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Eating a healthy
breakfast affects your mood, physical and mental
performance, as well as your weight control and
long-term health.
If you find yourself suffering from poor
concentration span, headaches, sleepiness and
restlessness, you may need to relook your breakfast
options.
Getting yourself ready for work and getting the
children ready for school may leave very little time
to focus on breakfast. Try a new routine that could
work for the whole family. Plan what you're going to
eat for breakfast and set the alarm to go off about
15 minutes earlier so that you have time to eat a
simple, but healthy breakfast. If you really can’t
eat food too early in the morning, pack it in for
work or school and eat it during the course of the
morning.
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Make the right
choice |
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A balanced, low-fat,
high-fibre breakfast may include: |
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fresh fruit or fruit
juice (tip: buy fruit that requires no preparing
and is easy to take to work/school, e.g.
naartjies, apples, bananas) |
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Instant oats (can be
prepared anywhere as long as you have hot water
available, or try bran-rich cereals or muesli) |
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low-fat yoghurt rich
in protein and calcium |
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whole-wheat bread or
high-fibre muffins with jam, peanut butter or
marmite |
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boiled or scrambled
eggs on toast. |
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What to avoid |
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Carbohydrate-only
breakfasts: most breakfast cereals contain sugar
and will rapidly increase your blood sugar
level. Your blood sugar level may drop around
mid-day leaving you tired and vulnerable to the
vending machine. |
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Greasy breakfasts
taste great but it will make you feel sluggish,
the last hours of work will be virtually
unbearable and it’s very bad for your heart. |
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Coffee and sugar: a
high intake of caffeine and sugar will set your
pulse racing and will leave you feeling even
more stressed. |
TIP: For women juggling work and family,
while still worrying about weight and following a healthy diet: Save on time and
ditch the stove for some instant oats with milk to slow digestion and help keep
your blood sugar steady. |
