This article is the responsibility of Compal
Much is said about the importance of breakfast and we all know that breakfast should be balanced, but… why? To answer this question we enlist the help of nutritionist Mafalda Almeida, who explains that “during the night we fast for several hours, but we continue to expend energy, and it is at breakfast, nicknamed by the ancients as ‘first lunch’. – that we break this fast of several hours and in which we will replenish the energy and nutrients necessary to start a new day”. Here are several aspects to take into account for a breakfast with everything you need to feel good.
The benefits of breakfast
“Eating a balanced breakfast every day is strongly associated with numerous health benefits,” says Mafalda Almeida, referring to some of them:
- It contributes to physical and intellectual performance, preventing weakness throughout the morning;
- It favors memory and concentration, due to the replenishment of nutrients and the feeling of satiety;
- It can be an ally to maintain a suitable weight;
- It can positively influence mood, due to the replenishment of glucose (sugar) levels in the blood;
- You can contribute to family life;
- It contributes to a more balanced distribution of food and energy throughout the day, allowing us to make more assertive decisions in the rest of the meals.
And is there an ideal time for breakfast? That is, after waking up, how long after should we eat? According to the nutritionist, “although there is no adequate time to have breakfast, and this can vary according to the routine of each one, some studies maintain that it is important to guarantee a sufficient period of time to whet the appetite and establish it. blood glucose levels. It can take, on average, between 1 and 2 hours after waking up.”
However, it is clear that we need to look at the big picture and not just one meal of our day. “Evidence has shown that it is more important to consider what we consume in total daily meals as a whole and not just what we consume in a single meal. Generally speaking, it is important to start the day with a balanced meal that provides enough energy for the day’s initial activities.
healthy breakfast for kids
The saying “from childhood the cucumber is crooked” also applies to food: “It is at younger ages that we must instill the practice of good eating habits, because these will be reflected throughout life”, says Mafalda Almeida, emphasizing that “according to several studies, eating a balanced breakfast daily is associated with better school performance (greater attention, concentration and memory) and psychosocial performance in children and adolescents.” On the other hand, “children and adolescents who do not have the habit of eating breakfast or who resort to highly processed foods with high levels of sugar tend to have aggressive behaviors. Eating breakfast in children and adolescents may also be associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.”
Is breakfast the most important meal of the day?
As breakfast is a very important meal in our day to day, the ideal is that “skipping it” is not a recurring habit. “Some studies show that skipping breakfast is reflected in a decrease in learning capacity and may be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents,” warns Mafalda Almeida, nutritionist. Plus, she says, “skipping breakfast can have other consequences, like:
- Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels), which can lead to cold sweats, lack of strength, fainting and more serious complications in certain cases;
- Bad mood and general malaise;
- Headaches;
- Impatience and aggression;
- Deficit in physical and intellectual performance and decreased reflexes.”
On the other hand, according to the nutritionist, “opting for highly processed foods, rich in saturated fats and sugar, can contribute to various diseases such as:
- Obesity;
- Diabetes;
- Increased LDL cholesterol levels;
- Hypertension;
- Cardiovascular diseases;
- Among other.”
What if I’m not hungry in the morning?
The truth is that not all people have an appetite in the morning. According to the nutritionist, there is a solution and a way to educate our body to be hungry in the morning: “After waking up, if we are not hungry and we are willing to instill a healthy practice, which can be advantageous in the long term.” term, we must first allow time for the body to “wake up” and “start working”. Then start by eating lighter foods and in smaller amounts. If we create this habit, it is very likely that after a few days our body will already be used to this condition and that when we wake up we will begin to feel hungry. This allows us, on the one hand, to have greater self-control in our food choices, preventing us from having to resort to less interesting options outside the home and, on the other hand, to avoid extreme hunger throughout the morning, which has a detrimental influence on our meals following”.
How should a healthy breakfast be?
Full and balanced breakfast. These are the keys to a good breakfast. To do this, according to nutritionist Mafalda Almeida, “a little bit of all food groups should be included:
- A source of carbohydrates: they are our main source of energy, and we should opt for complex or slow-absorbing carbohydrates from whole grains, such as wholemeal bread or oatmeal, which make us feel full for longer;
- A source of protein: This nutrient is fundamental in the formation and development of the body’s tissues and cells, and we must focus on proteins of high biological value and we can include dairy products such as milk, yogurts and cheeses, as well as eggs in our breakfast;
- Lipids: essential in the production and storage of energy, hormone production, among others, and we must opt for the consumption of unsaturated fatty acids and avoid saturated fatty acids. Oilseeds and seeds are good examples.”
In addition, “we must ensure the supply of vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber and water necessary for the proper functioning of the body as a whole,” he says. And for this, there is nothing better than including a fruit in our complete and balanced breakfast.
A healthy and quick breakfast (with Compal, of course)
And since breakfast doesn’t always have to be the same, nutritionist Mafalda Almeida leaves you with a healthy and delicious suggestion, which includes Compal:
1 natural solid natural yogurt (125 g)
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1 Compal Essential (choose your favorite flavour): mix to flavor the yogurt, avoiding choosing other yogurts full of added sugars
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3 tablespoons of oat flakes
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A handful of walnuts (approximately 30 g)
A good day starts like this
A practical, satiating and nutritious solution that you can include in your breakfast are the nectar options from the Compal Vital Bom Dia range, which in addition to the high percentage of fruit, have some super ingredients to provide you with various nutrients and energy to start with. good the day With no added sugar, the range is available in three varieties, which include different ingredients such as:
- Red Fruits, Oatmeal and Cinnamon;
- Tropical Fruits, Chia and Carob;
- Yellow Fruits, Chia and Curcuma.
Its texture and freshness are reminiscent of a drink made in a blender. The best thing is that Compal Vital Bom Dia can be consumed at home, on the terrace or in any other place, whichever is more convenient.
In the year in which Compal celebrates its 70th anniversary, with the motto “Tomorrow Matters”, the new Compal Vital Bom Dia range reinforces this way of thinking and demonstrates its intention to remain focused and close to the consumer. What? Responding to the growing demand and appreciation of consumers for products that combine nutrition and pleasure.
What shouldn’t be on the menu
When it comes to breakfast, we have a wide range of options to choose from, but that doesn’t mean they’re all healthy. “Today we are facing a brutal evolution of the food industry, which helps us a lot in various aspects, but it is necessary to know how to make the right decisions,” warns the nutritionist. As it is the first meal of the day and our body has been in a prolonged fasting state, we should not overload it with foods full of sugar and saturated fat, which do not contribute to overall health.
More information at compal.pt
Source: Observadora
