Wake up to breakfast

I was late for work. I didn't have time. I wasn't hungry. You probably can give me more reasons as to why you did not have breakfast this morning. But, no matter what your excuse is, you are so wrong.

Can a car run on empty fuel tank? Neither can our body. Breakfast is the day's most essential meal, helping us to start our day in the best possible way. As the first meal of the day, the most important function of breakfast is to break the fast following hours of sleep. Hence, the coining of the word "breakfast".

When we wake up to breakfast, we are providing the energy that our body requires to face the day. Among numerous other benefits, breakfast helps mental as well as physical performance.

Breakfast improves weight loss

If one is doing away with breakfast, then that person simply cannot afford to skip meals, even if trying to lose weight. In fact, skipping meals is one of the worst things one can do, especially if that person is missing breakfast.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health have discovered that adolescents who regularly have breakfast tend to weigh less and have a better health condition than those who eat nothing in the morning. These researchers found that adolescents who skip breakfast have a higher BMI than those who don't.

Another revealing aspect is that those who regularly have breakfast tend to be more physically active, and follow a healthier diet consisting of less fats and more dietary fibre.

One may ask: How come does an added meal per day, eventually lead to a healthier body weight? The answer is very simple: If breakfast consists of a variety of healthy food, it can help in controlling one's appetite during the day, avoiding overeating during lunch or dinner.

Consequently, one can also say that breakfast is good for a healthy heart, especially if it includes cereals, as it is associated with lower dietary fat intakes.

Breakfast has mental benefits

Breakfast has been proven to have not only physical but also mental and psychological benefits. It has also been found that those who skip this daily "health appointment", have greater difficulty to concentrate during the day.

A study carried out by the University of Verona has concluded that students who have breakfast are three times more likely to perform better in school than those who do not eat breakfast.

Another study, this time conducted in Australia, found that those who have a sumptuous breakfast, consisting of a variety of foods from different food groups, have better mental health, independent of their income, weight and amount of physical activity which they carry out. This study also found out that the psychological benefit of breakfast goes as far as preventing depression.

Plan your day at breakfast

Breakfast can also be a great opportunity to plan the day ahead. This will serve the purpose of tackling the day in a more productive manner, and leading to a happier and more satisfied outcome during the day. Therefore, statistical results showing that people who regularly have breakfast tend to be in a better mood come as no surprise.

Breakfast time can also be an ideal time to spend more quality time with the person/s one loves.

For a healthy and balanced breakfast

Now that the great importance of this meal has been underlined, it's time to establish what foods constitute a healthy and balanced breakfast.

According to nutritionists, breakfast should provide 25 per cent of daily nutrient needs. Thus, one can choose to eat a variety of healthy foods such as breakfast cereals, brown bread and a selection of fresh fruits. One can also drink milk, a glass of fruit juice, a cup of green tea, or a cup of decaf coffee.

The experts' advice is to go for food that is easy to prepare: Cereal or toast with a variety of toppings, and fruit that is ready to eat.

The night before...

One of the main excuses for skipping breakfast is time but, in reality, time is what you make it. Here are some practical tips from Kellogg's website: www.kellogg.co. uk/whatson/wakeup/:

• Encourage kids to set out their school uniform before they go to bed.

• Make sure school bags are checked and packed with the right books, the night before.

• Keep a diary or planner in the kitchen, so everyone knows what's happening the next day.

• Set the table for breakfast from the evening.

• Make packed lunches before you go to bed.

• Organise your own things: Always put car keys, specs, and house keys in the same place. You'll save vital minutes in the morning if you know exactly where they are.