What makes a perfect breakfast?

HOW MUCH?

 
A good breakfast should provide up to a quarter of the nutrients and energy you need for the day. It should be balanced, containing a mix of carbohydrates, protein, fat, calcium, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

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WHAT?

 
Here are some breakfast ideas that satisfy your energy and nutritional needs...
1 egg + wholegrain toast + fruit or vegetables Wholegrain toast or roti + vegetables + chicken/tuna/ cheese/cottage cheese Sandwich/ Frankie Muesli or oats with fruit or dried fruit + milk or soya milk Besan or dal cheela with vegetables + cottage cheese A bowl of fruit with a glass of low fat lassi or yoghurt Idli or plain dosa (made with less oil) + sambar + green chutney Upma or poha with vegetables + buttermilk Vegetable-stuffed paratha (made with less oil in a non stick pan) + yoghurt Roti + sabzi + sattughol/yoghurt Chire + yoghurt + fruit/nuts Sprouted salad + buttermilk

FOR CHILDREN 

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Banana or mango or strawberry smoothie/milk shake Cold coffee + fruit Cheese or cottage cheese + vegetables + wholegrain bread Milk + nuts + dried fruit Roti wrap or roll of paneer, egg or chicken + vegetables Tikkis (roasted with a little oil on a non-stick pan) with potato + cottage cheese/chicken + vegetables Orange juice + wholewheat bread + cheese Stuffed vegetable paratha + fruit juice/fruit

BEVERAGES 

Tea Hot/ cold coffee Green tea Herbal tea Lassi/ buttermilk Milkshakes/ smoothies Lemon water Barley water

HOW?

 
Sounds like a mammoth task? Take heart.
Plan your breakfast ahead. Save yourself the early-morning hassle by keeping chopped vegetables, boiled potatoes, cottage cheese and eggs at hand and you can rustle up any dish in just a few minutes. If you want to serve stuffed parathas, tikkis or cutlets, prepare them the night before and just roast them in the morning. In case you run short on time, drink something at home and munch on your way to work. If none of the above works for you, there are plenty of ready-to-eat meals available. Some options are breakfast bars, muesli bars, low-fat flavoured yoghurts, milk in tetra pak and, of course, fruits. Remember to choose the no-added-sugar and low-fat variants.

WHAT TIME?

You should have breakfast within an hour or two of waking up. It is the first meal of the day and hence should be timed according to your dinner. There should be no more than a 12-hour gap. For those who work at night and go to sleep at 5 in the morning, breakfast will not be at 8am, but should follow after five to eight hours of sleep. For those who have a normal work schedule, the ideal time for breakfast is between me for breakfast is between 8am and 10.30am, depending on when you wake up. So, rise and shine to a healthy breakfast that gets you going for the day. 

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com

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