People around the globe has become very health conscious now a days. Being in shape is most important. To achieve the same, eating a proper heavy healthy breakfast is of utmost importance. Majority of the population try to skip breakfast to lose weight. This gives a short term result. But in long term you may become a victim of diseases like

• High sugar
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Heart diseases
• Obesity

So why Breaking the long night fast in the morning through breakfast is important is as follows:

• It helps in building you memory. It sharpens your short term memory. It increases the concentration levels and it can also make us happier by improving the mood and lowering the stress levels.
• Your daily diet must contain 20%-35% of the calories from breakfast as your GDA(Guideline daily allowance). This provides essential nutrients like calcium, iron, B vitamins, protein and fibre. Fuelling up your body with these essential nutrients is at top priority every morning for better output. If these nutrients are not provided in breakfast, they are less likely to get compensated later in the day.
• Breakfast helps in controlling the weight. If you have a heavy healthy breakfast you are less likely to feel hungry until 3 hours. Otherwise you are prone to gobble in high calorie, fattening snacks before lunch and end up in putting on unnecessary weight.
• It protects your heart.
• It lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
• It enhances your immune system.

MOTIVATED TO START YOUR DAY WITH A HEALTHY BREAKFST PLATE??

How to make your breakfast healthy:

• Take your breakfast plate and split it into three. One third should be filled with a protein-based food, a quarter with starchy carbohydrates and the remaining third with a variety of fresh fruit and vegies.
• Fruits - For a wide range of vitamins, antioxidants and fibre, aim to eat a minimum of two serves of fruit a day.
• Protein – One or two poached egg or egg white, toned milk, unsweetened yogurt, tofu or paneer can make your breakfast healthy and filling. The proteins have a blood sugar balancing effect on your body which prevents you to crave for the sweetened snacks in the mid morning.
• Carbohydrates -After the night's fast, quality complex carbohydrates give us the energy we need to start the day. Avoid high-glycaemic index (GI) refined carbohydrates such as sugary cereals and white toast. Instead, choose minimally processed foods that raise blood-sugar levels gradually and give you more energy for longer. Try one or two pieces of wholegrain bread or half to three-quarters of a cup of porridge or cereals made from oats, quinoa, amaranth or buckwheat. 
• Veggies – These provide the sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibres to boost up the body’s digestive system.
•  Fats - A satisfying breakfast should also include some good fat. Sprinkling ground flaxseed into a smoothie or bowl of cereal will turn your breakfast into a gold mine ofomega-3 fatty acids; just two tablespoons contains more than 100% of your recommended daily intake for those heart-healthy fats. Flaxseed, which has a nutty flavor, also is rich in fiber and lignan, an antioxidant that's been shown to protect against breast cancer.
• Chose Green Tea instead of normal tea to boost up the anti oxidants in your body
• Substitute fruit juice with fresh fruits preferably with skin.
• Go for low glycemic index foods rather than high ones.

Thus SALUTING the most important meal of the day – The BREAKFAST. Include this meal in your daily schedule to see the magical improvements in your mood, immune system, memory and energy level. Henceforth enjoy a heavy healthy breakfast and that is most important care of yours you can take. This care will show a long term effect not only from outside but also from within. Hence it is the ultimate care one can take for his or her wellbeing.

                                                                                                                                                   ~Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee