It’s easy to eat fruits and veggies when the sun’s out; it’s a lot harder to find comfort in an apple when it’s -30 and chocolate chip cookies look like a more promising alternative. In the cold winter months, many collegiettes claim to be more fatigued simply because of the bone chilling weather. However, having difficulties getting through the day is also often associated with a poor meal at breakfast.
You’ve heard the saying “you are what you eat” a thousand times, but perhaps the words “you feel how you eat” carry a bit more substance. Many forget that food, whether eaten out or in, is as much of a result as it is a process; just think of the last time you’ve dreaded that Big Mac. In this sense, it is truly important to have an eye on what you consume, for both short and long term effects. Although changing your whole breakfast routine is daunting, it’s an easy modification to add at least one energy-boosting ingredient that will help you set a more balanced morning diet. These substitutions don’t have to be super foods—they are simply nutritious ingredients that are common and delicious.
Here are 4 revised breakfast ideas that will contain your hunger and won’t take much time to prepare.
1. Whole wheat toast with avocado spread and a lightly peppered poached egg.
Avocados are a natural energy booster because they contain a large content of monounsaturated fats. According to dietician Lauren Harris Pincus, this type of “good fat” is “heart healthy because it will take a longer time to digest”. This green, nutritious vegetable is also an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and E; and combined with an egg, give you high-protein meal that will keep you full till lunch.
2. Sliced turkey breast, tomatoes, light havarti on a slice of dark rye bread.
The trick here is the substitution of white or whole-wheat toast for dark rye bread. Rye bread is an excellent source of Manganese and fibre—the combination of which helps decrease fatigue. Like B12 Vitamins, Manganese gives you an energy boost by increasing metabolism and helping your body break down food into energy. Fibre, although not considered an energy booster, is necessary to remove the build-up of metabolic waste and give your cells an access to the energy they need. And what better way to start a meal than by having an ingredient from each of the four food groups?
3. Carrot Salad: grated apples, carrots, and finely chopped walnuts.
If you prefer a lighter breakfast but don’t want something overly sweet, this quick fruit salad is a refreshing, flavourful option. Registered nutritionist Peggy Kotsopoulos is an advocate of including apples in your diet as they “deliver a boost of energy and stabilize blood sugar”. Researchers have also discovered that one serving of walnuts gives you 90% of the recommended daily value of Omega 3 fatty acids; these are essential to reducing the chances of depression and keeping the immune system healthy. *Add a quarter of a spoon of honey and some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a brisk dressing.
4. Oatmeal with fruit, almonds, flax seeds, and flavored Greek yogurt
Choosing high sugar cereals over oatmeal are typically accompanied by arguments such as: oats are flavorless, boring, or too hot to eat in the morning rush. The solution to getting your fibre, B-12 vitamin, protein and a whirl of flavour is adding 2 spoons of flavored Greek yogurt. Not only will chilled yogurt instantly cool your breakfast, but its richness in B12 will help your cells absorb glucose and use it as body fuel for the day ahead.
In addition to the above recommendations, a general rule for every morning is to start the day with at least one glass of water. If you’re looking to detox, then 1/2 litre of water with lemon juice and honey an hour before breakfast will do the trick.
Start off with these kind of small alterations to your diet, and you will see the astounding affects to your energy levels during the day. Your increased energy levels will become enough of a motivator to sustain a balanced and healthier lifestyle in the future.
Sources:
http://www.thedailymeal.com/entertain/breakfast-foods-will-boost-your-energy-all-day
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/11-all-natural-instant-energy-boosters/slide/10
Mark Wolk, Alicia, “A Prospective Study of Association of Monounsaturated Fat and Other Types of Fat With Risk of Breast Cancer,” Archives of Internal Medicine. http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/158/1/41 – See more at:
http://bodyecology.com/articles/6_benefits_monosaturated_fats.php#sthash.UeaaVvQs.dpuf
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