Balanced breakfast: how to do it?

Breakfast our tips and recipes

Here are some tips and ideas for a breakfast that will give you all the nutrients you need to start the day off right.

Why a breakfast?

Considered by some to be the most important meal of the day, a balanced breakfast provides all the essential nutrients to start your day off right.

Sweet, savory or mixed, the combinations are almost endless and everyone can add something new as the days go by.

Often neglected by the youngest, appreciated by the oldest, breakfast is an integral part of the daily diet required by your body for its proper functioning. And yes, the little bit of fatigue at the end of the morning is undoubtedly synonymous with a breakfast that is not copious enough or not rich enough in nutrients. How to cure it ? We will see it shortly.

The ideal breakfast

Whether you are in a hurry or relaxing (holidays, weekends...), it is always possible to prepare a balanced and nourishing breakfast for the body.

Its composition is the simplest: a drink , a starch , a dairy product and a fruit .

This combination of foods will give you joy, good mood and energy.

Now let's take a look at the different options available to you.

The beverage

The drink is essential for breakfast in order to rehydrate your body and compensate for the loss caused by your night's sleep.

A large temperate glass of water is already recommended before the meal, one thing is certain, water is vital and does not promote weight gain. In fact, it contains no calories. But above all, drinking water protects your internal and external health, and it even has effects on your skin.

An infusion , a tea or herbal tea, a cup of coffee (preferably to be consumed without sugar) or a glass of fruit juice 100% pure juice and with pulp and preferably organic, are all possibilities that you can add the one to another.

Tea is an excellent calorie-free beverage as an alternative to water. This makes it possible to test thousands of flavors and tastes at once. Rich in antioxidants, it protects against external pollution and its harmful effects, also has a draining and naturally diuretic action.

Arabica coffee, robusta, in beans, ground, soluble, organic coffee, fair trade, mocha, espresso, latte, cappuccino, coffee exists in many forms, the best way to consume it is still an organic espresso. Coffee has positive effects on the nervous system. It is as rich as tea in antioxidants called polyphenols, whose virtues are multiple: protection of cells, neutralization of cancer cells… find more details on coffee: lamokabox.com .

The starch

Rich in carbohydrates, starchy foods will bring you satiety and energy to spare at the start of the day, of course, the more starchy foods you have, the less quickly you will feel hungry.

White, toasted, wholemeal or cereal bread, homemade rusk , preferably made from organic flour and unrefined flour, accompanied by homemade jam, honey, oilseed puree. Homemade cereal bar or cereals such as oatmeal, barley, buckwheat, puffed rice will satisfy your hunger and provide you with some of the nutrients the body needs.

However, be careful not to devour the whole baguette, you risk not being able to get up from your chair!

Pay attention to industrial products all the same! Too rich in sugar and saturated fat, these products do not provide anything nutritionally for our needs, especially after a night's sleep, despite their appetizing taste it is better to avoid them even if it is not a pleasure to treat them from time to time. of badness. (see this very interesting video on breakfast cereals on Oumnaturel.com )

A dairy product

"Dairy products are our friends for life" or "pure sensation products" joking aside, it's a long time ago when we were sold the consumption of dairy products in abundance per day, but to consume 1 to 2 max per day proportionate is beneficial, it's like with everything, no excess otherwise beware of the repercussions. (see the report: Lies and truths about milk - Documentary )

Dairy products are rich in calcium and protein , dairy products are full of them, and this is beneficial for muscles and bones, and this at any age.

A glass of whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, natural or Greek yogurt, sweet or salty fromage blanc are perfect examples of dairy products for your daily breakfast. Think about the following proportion all the same:

• Milk 150ml
• Yogurt 125g
• Cheese 30g

Remember to vary the dairy products so as not to feel tired as your week progresses and if you like cheese as we do, favor Emmentaler and Comté which are rich in calcium, or preferably the cheeses with the lowest fat and less salty (sheep, goat, etc.)

There are also vegetable drinks, the range is increasingly wide: almond, oats, rice, soy, spelled... There is something for everyone and especially for all tastes.

Other sources of protein?

Very often we French have a sweet lunch, but salty is more than recommended, and in many countries breakfast is salty. And yes proteins, in the morning it's excellent, it will promote the production of dopamine, and thereby stimulate awakening, motivation and concentration , and above all it allows you to supplement your breakfast precisely so as not to have small helm at the end of the morning, or even to hold out until the evening. But would you say to me: what should you eat to fill up on protein?

Well the egg is the perfect option , but not that there are also dried fruits, see in the next paragraph for vegetable proteins with oilseeds. The egg is low in fat and high in protein, so 1 to 2 with starchy foods and fruit is a very good compromise, but not too much either. (see article: Why eating eggs in the morning is a smart idea ). It is also possible to eat sardines, or salmon like with our Nordic neighbours, but we are kicking it because it is difficult for us at breakfast but aren't it only idiots who don't change their mind?

Fruits: our friends for life

Dried fruit, raw or cooked, preferably in season, in a smoothie or juice, even if the best thing for the body is to chew the fruit to promote satiety. They will contribute to your good health by providing you with the essential vitamins and minerals that your body burns on a daily basis.

Of course, you have to avoid falling into the industrial trap, avoid industrial compotes and fresh juices which are also too rich in added sugar which the body does not need.

For example, in this autumn period oranges are there, they bring you a full of vitamin C, ideal for waking up your body in the morning.

In winter, the apple will be perfect, it contributes to the proper functioning of the intestines and is attached to the body.

In spring, it's the return of red fruits, raspberries, strawberries… they are delicious and rich in benefits for the body.

In summer, juicy fruits like watermelon, melon, peach… will bring you freshness and hydration.

Dried fruits are rich in fatty acids, and we talk about beneficial fats, omega-3, omega-9, they prevent diabetes, cardiovascular disease and help keep the brain, muscles and bones in shape. At the top, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts (unsalted of course) possible to opt for chia seeds, pumpkin, avocado, sesame... But it is also possible to opt for vegetables (carrot, cucumber, radish…) especially during a savory breakfast, or legumes (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans…)

To conclude ?

To conclude, we would say: is there a better breakfast than another?

Firstly, what is most important is to eat a balanced diet , above all avoid anything that comes from manufacturers and especially anything that is ultra-processed (cakes, sandwich loaves, juices, cereals: nesquik, chocapic, honey pops, etc.) pass and of the best yet we all grew up with it!)

Secondly, to avoid weariness, the best thing is to vary breakfasts like other meals, once salty, once sweet, once both.

And thirdly, you also have to know how to have fun , so once in a while eat what makes you happy, even nutritionists will tell you eat balanced okay but when the urge takes you it's that basically the body needs it, by that I am not saying to stuff yourself with chocolate or cereals…, but in small quantities and especially occasionally it will bring what your body asks for and joy.

Either way, multiple choices are available to you for breakfast so BON APPÉTIT!