easily get proteins through the milk and eggs. The tough task is for vegetarians and vegans (those who limit dairy products).

Common Indian breakfast items are Poha (cooked Puffed Rice with some veggies), flat breadsUpma, Idli and Dosa (steamed Rice pancakes), flatbreads(Chaapti), Rice, Porridgeetc. Today, I am going to tell you how we add proteins in our 1st meal of the day – breakfast.

Whenever we have options like steamed rice pancakes (Idlisambhar) or bread omelette we’re obviously getting proteins from the dish.  When we have options like Cooked Puff Rice, Upma, rice, cooked Wheat Flat breads (Chappati)  etc. without any side dish we need to add some proteins to it.

Here are few items which you can add:

  1. Peanuts/ Groundnuts: A humble source of proteins and MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acids) will add to proteins in breakfast. We can use in different forms as peanut butter, chutney etc. spread it on your bread or chapatti. Excellent to be added in pre workout meal.
  • 100 g of Dry roasted peanuts will give 24-26 g of proteins.
  1. Roasted Chana: Simple, easily available and can be stored. Just add a handful of black (Kabuli)or brown Chana to your plate or have it on the go post breakfast. If you couple it up with peanuts it will be even better.
  1. Mixed Sprouts: This one will need some preparation. Soak the sprouts for 6-8 hours, then drain the water and tie in the cloth for sprouts to come. Add handful of it either raw or steamed. Raw will give you good enzymes as compared to cooked ones. Whereas steamed will be easier to digest. Following are the rough values for sprouted and steamed sprouts.
  • Moong/ Green gram 2-3 g
  • Matki/ Moth bean 8 g
  • Chana/ Chick peas 9 g
  1. Green peas: It is very to incorporate peas in any dish. Add it to your upma, poha, rice liberally. They will taste good as well as increase the protein value. Its green colour also add to the visual effect.
  • 100 g of fresh green peas contain 5 g of protein
  1. Nuts like (almond, walnut, cashew nut): Again a very handy option. Just adding them to your bowl of breakfast is very easy. They are rich in minerals like calcium, good fats like MUFA, omega 3 fatty acids. Don’t forget to soak and peel almond to avoid anti nutritional factors in the peel.
  • Almond 21.2 g
  • Walnut 15.2 g
  1. Sesame, flax, sunflower, pumpkin seeds: Dry roasted seeds can serve as a protein quotient of the meal. You can easily stock it in cool and dry place. You can have them as it is or grind to make into chutney. Dips like tahini can be made from sesame seeds.
  1. Milk: You can just add a glass of milk to complete the protein quota of the meal. It goes well with roti, chapati, bread, cereals etc. It is better to go for low fat milk. If having cow’s milk make sure it is Desi cow’s milk. Make sure you’re not having it with salty or savoury as milk and salt is not recommended to have together.1 cup of milk gives you 8 g protein on an average.
  1. Curds/ Yogurt: Add a bowl of curds or yogurt to make your breakfast not only protein rich but yummy. We can mix poha, rice with it to give a better texture and taste. Fruits with yogurt can be another hit option and light still complete meal. 1 cup gives you 10-11 g proteins on an average.
  1. Buttermilk: It is the best bet in summer. Having it post breakfast will help in digestion. It has good water content and therefore it will not be a concentrated source. Unlike milk it can be coupled with salty and savoury options as well.
  1. Cheese: I am yet to come across a person who doesn’t like cheese unless of course you are a vegan. We can add it with breads, chapatti, pancakes etc. You can use different varieties like cheese spread, cubes, and slices or just grate some cheese on your dish. People who are targeting weight gain can have it on regular basis. Those who are trying to lose weight should limit it once or twice in a week. 100 g will give approx. 20 g of proteins.

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Which breakfast cereal to choose?

