By Dr. Pummy Virmani , Dietitian/Nutritionist
Remember how your mother would scold you if you didn’t eat breakfast before school? No, she wasn’t only scolding you for wasting the food she prepared, but she knew better that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And now that you are an adult, you may find yourself skipping breakfast more often than not to get to work on time.
Here are some benefits of breakfast-
- Your body uses food to provide you with energy: When you wake up in the morning, your body is depleted and needs refuelling. When your energy levels drop, your productivity drops too. You also feel tired and sluggish, and find it difficult to concentrate.
- Breakfast helps you lose weight: When you have a proper breakfast, you prevent mid-morning cravings. You won’t find yourself reaching for that doughnut or cookie, thus managing to maintain a healthy weight.
- Lowers Your Stress Level: For optimum cognitive function, your brain needs glucose, which is a fundamental carbohydrate, derived in moderate quantities from a healthy breakfast. It can also improve your mood and lower your stress level.
Thus, it is obvious why breakfast is important for you, and why your mother kept insisting on it. Life is much busier now, so for your ease, here are a few suggestions of a quick but healthy breakfast options if you are short on time:
- An apple, pear or banana.
- A glass of milk
- Whole-wheat toast smeared with a thin layer of butter
- A boiled egg or scrambled eggs over toast
- Instant oats (You can add fruits or nuts if you want)
- Yoghurt smoothies with fresh fruits (Don’t add any extra sugar)
