Week 7 guideline - Don't skip breakfast. Have a hot homemade breakfast. Don’t leave home without eating something, I am sure you have heard your grandma say that to you. What your grandma knows is also backed by studies. The blue zones of the world (where longevity is high) have one thing in common, a hearty breakfast. One that is fresh, home cooked and unique to that region. Even in India, states which are known for their breakfast also live longer than the national average - Kerala, J & K, Punjab, Maharashtra. The idli or appam in Kerala, the bread or the noonchai of Kashmiri, paratha of Punjab and poha of Maharashtra are well known and widely eaten.
But other than a long life, here are a few things that you can expect your breakfast to do -
• Kickstarts your day with a nutritious meal
• Prevents headaches and acidity during the day
• Optimises micro-nutrient delivery and assimilation, especially important for people with low Vit B12, vit D, Iron, etc.
• Ensures that your cortisol levels stay in a balanced state (reduces stress)
• Prevents bingeing and overeating later in the day
• Reduces the need to consume stimulants like tea, coffee, cigarettes and chocolates
• Allows for growth of diverse gut bacteria
However, to enjoy the benefits of breakfast, it must be homemade, local to your region and cooked fresh. And the ones that come out of boxes and bottles - like packaged cereals, oats, smoothies and juices must be avoided. This is also a meal that is most affected by gender inequality - as women work, they have lesser time to cook. So, if you are a man and want to look cool, start cooking at home from now.
Here are a few options depending on your schedule –
1. If you have lunch by 1pm or later - Traditional, time tested breakfast, unique to your region. Poha, Upma, Idli, dosa, noon chai, paratha, poori sabzi, missi roti, kulath paratha, bajra khichdi, etc.
2. If you have to leave very early or eat lunch very early by 11 am - Nuts or a fruit like Banana
3. If you have no time to cook - Tadka to rice or chapatti from previous night. There’s also Amboli, sattu, homemade laddoo with millets, pulses, nuts and jaggery. Or a cup of milk with dry fruits.
People who should never skip breakfast –
- Children.
- Women with irregular periods
- Those who workout in the morning
- People with stressful jobs
- People with low immunity
- Athletes
Lastly, remember that eating local, seasonal and traditional is not just good for your health but also for the farmers and environment.
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