C.hi hates even just the term “breakfast”, who gets it wrong by filling up with sweets, who instead thinks of increasing the slimming effect of the morning workout by skipping it. Sweet, salty, “fit”, light, abundant or minimalist: is it really essential to have breakfast in the morning? Why do some people just can’t get breakfast and then have an unhealthy sense of fatigue in the middle of the morning? And who has diabetes how should he do it? We talked about it with the nutritionist Martina Donegani, Nutritionist biologist and science communicatoradvisor to the EU-funded ministerial campaign Fruvenh: fruit and veg natural health.
Right or wrong breakfast
“According to the most recent data from the national surveillance system OKkio to Healthin Italy the8.7% of children skip breakfast and the 35.6% still have an inadequate breakfastthat is unbalanced in terms of carbohydrates and proteins, and these wrong habits learned as a child persist over the years. The reasons may be different: poor appetite when waking up, lack of time, the monotony of the proposals at the table, the lack of sharing or misinformation about the importance of this meal “, explains Dr. Donegani. «For each of these reasons, a solution can be found: once you start having breakfast, your appetite soon comes by itself. It’s really just a matter of getting used to, how you can get used to waking up 10 minutes earlier to find time to sit at the table, experimenting with different wholesome and nutritious foods, able to stimulate the appetite and even a good mood ».
What is continental breakfast
There are those who prefer a hot breakfast and those who prefer a cold breakfast: what tips and ideas to nourish themselves better without getting heavy? And how should breakfast be composed and then not feel hungry or weak shortly after?
«It would be a bit forced to draw an identikit of the “Ideal breakfast”. There can be many and different ones able to satisfy the taste and needs of the organism. It can be said that the classic “continental” breakfast is able to satisfy the needs of the organism well. How you do it? Just make a choice between wholemeal bread, cereals or rusks as a source of complex carbohydrates, accompanied by some honey or jam to give the right sprint and from one light yogurt or from a cup of semi-skimmed milk as a source of calcium and protein. And then one juice or fruit fresh to ensure the right state of hydration and complete the vitamin intake of the meal », explains the nutritionist.
Pancakes, porridge and chia pudding
However, it is not the only possible option: you can indulge yourself in the preparation of light egg white pancakes with oatmeal (source of both carbohydrates and proteins), accompanied by fresh fruit, honey and dried fruit. Or you can think of preparing the Porridge, cooking the oat flakes with water or milk and enriching it with dark chocolate and fruit. It can also be prepared in the cold version of “overnight oats”where you prepare porridge the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight and then decorate it as you like in the morning.
Always for lovers of cold breakfast, a starting point is the chia puddingthe chia seed pudding that is prepared simply by putting the chia seeds in milk or veg drink, stirring and refrigerating overnight: the seeds will absorb the liquid and take on a gelatinous consistency similar to a pudding, which can be sweetened and decorated with fruit.
Who prefers salty breakfast
«Even a savory breakfast can be an excellent choice: del toasted bread topped with diced tomatoes and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oilaccompanied by a juice, it represents a very digestible breakfast. Just as it can also fit the toast with eggs and avocado, slower digestion than the previous option due to the higher intake of proteins and fats, but well balanced and with a high satiating power. This type of breakfast allows you to arrive with the right appetite until the next meal, avoiding glycemic peaks and a sense of exhaustion », says the expert.
What to eat in the morning so as not to gain weight?
«Numerous studies have shown that those who skip breakfast are more likely to arrive excessively hungry at lunchtime, thus tending to overeat. Or to have an excessively caloric mid-morning snack, often opting for unhealthy snacks, high in sugar and fat, not filling and too high in calories. Having a satiating and balanced breakfast allows you to arrive at the next meal of the day with the right appetiterespecting the physiological sense of hunger-satiety, thus facilitating the management of body weight. A breakfast that helps not to gain weight has a good satiating power and a caloric content that is not excessive: chia pudding and fruit, porridge, bread and jam with milk, yogurt with fruit and cereals, wholemeal bread with an egg and cherry tomatoes, are all examples of balanced, satiating and not too caloric breakfasts “, advises nutritionist Martina Donegani.
What if you have diabetes?
“In that case it’s still there more need to check the progress of blood sugar, starting with breakfast. A non-excessive source of complex carbohydrates and fiber such as wholemeal or rye bread or oatmeal, accompanied by a source of protein is ideal and good fats. A slice of wholemeal bread with an egg white and vegetable omelette for example, it is a satiating breakfast that allows you to control your blood sugar well. But also something sweet like gods protein pancakes with oatmeal, decorated with a teaspoon of a 100% dried fruit cream (eg almond butter) and without the use of added sugars they can be fine ».
Fruit for breakfast yes or no?
Eating fruit along with some almonds can make all the difference in terms of satiating and nutritional power. «Yes, if you want you can eat fruit already for breakfast: we should consume 2-3 servings of fruit a day and the first meal of the day is a good opportunity to consume at least one serving. If you want you can also add one small portion of dried fruit (eg 5 almonds) to increase the satiating power of breakfast », recalls the expert.
How many biscuits to eat for breakfast (and how to choose them)?
«The portion of cookies recommended by the guidelines is 30g of biscuits (4-5 dry biscuits or 2-3 shortbreads) 2-3 times a weekto be combined with a cup of milk or yogurt + fruit for a more balanced breakfast. In the choice prefer biscuits that do not have an excessive amount of sugar and that they have a short ingredient list. Having said that, the biscuit for breakfast is an occasional pleasure, so those times that we allow ourselves it, it is better to choose the one that pleases the palate the most », explains Donegani.
Watch your blood sugar during pregnancy
«The breakfast during pregnancy does not differ particularly from the examples of sweet or savory breakfasts seen above, that is, with a source of carbohydrates and fiber + a source of protein and fat. It is important to respect this composition to control blood sugar and avoid the onset of gestational diabetes », warns the expert.
What to eat for breakfast before training
«A pre-workout breakfast must be easily digestible and provide the energy needed to complete the workout in the best possible way. Bread or rusks with some jam or honey are a good choice. If you have enough time before training (about a couple of hours) you can also add a dairy product, otherwise you can break breakfast in two and consume it immediately after the workout ”, concludes Dr. Donegani.
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