Breakfast is an important meal because you are literally breaking your fast (8-10 hours minimum) and to get started with the day, your body needs the right fuel.
Eating a balanced breakfast is important as it kick-starts your metabolism, your blood glucose metabolism is much better throughout the day, and it boosts your energy levels and also helps you make better meal choices throughout the day. Breakfast is also given a lot of importance in Ayurveda as that is the time our body's 'pitta' (fire or metabolism) is at its peak.
Sahiba Bhardwaj, a Nutritionist & Nutrition Educator helps us look at some common breakfast mistakes that could hamper our metabolism.
Skipping Breakfast: Eating late at night or trying a new diet, cutting calories or maybe you simply don't have the time to eat breakfast. This is the biggest mistake you can make as it will not only dampen your metabolism but also increase your chances of developing health problems like high blood cholesterol, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. But a balanced breakfast can lower those risks and fuel you for the rest of the day.
Bite-Sized Breakfast: Eating just a fruit or a small bite-sized breakfast will leave you hungry and affect your mental focus. Not eating sufficient calories during the day may leave you munching on unhealthy energy-dense snacks later in the day and may lead to weight gain. However, eating a good filling breakfast fires up your metabolism and helps you burn calories throughout the day.
Speedy Eating: Sit and eat. We have always heard that but we tend to ignore it. Always in a rush, we tend to eat fast and take large bites of our food. This as per some studies increases the odds of obesity as it may lead to overeating. Also, as per Ayurveda, when you sit and eat your food, chewing it properly, it improves digestion and absorption of nutrients. So slow down, and savour each bite of your breakfast.
Going low on Protein: A protein-packed breakfast has more benefits than just feeding your muscles. Protein takes longer to break down in the body and hence keeps you full for longer. So make sure your Breakfast has good quality protein that is paired with complex carbohydrates and good fats. Eggs, smoked salmon, nut butter, yoghurt, and paneer are all good protein options. Stay clear of processed meat (sausages, salamis, seeks, bacon etc.)
Saying No to Carbs: Another grave mistake is leaving out carbohydrates completely. You don't have to say no to them, just choose wisely. Include Complex Carbs that are slow energy releasing and don't spike your blood glucose levels and give you energy through the day. Some good ones are steel-cut oats, upma, poha, sandwiches, cheelas with veggies are some options. Avoid loading up on Simple carbs (fruit juices, waffles, pancakes) on a daily basis as they can lead to a sudden dip in energy levels mid-morning
Don't fear fats and include healthy fats in your breakfast in small portions with your proteins and carbs. Adding avocado or a tablespoon of nut butter to your toast, adding nuts & seeds to your cereal or smoothies, and cooking cheelas in desi ghee are good ways of adding healthy fats. Unsaturated fats and the Omega-3 fatty acids from nuts & flax seeds are good for the heart too.
While searching for breakfast options at an eatery-uninhabited industrial estate in Bhubaneswar, I stumbled upon a thing which has briskly and surely made its way on to our breakfast plate.
The ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’(Fried lentil cakes soaked in yogurt accompanied with potato curry) has become a phenomenon that seems to have become omnipresent throughout the day. It’s true that ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ has been present ever since, but to find it at 8 AM in the morning speaks volumes about its ingress as a staple into our diet.
For me a few years back, ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ was not a commonplace staple. I use to have it when I was on an outing with my family. It reserved the status of a special snack which was available at special places and during a particular time of the day. In fact, the ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ was more of a snack to be relished on an occasion which essentially was an aberration to the mundane daily life. The whole institution of ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ has changed leaps and bounds. Earlier the vendors used to roam around in bicycles shouting ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum;’ and on days, one has to be really lucky to come across one. Nowadays, such has been the prevalence and demand for ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ that it is almost found in every nook and corner of the city. Moreover, there are permanent stalls which are open all throughout the day.
Another major change that is easily visible is the way the dish is served. Earlier it was used to be served on a meticulously folded green leaf in a bowl-shaped manner. Often it was difficult to hold the whole thing properly from preventing the 'Dahi' and the curry leaking out from the leaf through your fingers. Nevertheless, it was the fun which accompanied the whole process of relishing ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’. The way to eat it was with a stick akin with the size of a matchstick albeit more thin and sharp so it pierces into the 'vada' and the chunky potatoes. It really required a great degree of precision and practice to be able to skewer a piece of 'vada' and a piece of potato on to that stick and it required even a more concentrated effort to lift it together to one’s mouth. But again all these things made the whole process so look like an event. Things have changed a lot since. Now ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ is served up in mass produced use-and-throw bowls. The stick which was used as a spoon is now replaced with an actual spoon. These are the changes which have been induced by the widespread consumption of ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ right throughout the day and at an unprecedented scale. Such huge demand for the dish has necessitated the changes which had to cater to the requirements of the ever growing demand.
