​Getting it right at breakfast

July 11, 2021
Healthcaretoday, breakfast, energy, fuel for body, ready to eat breakfast, morning meals, food, yoghurt, fruits, rolled oats, instant oats, soy milk, smoothie, dietary needs, snacking, nutritious meals, nutrition, immunity, healthy diet, immune system,
Having breakfast is the best fuel you can provide for your brain and body.
After the recommended 8 hours of sleep, our body needs energy. Having breakfast is the best fuel you can provide for your brain and body, as you start the day at home. This is important for both working adults and children, as a healthy breakfast helps them stay focused throughout the day. However, all too often we rush to get our day started and forget about consuming a nutritious meal in the morning. Now that most Malaysians are staying at home, let’s ensure we set aside 10 minutes to have a quick yet wholesome breakfast every day.
 
“Healthy and balanced meals come in many different forms and, contrary to popular belief, can be easy to prepare. Malaysians can make use of healthy ready-to-eat breakfast foods to prepare a quick meal such as yoghurt topped with fruits, rolled oats or instant oats, or blend soy milk with fruits to make a smoothie. We just need to follow the right proportions of each food group to match our dietary needs. For instance, incorporating an amount of protein in your breakfast will help keep you satisfied for a longer time, and in turn, can reduce the urge for any unnecessary snacking,” said Dr Tan Sue Yee, a Nutritionist from Nutrition Society of Malaysia (NSM) – whose notable works include the MyBreakfast Study.
 
According to a recently conducted Asia Pacific Breakfast Habits survey, 75% of the Malaysian respondents think it is important to have daily healthy breakfast. The barriers to consuming healthier breakfast are that healthier breakfast options are expensive (30%), they do not matter to them (28%) and that they are not readily accessible (26%). However, as a result of the current situation, many have made changes to their breakfast meals, with 52% of the respondents making sure they have a nutritionally balanced meal at breakfast, 50% drinking more water at breakfast and 47% incorporating more fresh produce into their breakfast.
 
The survey further highlights the need for good nutrition to build immunity. Maintaining a healthy diet plays an important part of creating and maintaining a strong immune system.
 
However, the survey also revealed that 50% of the respondents who do not consume breakfast on a daily basis reported lack of time and appetite in the morning as the two main barriers preventing them from eating breakfast. In fact, one can easily overcome the obstacles by waking up 15 minutes earlier to prepare something healthy and fast. 

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