Many office workers have such a morning: after being woken by the alarm clock, they struggle for ten to twenty minutes before getting out of bed, rubbing their tired and sleepy eyes. Because every second counts, they rush out of the house without breakfast; or they open an empty refrigerator and close it, squeeze into the crowd of commuters, and bite into a freshly bought youtiao (fried dough stick) or danbing (egg pancake) amidst car exhaust and dust…
Nutritionists remind us that breakfast is a very important part of nutritional supply. Whether you are an "office worker" or a parent, getting up a quarter of an hour earlier every day to prepare a good breakfast for yourself and your children should be a daily "required" task. Skipping breakfast affects health and learning.
The energy consumed at breakfast accounts for 30% of the daily energy intake. After a night's sleep, the body has been consuming energy for more than 10 hours without food. The human body needs a breakfast rich in carbohydrates to replenish and store energy. Long-term skipping of breakfast or eating an unscientific breakfast can have serious adverse effects on health. For Adults 1. Digestive tract is prone to illness:
Skipping breakfast will first lead to listlessness and affect the secretion of gastric acid and the discharge of bile, which will weaken the digestive system function and induce digestive system diseases such as gastritis and gallstones. 2. Cannot lose weight but instead gain weight:
Skipping breakfast will also cause a strong sense of hunger and hunger at lunch, leading to eating too much food unconsciously. The excess energy will be converted into fat in the body. Over time, fat accumulates under the skin, leading to obesity. 3. Reduced resistance:
The malnutrition caused by skipping breakfast can also lead to a decline in the body's resistance to disease, making one prone to various illnesses such as colds and cardiovascular diseases. 4. Damages women's appearance:
For women, skipping breakfast forces the body to use its stored glycogen and protein. Over time, this can lead to dry skin, wrinkles, anemia, and accelerated aging. For Children
The adverse effects of skipping breakfast on children are far greater than on adults. It not only harms their current health but also seriously affects their growth, development, and learning outcomes. 1. Leads to malnutrition and poor development:
Children who skip breakfast have lower intakes of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and certain minerals such as calcium, iron, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and folic acid throughout the day compared to children who eat breakfast. The nutrients provided by breakfast are difficult to supplement from lunch or dinner. Skipping breakfast or having a breakfast of poor nutritional quality is one of the main reasons for insufficient daily energy and nutrient intake. In the long run, it affects the nutritional status and growth and development of adolescents. 2. Affects learning ability and academic performance:
Learning is a strenuous mental activity. The only energy source the brain can use is glucose in the blood, i.e., blood sugar. Skipping breakfast or having a breakfast of poor nutritional quality results in a relatively low blood sugar level, which cannot deliver sufficient energy substances to the nervous system for its normal work in a timely manner, thus affecting learning ability and academic performance. According to comparative experiments, adolescents who skip breakfast have higher error rates in graphic recognition, poorer reaction times, and lower scores in math tests compared to adolescents who eat breakfast. Adolescents with good breakfast nutritional quality have significantly better performance in standardized exams, logical thinking ability, creative thinking ability, and physical endurance. Other behaviors such as being late or absent from class are also significantly less common than in adolescents with poor nutritional quality. Key Elements: Grains + Protein + Vegetables and Fruits
The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends in the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents": The healthy breakfast structure for a family of three should include: 300-500 grams of grains, 400-500 grams of vegetables, 100-200 grams of fruits, 50-100 grams of livestock and poultry meat, 50 grams of fish and shellfish, 20-25 grams of eggs, 100 grams of milk and dairy products, 50 grams of beans and bean products, and 25 grams of oils and fats.
Experts remind us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating a nutritious breakfast is beneficial not only to current health but also to future health. A nutritionally healthy breakfast should include abundant high-quality protein, various minerals, and vitamins. In practice, there is an important indicator: it should include the three essential categories of grains, protein, and vegetables and fruits—none can be missing.
