# Healthy eating habits/Quick and healthy breakfast options
## Why is breakfast important?

Breakfast is the first meal eaten for the day, generally before midday. It is vital to consume breakfast, due to its broad benefits such as
⋅Boosting metabolism
⋅Kick starting your energy levels ⋅Preventing obesity ⋅Aiding mental performance, such as learning
⋅Curing hunger, thereby reducing caloric intake later in the day
⋅Reducing fatigue, and ⋅Decreasing unhealthy food choices throughout the day
It has also been recognised that those who skip breakfast may lack fibre and have vitamin deficiencies such as vitamin B12, folate, iron and calcium.

## Food groups

For a quick and healthy breakfast, it is encouraged to include, but not limited to 3 food groups; Dairy, Fruits and Grains. This may help to prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Although, if the Australian Guidelines of Healthy Eating's recommendations for food groups servings are not met throughout the day, then deficiencies are likely.

### Grain (cereal) foods

Grains are vital for a good source of carbohydrates, protein, dietary fibre and a handful of vitamins and minerals!
Grain (cereal) foods, include wholegrain cereals like wholemeal breads, wholegrain/high fibre breakfast cereals, oats, wholegrain rice and pasta. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ of the grain. It removes the dietary fiber, iron and many B vitamins, although it improves their shelf life. Some examples are white bread, white flour, white pasta and white rice.

### Vegetables and legumes/beans

Vegetables are essential for keeping your heart healthy and preventing cardiovascular disease. Due to the copious amount of vitamins and minerals in this food group, regular consumption of vegetables, legumes and/or beans can protect against certain cancers and keep your body strong to fight off any diseases. This food group includes, broccoli, bok choy, snow peas, spinach, chick peas, tofu, carrots and sweet potato just to name a few!

### Fruits

The increasing evidence between eating whole fruit and the reducing the risk of cancer is expanding daily! Which can only mean one thing, FRUIT IS GREAT FOR YOU! Most fruits are low in kilojoules but jam-packed with vitamins and minerals! Some fruits include apple, bananas, berries, mangoes, pears and oranges.

### Dairy

Dairy foods are where we get the bulk of our calcium intake. Calcium is detrimental in making bones and our teeth strong, and it also helps with nerve transmission. Not only does this food group provide calcium, it also provides protein, iodine, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and zinc! Dairy foods include milk, cheese and yoghurt. Make sure you choose a low-fat option to keep your saturated fat levels down!

### Meat

This groups is a high protein group! It can include fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legume/beans. This groups provides great sources of iron, essential fatty acids and micronutrients needed for normal bodily functions.

## Examples of a quick and healthy breakfast

Here comes the fun part!
Quick and healthy breakfasts are not hard to come by! Everyone probably thinks that they don't have time! NO! You're wrong, you just need to know how to efficiently USE that time!!
Below are a few examples, which can be altered to your own preference!
Fruit salad with greek yoghurt
Freshly cut up fruit with a dollop of greek yoghurt. Chia seeds can be added for an extra antioxidant hit! And, seriously, how long will it take to cut up a few fruits! Mind you this breakfast option is so fresh and delicious you'll be cutting up more and more!
Weetbix with chia seed You know that wholegrain cereal group I mentioned? Here's a perfect example of wholegrain cereal (the good kind), you can get multi grain weet-bix that taste absolutely delicious with some low fat milk, honey and some chia seeds! Other wholegrain cereals include, multigrain flakes, oatbrits, all bran etc...
Wholegrain toast with cottage cheese and avocado
Are you getting sick of toast with mediocre topping like butter and vegemite? Change to some different! Like cottage cheese and avocado, this option is healthy, keeps you fuller for longer AND has healthy fats you need to keep you focused throughout the day! Other toppings may include smashed avocado and a squeeze of lemon, cottage cheese and salmon, banana and milo, the options are limitless!
Banana smoothie with weetbix
This scrumptious treat is one of the most versatile breakfast recipes you can come across. Simply add a fruit, low fat milk, greek yoghurt, honey (to sweeten things up) and a whole grain (weet bix or oats, anything you fancy)! Frozen fruit work just as well in this simple breakfast treat!
Wholemeal pancakes with flavoured greek yoghurt and fruit
'Yummm!' do I hear you say?, that's absolutely correct, this quick and easy recipe will take close to 5 mins to prepare, another 5 to eat! But well worth it! Add whatever garnish you wish, such as honey, or berries, or bananas, completely to your discretion!
Yoghurt and muesli
This beauty is great for on the run! Pack 2 separate containers, one with muesli (however much you like) and the other with some high protein, low sugar yoghurt! When ready to eat mix the two in one container and voila. Fruits, such as berries can be added. Low fat milk maybe added to your yoghurt if you don't enjoy a dry muesli, and if you're not a huge fan of dairy, freshly squeezed orange juice works a treat with muesli!
FOR MORE IMAGES AND IDEAS VISIT MY INSTAGRAM PAGE 'QUICKNHEALTHYBREAKFAST'

## References

* 1 2 , Better Health Channel. (2011). Breakfast. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Breakfast
* ↑ , Daniels, S. R. (2011). Breakfast is important. The Journal of Pediatrics, 161(5) pp. 871
* ↑ , United States Department of Agriculture. (2010). What are Grains? Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/grains.html
* ↑ National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013). Vegetables and Legumes/Beans. Retrieved from http://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/vegetables-and-legumes-beans
* ↑ Buppasiri, P., Lumbigano, P., Thinkhamrop, J., Ngamjarus, C. & Laopaiboon, M. Calcium supplementation (other than for preventing or treating hypertension) for improving pregnancy and infant outcomes. Cochrane Collaboration Database of Systematic Reviews 20 Issue 1, 10, pp1-89. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007079.pub2.