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When you visit the supermarket next to buy your regular groceries and breakfast cereal just stop by the aisle to check the big range that is available. The aisle is full of variety of cereals that claim to be the best to start the day. Your breakfast cereals are available in different forms like corn flakes, oat flakes, puffed wheat, puffed rice, frosties, bran flakes, muesli and this list is never ending and continues.

Furthermore these different cereals are available for different age groups and even gender and different brands. All these brands claim to be the best as they all have various nutritional values on the food labels provided by them. You might choose separate brands or types for different members of your family based on their health needs. But, while choosing these do you ever look into the labels provided? The information provided can surprise you and seldom get you healthy.

Breakfast is meant to break the fast that started previous night till the next morning and to do this we should choose a food which will not satiate us but provide us a good balance of all nutrients.

Thus, don’t you feel that we need to look beyond advertising when we choose one of those colorful boxes with favorite cartoon or any other character?

So what are those ingredients of the breakfast that we need to pore over for a better nutrition for our body right in the beginning of the day?

SUGAR: Sugar is a key ingredient of most of the breakfast cereals. Logically it has to be present to certain extent as cereals provide you with carbohydrates, and sugar is also a carbohydrate in nature. Every cereal will contain some percent sugar.

Ideally, it should be clearly mentioned on the food label as to how much of the total carbohydrate is simple sugars and how much is complex/ dietary fiber. This will help you in choosing the appropriate breakfast cereal as per your need. In young children eating sugary foods can lead to hyperactivity, dental issues and obesity too.

Choose a breakfast cereal that has 5 grams of sugar or less per serving. The chocolate coated or the frosted ones contain very high sugars (as high as 20 grams/serving) and comparatively very little dietary fiber.  On the nutritional label check for words such as   “malted”, “honey coated”, or simply “flavored”. These are just flavored, which means they provide only flavor else it is added sugar……..the actual ingredient might not even be present in it. So steer them clear, and better choose the plain cereal. It is not at all healthy to start your day with very high levels of blood sugars.

And yes if you prefer to make your cereal sweet, a better alternative would be adding fresh and dry fruits, actual honey and dates to your cereals.

FIBRE: Look out for the word “whole” with every grain that is present in the cereal. That suggests for the dietary fibre present in the cereal.

Dietary fiber is a very important ingredient that we need to check on the food label.

It should be one of the reasons that we pick that particular cereal. Usually the ones which have high amounts of sugar in them tend to have low amounts of fibre of around 2g/serving.

Choose the one which has at least 3-6g/serving or 20 g/100g. Oatmeal, bran flakes, puffed, shredded wheat also give high amounts of fibre. Also certain cereals may contain dried fruits like strawberries etc- don’t take them as a real fruit.

Add your fruit which is real.

Sodium/SALT: We as consumers might not be aware that cereals contain salt. In fact the processed one definitely contains sodium. Some of them may also have soda bi-carb in them. Further, if the salt or sodium content is not mentioned on the box it does not mean that sodium is not present.

What should be considered as less/appropriate: 0.3g of salt or less /0.1g of sodium or less per 100g of the cereal.

What should be considered as more/excess: 1.5g of salt or more/0.5g of sodium or more per 100g of the cereal.

FAT: Breakfast cereal usually are not loaded with saturated or trans fat but try to keep a check on the fat content. Choose the one which has around 5g/100g

OTHER NUTRIENTS: We buy cereals to get those extra nutrients right. Children as well as a few of us who are not really into healthy eating should also consider the cereals which are fortified with nutrients such as calcium, iron folic acid, vitamin C, D. Just try and avoid the ones which are highly processed or may contain artificial flavours and preservatives in them.

PROTEINS: Cereals are not a fantastic source of proteins as such. But, we can combine a few foods to make it a better source. That’s probably one reason that we have it with milk add nuts or yogurt/curds to it.

Lastly choose a cereal that gives you around 200 kcals per serving. That is more than enough for one meal!

To conclude, the new upcoming brands are making it absolutely difficult for us to choose a healthy breakfast cereal but, with sound knowledge we can definitely make a better and healthier choice to start our day.

 

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