Delving into the unprecedented popularity of ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ which has made it a ubiquitous street-side staple reveal the economics which have been driving this trend. While talking to a plethora of vendors one would realize that affordability, accessibility and utility are the underpinnings which have been fuelling this trend.
There are some who would argue that ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ is a healthier alternative to the quintessential Odia breakfast which is dominated by fried food. But that is something which is better left to the health experts and dieticians to throw some light on. What is more visible is the fact that it is easy on the pocket and is available easily. According to one vendor, at Rs 20 per serving (subject to change in future depending on many factors), ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ packs more punch for one’s buck than anything else that’s available on the streets. This is the reason why it has become the most sought-after food and seen such an explosion in demand. Such a rise in demand has essentially brought more supply in the market which has made it more accessible than ever before.
As another vendor points out, ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ is easy to find and with a standardized menu and price, it has never been easier on the part of the consumer to buy themselves a plate of ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum.’
Whatever be the reasons, it is obvious that there are many; ‘Dahi Vada –Aloo Dum’ represents the economics which favors the consumers. As consumers, we now have more options.
According to sources, the students had Upma in their breakfast; in lunch they were provided rice, dal, mix-vegetable and Soya bean curry and later they had watered rice and fried vegetables. However, it was soon after they consumed their meal at the school, they complained of stomach pain accompanied by vomiting and loose motion.
The affected students were immediately rushed to Morada Hospital here and later shifted to Baripada hospital.
While 20 of them are out of danger, the health condition of two students is still stated to be critical, sources added.
"I suffered from severe stomach ache and later had loose motions. All this happened after having mid-day meal. I had rice, dal, Soya bean curry in my lunch," said a student.
"They were provided food according to the menu chart. Out of 220 students, three of them first complained of uneasiness and later 19 more students were taken ill due to food poisoning," said Sabha Marandi, teacher.
Last month in Malkangiri district, over 150 girl students of Badapada Asharam School near Chitrakonda were taken ill after eating flattened rice mixed with phenyl. The students complained of vomiting and nausea after eating flattened rice served in the breakfast following which they were admitted to the Janbai medical and later shifted to Chitrakonda hospital.
According to reports, the students complained of vomiting and nausea after eating flattened rice served in the breakfast. They were admitted to the Janbai medical. Out of the affected 150, 30 critical students were later shifted to Chitrakonda hospital.
After getting information, district Collector K Sudarshan reached the spot and took stock of the situation. He also enquired about the health condition of the students.
“An inquiry will be made to know the exact reason behind the incident and the persons responsible for it,” he said.
https://youtu.be/A4Ggpgymk3A
The findings showed that 26.7 per cent of people who skipped breakfast were obese, compared with 10.9 per cent of those who ate it frequently, the Xinhua reported.
"Infrequent breakfast consumption is associated with indices of central obesity and weight gain, with these associations being more evident in individuals who never eat breakfast," said researchers lead by Kevin Smith from Mayo Clinic in the US.
Besides, those who never ate breakfast self-reported the greatest weight gain over the past year.
For the study, the team traced the breakfast habits of 347 people from 2005 to 2017. The participants, aged from 18 to 87, were measured for their height, weight, waist and hip circumference.
The study also found that those who missed their breakfast had an average waist of 97.5 cm, 9.8 cm larger than those who had it five to seven times a week, even when age, gender and body mass were considered.
"Our findings on healthy adults are consistent with prior observations in the young, corroborating the concept that regular consumption of this meal is an important and independent contributor of healthy weight at all ages," it added.
On the other hand, eating a healthy breakfast has been shown to promote greater heart health, including healthier weight and cholesterol.
The study showed that atherosclerosis was observed with more frequency among people who skipped breakfast and was also higher in participants who consumed low-energy breakfasts compared to breakfast consumers.
Importantly, people who skipped breakfast had the greatest waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, blood lipids and fasting glucose levels.
Participants who skipped breakfast were more likely to have an overall unhealthy lifestyle, including poor overall diet, frequent alcohol consumption and smoking. They were also more likely to be hypertensive and overweight or obese.
Additionally, cardiometabolic risk markers were more prevalent in those who skipped breakfast and low-energy breakfast consumers compared to breakfast consumers.
"People who regularly skip breakfast likely have an overall unhealthy lifestyle," said author Valentin Fuster, Director of Mount Sinai Heart Institute
"This study provides evidence that this is one bad habit people can proactively change to reduce their risk for heart disease," Fuster added.
