Breakfast; why so important?
Our moms always told us that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and we never questioned why, we just ate what she gave us and went out the door to school. As adults, breakfast can be tricky sometimes, especially when the alarm clock goes off and you only have limited time to get yourself ready and out the door for work. Food is often placed on the back burner for many adults in the mornings, but this shouldn't be the case!
Why is breakfast so important? Well, lets break down the word. "Break" "fast". While we sleep, our body is in a fasting state. We're using our reserve energy stores from the food we've eaten throughout the day to keep our body running while we're sleeping. In the morning, these stores are often depleted. This is when we have to "break" the "fast" with breakfast!
Make smart choices, however. Its very easy to grab something sweet and sugary for breakfast, like a big bowl of sugary cereal or a doughnut on the way to work. Or a greasy, bacon filled cheese smothered breakfast sandwich. (delicious, but not healthy. darn.)
Skip the drive-thru! Reserve this for your caffeine fix instead, and still avoid the super sweet beverages. Go for an iced coffee with just cream or milk; trust me, just as delicious and will still give you the caffeine you're craving.
If you're really crunched for time, grab a piece of fruit. Bananas are perfect on-the-go breakfast foods, because they're easy to eat while you drive. Apples are also a great option.
Any "energy" bar would also be a great on-the-go option for breakfast. My recommendation is Lara Bars or Clif Bars, since they're packed with protein and don't have added sugars or other added ingredients.
If you do have time to sit down and have breakfast, stick to whole grains like whole grain breads, bagels, or oatmeal. If you're having oatmeal, try to avoid the single use instant oatmeal packs. These often hide added sugars; some have 12g of added sugar per pouch. Eggs are also a great breakfast option!
What's your favorite breakfast? Let me know! I'd love to share some ideas with others to get the healthy breakfast lifestyle trending!
-Kerry