At the same time, a greasy breakfast is strongly discouraged, as high-fat foods can lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain, affecting the accuracy of work for children and mental workers. Eating too many greasy foods in the morning, such as youtiao, fried dough cakes, chocolate, or hamburgers, can easily lead to drowsiness and lack of concentration in the morning. Nutrients in fried flour products, such as youtiao, are also destroyed. By the same logic, if eggs are eaten for breakfast, it is recommended to choose boiled eggs over fried ones. Various Combinations for a Nutritious Breakfast
Of course, breakfast choices can be rich and varied. As long as you meet the three "essential" principles, you can also use your ingenuity to make a simple and nutritious breakfast. 1. Yogurt + Vegetable/Meat Bun + Vegetables:
Yogurt is rich in lactic acid bacteria, which are even more beneficial to the human body than milk. However, yogurt should not be consumed on an empty stomach in the morning; it is best eaten with buns, steamed buns, etc. If it's a vegetable bun, such as a mushroom and vegetable bun, the nutrition is relatively complete; if you prefer a meat bun, you must supplement with some vegetables or fruits, or use vegetable or fruit juice, preferably freshly squeezed. 2. Beauty-Enhancing Eight-Treasure Porridge:
For female office workers who have the time, you can prepare the Eight-Treasure Porridge the night before, adding rice, red beans, peanuts, goji berries, etc., and heat it up to eat the next morning. It is convenient and good for your skin. 3. Blood Sugar-Lowering Milk Cereal:
First, prepare the cereal with boiling water, then add milk. This combination is more suitable for people with high blood sugar or a family history of diabetes.
Spring is a season of vigorous growth and development for children. Many children eat lunch at school, where the variety of food is hard to guarantee, so the importance of breakfast is particularly significant. It is best for all parents to be a bit more diligent, get up a quarter of an hour earlier, and prepare a rich and nutritious breakfast for their child, so they can "grow fast with the wind." Recommended Breakfast Recipes for a Family of Three
Monday: 3 bottles of milk (227ml each) plus 90g of cereal, a bread sandwich with strawberry jam and cheese (200g bread, 50g strawberry jam, 3 slices of cheese totaling 30g)
Tuesday: 3 bottles of milk, 3 flower rolls (50g each), 3 cakes (25g each), 1 pear (150g)
Wednesday: 3 bottles of yogurt (600g total), 3 egg pancakes (each containing 25g egg and 75g wheat flour), 1 large apple (150g)
Thursday: 3 bottles of milk (227ml each) plus 90g of cereal, 3 meat buns (50g each), 3 bananas (300g)
Friday: 3 bottles of milk, 3 sandwiches (each with 2 slices of bread totaling 50g, 2 lettuce leaves totaling 50g, and 20g chicken breast), 3 pancakes (50g each), 3 oranges (150g)
Saturday: Rice porridge (100g japonica rice), 3 fried eggs (120g), 3 shaomai (75g), 3 vegetable buns (150g), 3 bottles of yogurt (600g)
Sunday: 3 bottles of milk (227ml each) plus 90g of cereal, 75g of ham sausage, 3 breakfast breads (50g each), 3 bananas (300g) Breakfast Habit Self-Test
1. I don't drink milk every day.
2. My usual breakfast is a bowl of congee and a shaobing (flatbread).
3. I like to eat fried foods, such as youtiao and fried cakes.
4. For convenience, I habitually get a hamburger from a fast-food restaurant for breakfast.
5. I usually buy cream bread from the supermarket in advance for the next day's breakfast.
6. Because I'm in a hurry, I often eat while walking.
7. I rarely eat fruit or drink juice for breakfast.
8. I especially love Western-style breakfast: ham, fried eggs, and bread spread with thick butter.
9. I rarely eat cereal for breakfast.
10. My lifestyle is irregular, and I cannot stick to eating breakfast every day.
If you have answered "YES" to more than 4 of these, then you should really reflect on your breakfast habits! Healthy Breakfast Tips
1. Eating breakfast immediately after waking up can easily cause indigestion. It is generally better to eat 20 to 30 minutes after getting up.
2. For people who get up early, it is better to have breakfast after 7 AM.
3. Don't eat too quickly because you're in a hurry, so as not to damage your digestive system.
4. Breakfast should also be at a fixed time and place; otherwise, it will affect digestion and absorption.
5. Food eaten after breakfast cannot replace breakfast, so it is unscientific to skip breakfast and rely entirely on snacks.
6. Parents' example is very important. Only when parents take the lead in eating nutritious and healthy breakfasts will children develop good breakfast habits.