A nutritious and filling breakfast helps begin the day on a healthy and energetic note. Many studies have revealed that 'eating breakfast like a king' play a key role in maintaining a healthy and well balanced diet. However, this old saying doesn't mean that one should have huge quantities of food in the morning. Instead, it points to the significance of eating the most nutritious and healthy food for breakfast. It indeed is a healthy habit to include variety of nutritious food items in your breakfast menu.
2-3 dosas or idli, chapathis with a bowl of curry, a glass of milk and an egg white is a delicious and healthy breakfast combination. You could even consume fresh seasonal fruits after the main breakfast meal.
The breakfast dishes should contain lots of carbohydrates and protein which are essential for the smooth functioning of the body. Kerala's traditional breakfast combinations like appam, puttu-kadala (Bengal gram) curry and dosa and sambar are all well balanced and nutritious. It is better to have breakfast by 8 in the morning.
Nutrition experts say that tea or coffee shouldn't be consumed along with breakfast. In case you cannot avoid having a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, consume it at least an hour before eating breakfast. The caffeine in coffee lowers the rate of absorption of iron contained in food.
Instant breakfast dishes which have high calories could be tried just occasionally. It is not healthy to eat bread and jam quite often for breakfast. Do not include such dishes in your kids' regular diet just because it is easier. Even if you are having bread for breakfast, try to eat brown bread which is healthier than the regular white bread.
Tubers like tapioca and potatoes are excellent breakfast dishes for those who indulge in physical labour throughout the day. However, these may cause weight gain and lifestyle diseases in others. Food items like porotta made with all purpose flour should be strictly avoided. Try to include food rich in fibre for your breakfast.
Many kids tend to skip breakfast or rush through it due to their busy morning schedules. Instead of giving them a glass of regular milk, you could make it a nutritious smoothie by adding fresh fruits, dry fruits or nuts. An egg or a large banana too would make a healthy combination with milk.
