Every time I go to the supermarket to shop for my monthly groceries, I am greeted by a barrage of breakfast cereal options. While I would love to dive in and get myself a bag of rice crispies or fruit loops or sugary sweet cornflakes [with false promises of weight loss], I stand back, hold my breath and move on to the healthier side of life. Breakfast cereals are great and taste fabulous, but keep in mind the fact that most of them are loaded with sugar, and not much else.
It is extremely important to ensure that breakfast is a balanced meal with the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. This is where most breakfast cereals are found lacking, because other than the carbohydrates (and most of them are simple carbs), there isn't enough protein or healthy fat available. And while our traditional breakfast dishes do provide a better source of carbohydrates, they are usually lacking in protein — like 'Idli, Dosa, Sambar' or 'Aloo Paratha'.
It's not for nothing that they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After 8 hours of sleep [if you're sleeping right], it's the first thing you put into your body. Think of it like a car's fuel tank, running bone dry and dying to get some fuel at the closest petrol pump. What this basically means is that if you skip breakfast, you're letting your fuel tank [read your body] run on reserve, and eventually run dry. You feel tired, you get cranky and maybe even get a bad headache [I used to].
Why put yourself through all that when you have a simple solution before you? Let me assure you, I am by no means a food or fitness expert, I just know that this is what works for me. Here's my quick fix for breakfast. Always choose complex carbohydrates for your breakfast. Why? Because complex carbs take longer to break-down in your system than sugar heavy treats. That means you feel full longer and hungry much later and chances are it's better for you than a temporary sugar high. One of the easiest options I've found in that category is oats. Now mind you, I hate oats in a porridge form. It makes me feel like a horse with a bag of oatmeal strapped to his Jay-Leno like chin. What I do love, are milkshakes. So my quick-fix solution is a cup of milk, one scoop of oats [about 30 grams], one teaspoon of cocoa powder and a pinch of sugar. If you don't like chocolate, try fruits like strawberry or banana. Toss in a blender, whip it up and drink it. I guarantee you; you will not be running towards unhealthy snacks. Well, not for quite a few hours at least.
Of course that is under the rapid assumption you like milkshakes. If that much liquid is not quite your morning cup of tea, here's option number 2: an omelet. Take one whole egg, two egg whites and beat it together. Season with salt, pepper and any other condiments you might like, like oregano, chilli flakes etc. Use a good nonstick pan and a teaspoon of olive oil. Combine this with two slices of toasted brown bread [no butter!] and a serving of cold or hot milk.
If you like your desi tadka [read idli/dosa/upma] in the morning, then fear not, you can have it. But since it is not quite so protein rich, make sure you supplement this with a glass of milk and a handful of almonds or any other nuts you prefer and you've had a rollicking start to the day.
All three of the options listed above give you the right mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats.
See, being healthy, isn't so hard is it? This is just the beginning. Eating right, and I do not mean dieting or starving, is all you need to ensure that your body is being treated well and loves you in return.
