Exquisite Magazine Jan 2018

Wellnessmealtime
Breakfast
First
The first meal of the day gives you a power boost so try not to skip it
A
good breakfast starts off your chapter on the right
foot. Work is more productive when you have energy
and verve which you can get from your breakfast
meal. It does not have to be heavy and rich. Just a
simple bowl of fruit and yoghurt does wonders for a positive
start.
You should create time for breakfast and make it a habit.
Breakfast consisting of eggs is even more beneficial. Eggs are
nature’s source of health benefits, and pairs well with bread,
fruit, meat such as bacon, tomato and coffee.
Breakfast should be leisurely. Wolfing down breakfast and
rushing about just adds to your stress. Manage your time so
that you can have an unhurried meal to get your energy flowing
in a positive, healthy way. It does not matter how early or
late you have breakfast. What is important is the food that is
consumed, and the leisurely, unhurried manner you consume it.
Being the first meal of the day, people often have breakfast any
time between 5 and 11am. Beyond this breakfast becomes
brunch, which is a very popular meal these days and consists
of similar foods you would consume at breakfast.
Many cafes, restaurants and hotels serve breakfast, and are
noticing the rise in popularity of the working breakfast for the
working person. Many cater to on-the-go breakfast meals that
are easy to hold, and are quite mobile. But as mentioned earlier,
managing your time to include breakfast in a leisurely manner
does wonders to your day, both as a person and worker.
Healthy energy always inspires a positive outlook that creates
productivity.
By Jane Tanh
Breakfast runs the gamut of foods from eggs, toast and kaya,
fruit, cereals, yoghurt, sandwiches and pancakes to vegetarian
dosai and other local favourites. Listen to your stomach, and
you will find a breakfast meal that suits your liestyle. If you
notice that fresh fruit juice injects more vitality remember the
combination and add that to your breakfast routine. If eggs and
toast give you more stamina and energy, then make that part of
your regimen as well.
Eggs
Unless you’re allergic to them, eggs do wonders for your
system. That’s why they are so popular as the first meal of the
day.
Benefits
1. Studies have shown that regular consumption of eggs may
help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.
2. Eggs are good for the eyes. An egg a day may prevent
macular degeneraton due to the carotenoid content,
specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more
readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other
sources.
3. Researchers found that people who eat eggs every day
lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the
lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.
4. One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9
essential amino acids.
5. They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about
300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important
nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and
cardiovascular system.
6. They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5
grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.
7. New research shows that, contrary to previous belief,
moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative
impact on cholesterol. Recent studies have shown that
regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a
person’s lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it.
8. Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally
occurring vitamin D.
9. Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who
consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of
breast cancer by 44 percent.
10. Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high
sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals.
Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs
to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in
foods containing sulphur or B12.
Yoghurt
For many breakfast consists of yoghurt, cereal and fruit which is
a very healthy option of boosting your day.
Yoghurt comes from milk. So yoghurt eaters will get a dose
of animal protein of about 9 grams per 6-ounce serving, plus
several other nutrients found in dairy foods, like calcium,
vitamin B2, vitamin B12, potassium and magnesium.
Yoghurt is rich in probiotics. Probiotics are “friendly bacteria”
that are naturally present in the digestive system. Live strains of
these “good bacteria” are also found in many yoghurt products.
Some evidence show that certain strains of probiotics can help
boost the immune system and promote a healthy digestive
tract.
Fruit and banana
One of the most popular breakfast fruit is banana, either
eaten on its own or in drink boosters or with cereal and
pancakes.
Benefits
The banana consists mainly of glucose, fructose and sucrose
sugars and fibre, which makes it ideal for an immediate and
slightly prolonged source of energy.
1. Reducing depression. Bananas contain tryptophan, an
aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to
improved mood.
2. Constipation and diarrhea. Due to their content in fibre,
they help restore a normal bowel function. They also
contain pectin, a soluble fibre (hydrocolloid) that can help
normalise movement through the digestive tract.
3. Eyesight. Research published in the Archives of
Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at
least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk
(by 36%) of developing age-related macular
degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in
older adults, compared to persons who consume less
than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
4. Healthy kidney. Studies show that frequent consumption
of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, may reduce
risk of kidney cancer. This is because bananas and
many root vegetables contain especially high amounts of
antioxidant phenolic compounds.
5. Stress relief. Bananas are high in potassium, which
helps normalise the hearthbeat and regulate the body’s
water balance. During periods of high stress, our body’s
potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating
bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without
using drugs.
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