{"id":100103,"date":"2020-08-24T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2020-08-24T00:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pamper.my\/news\/?p=100103"},"modified":"2020-08-24T08:40:20","modified_gmt":"2020-08-24T00:40:20","slug":"healthy-breakfast-the-smart-start-to-your-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pamper.my\/news\/health\/diet-nutrition\/healthy-breakfast-the-smart-start-to-your-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy Breakfast \u2013 The Smart Start to Your Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mornings are usually a hectic time, especially during weekdays when most people are rushing to get to office or to send their kids to school. So it\u2019s no big surprise that many people skip breakfast, which truly is the most important meal of the day. It should be the smart way to start your day!<\/p>\n

Others may compromise by opting for a basic breakfast or getting into an \u2018auto-pilot\u2019 routine with quick ready-to-drink beverage, a slice of bread, or an egg. Some may have breakfast often, but the question remains – how healthy is your typical breakfast?<\/p>\n

Malaysians tend to skip breakfast<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, many Malaysians are guilty of skipping breakfast and this occurs across different age groups, including children and adolescents. In a recent Ministry of Health Malaysia National Health and Morbidity Survey1<\/sup><\/em>, it was found that 7 in 10 adolescents skipped breakfast regularly, while about half reported no appetite and skipped breakfast. The Nutrition Society of Malaysia MyBreakfast study found that 1 in 4 school children skipped breakfast at least 3 times a week.2<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

In 2019, the Herbalife Nutrition Asia Pacific Healthy Breakfast Survey3<\/em>\u00a0<\/sup>found that a little more than half of Malaysian respondents thought that breakfast was important and had breakfast within 2-3 hours of waking up every day. It was also found that convenience was their top consideration, ahead of health benefits and nutritional value. Around 1 in 3 respondents bought breakfast from an eatery rather than preparing their own breakfast.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, coffee and eggs was the most popular breakfast combination among Malaysians, followed by tea and rice, then coffee and rice. Interestingly, the survey revealed that Malaysian respondents perceived tea as a healthier breakfast beverage option. Despite the lack of a proper understanding regarding what constitutes an ideally healthy and nutritious breakfast, over 9 in 10 wanted to consume a healthier breakfast.<\/p>\n

What is a healthy breakfast? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone has heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but why is this so? Our body needs a balanced,nutrient-rich breakfast in order to obtain sufficient energy and nutrients after long hours of sleep. So a healthy breakfast will provide your brain and body with the \u2018fuel\u2019 to not only start the day off, but will also help keep you energised all day long.<\/p>\n

This is especially important for both working adults and children, as a healthy breakfast helps them stay focused during work or while at school, thus optimising their performance. Having a healthy breakfast also helps to prevent overeating or food cravings, and is helpful for maintaining a healthy body weight. The MyBreakfast study indicated that children who skipped breakfast are 1.3 times more likely to become overweight\/obese.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

A healthy breakfast should be a balanced meal, with food\/beverage combinations high in nutrient density, i.e. it should contain all of our important daily nutrients such as carbohydrate, protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. It\u2019s also important to keep an eye on calorie intake.<\/p>\n

Be mindful of breakfast foods that are oily (e.g. roti canai<\/em>) or high in refined carbohydrates (e.g. bread with jam, teh ais<\/em>with sugar). It would be best to include at least three food groups for your breakfast \u2013 carbohydrate-containing foods (preferably whole grains or wholegrain products), protein-containing foods (fish, meat, poultry, egg, milk or protein containing beverages), and fruits or vegetables. This combination will help you feel full for a longer time.<\/p>\n

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Tips to prepare a healthy breakfast<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most common excuse for breakfast skipping is \u201cNo time lah!\u201d, so in order to address this, it\u2019s time to up our game. There are many ways you can have a simple yet healthy and balanced breakfast, which takes less than 10 minutes!<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start off with simple strategies for weekdays:<\/p>\n