For the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the team in Madrid examined 4,052 male and female volunteers who were free from cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease. Of these, 2.9 per cent skipped breakfast, 69.4 per cent were low-energy breakfast consumers and 27.7 per cent were breakfast consumers.
Idli is often eaten for breakfast along with piping hot sambhar and a variety of chutneys.
"Idli has been a top breakfast item that consumers love... It appeals to people of varied food preferences and is a popular comfort food for many," Deepak Reddy, Head of Central Operations, Uber Eats India, said in a statement on Thursday.
Data from restaurants across 38 cities that specialise in idli and are known for unique variations of the dish show that Bengaluru consumes idli the most, followed by Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad.
Globally, San Francisco, London and New Jersey have been found to be the top idli ordering cities.
For the last three years, March 30 has been celebrated as World Idli Day. It is said to be the brainchild of Eniyavan, a popular idli-only caterer from Chennai.
Uber Eats will run special idli offers and combos across idli loving cities on World Idli Day, Reddy said.
Breakfast gives you the energy to focus on your work and daily activities. A healthy breakfast lowers level of body cholesterol, improves memory and helps fight obesity.
There are several reasons why the morning meal is the best meal of the day. Here are three of the most important pointers why you shouldn’t miss your morning meal –
Eating breakfast boosts metabolism – When you wake up in the morning, the blood sugar level in the body is low and you feel sluggish. When you eat a healthy breakfast rich with nutrients and vitamins, it replenishes your body and gears up its metabolism level.
Skipping Breakfast Results in Overeating – When you skip the morning breakfast, your body is deprived of nutrients that it needs to help you with your daily work early in the day. Skipping of breakfast results in fall of blood sugar levels thereby making you crave to eat something sweet or fatty. This also leads to overeating later in the day.
Breakfast energises your brain and mood - Missing out on breakfast reduces mental alertness. When you step out with an empty stomach you struggle with lack of energy and feel stressed. A healthy breakfast improves attention, memory and enhances the problem solving ability.
The findings, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, suggest that people with such an unhealthy lifestyle had a four to five times higher likelihood of early death and increased chances of a second heart attack.
"Our research shows that the two eating behaviours are independently linked with poorer outcomes after a heart attack but having a cluster of bad habits will only make things worse," said co-author Marcos Minicucci, from Sao Paolo State University in Brazil.
"We also think that the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and endothelial function could be involved in the association between unhealthy eating behaviours and cardiovascular outcomes," he added.
For the study, the team involved 113 patients with a mean age of 60, of which 73 per cent were men. The study enrolled patients with a particularly serious form of heart attack called ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
According to the team, this was the first study to evaluate these unhealthy behaviours in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Skipping breakfast was observed in 58 per cent patients, having late night dinner in 51 per cent, and both behaviours in 41 per cent.
To improve eating habits, researchers recommended a minimum two hour interval between dinner and bedtime.
"A good breakfast is usually composed of dairy products (fat-free or low fat milk, yogurt and cheese), a carbohydrate (whole wheat bread, bagels, cereals), and whole fruits," the team said
Adding together all of a student's exam results, they found that students who said they rarely ate breakfast achieved nearly two grades lower than those who rarely missed their morning meal.
For the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, researchers from the University of Leeds demonstrated a link between eating breakfast and GCSE performance for secondary school students in the UK.
"Our study suggests that secondary school students are at a disadvantage if they are not getting a morning meal to fuel their brains for the start of the school day," said study lead researcher Katie Adolphus from the University of Leeds in UK.
"This research suggests that poor nutrition is associated with worse results at school," Adolphus said.
For the findings, the researchers surveyed 294 students from schools and colleges in West Yorkshire in 2011, and found that 29 per cent rarely or never ate breakfast on school days, while 18 per cent ate breakfast occasionally, and 53 per cent frequently.
Their figures are similar to the latest national data for England in 2019, which found that more than 16 per cent of secondary school children miss breakfast.
GCSE grades were converted to point scores using the Department for Education's 2012 system, where A* = 58, A = 52, B = 46, and so on.
Adding up students' scores across all subjects gave students an aggregated score.
Those who rarely ate breakfast scored on average 10.25 points lower than those who frequently ate breakfast, a difference of nearly two grades, after accounting for other important factors including socio-economic status, ethnicity, age, sex and BMI.
Looking at performance for each individual GCSE, they found that students who rarely ate breakfast scored on average 1.20 points lower than those who frequently ate breakfast, after accounting for other factors.
Each grade equates to six points, so the difference accounted for a drop of a fifth of a grade for every GCSE an individual achieved, the study said.