Here are the 5 common breakfast mistakes that you might be making that could impact your energy levels throughout the day. Start your day with variety! A balanced breakfast can help support energy, concentration, and healthy eating habits.
Starting the day with breakfast can be a chance to get the fuel to start the day going. As a nutritionist in training I think that the knowledge of simple food choices can help people make some healthier choices without the need of costly ingredients or complicated meal plans.
Some people eat whatever food they can find when they get up in the morning, and others don’t have time or money for a morning meal or don’t feel like eating it. While these habits do not necessarily lead to health issues, some could make achieving the recommended dietary intake more difficult.
You don’t have to be perfect when it comes to eating healthily. There are some small, practical tips for improving diet with products that are locally available that make a positive difference.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common breakfast mistakes and how to fix your morning meals:
1. Skipping Breakfast Without Considering Your Nutritional Needs
The morning rush, early work commitments, school, and household duties can make it hard to fit breakfast time into your day. Others may also have a diminished appetite upon waking up.
Eating breakfast sometimes can be unhealthy. But for some who miss meals often they might feel hungry, tired and unfocused, particularly if they have an early morning and little time to eat later.
As far as nutrition is concerned, breakfast is a good time to get a good dose of the important nutrients – carbohydrates, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
What Are Alternatives?
Try the following helpful tips:
Plan some breakfast foods in advance.
Use ready-to-eat foods like bananas, boiled eggs or groundnuts.
Choose a simple meal, such as porridge prepared with milk.
If not hungry upon getting up, then try to eat at a later time when you have time.
Schedule meals throughout the day to assist in getting the nutrients you need.
For instance, if a person is leaving home early, he or she can boil an egg, cut the bananas and bread in advance.
The idea is not to pressure people to eat at a specific time. The aim is to establish eating patterns that help to meet personal nutritional requirements and everyday activities.
2. Eating Breakfast With Too Little Protein
Simple breakfast choices, such as a samosa and a cup of chai, are familiar and convenient. Adding fruit, protein-rich foods, and other nutrient-rich options can help create a more varied and balanced breakfast
Protein is one of the essential nutrients needed for growth, to repair damage to body tissue and for normal bodily functions. Some people feel full longer by eating protein foods as part of breakfast.
The typical breakfast, which is typically a large sugary beverage and a small quantity of refined carbohydrates, may offer limited protein and other nutrients.
But Carbohydrates shouldn’t be eliminated. Bread, oats, maize and sweet potatoes are a good source of energy and can be part of a well-rounded meal.
Consider the following protein sources if they are available and affordable.
Enhance your breakfast with:
Eggs.
Milk, or plain yoghurt.
Broad bean or green gram.
Groundnuts or other nuts.
Peanut paste.
Fish available and affordable.
For instance, porridge prepared with milk, sweet potatoes served with eggs, or whole-grain bread with peanut paste can provide a combination of nutrients.
I understand from a nutritionist’s point of view that the food people eat is affected by what is available, how much it costs, their culture and their preferences. It is best to choose one that suits you and adds variety to your diet.
3. Relying Too Much on Sugary Foods and Drinks
Sweetened drinks (such as sweetened tea, sweetened breakfast cereals, sweetened juices and other foods with added sugars) can make a significant amount of sugar to your daily diet.
These foods and beverages offer energy but may offer a relatively low amount of other nutrient(s) depending on the food and the amount consumed. Regularly drinking sugary beverages can also lead to tooth decay.
A few people may experience a change in appetite or energy levels following an unhealthy breakfast, such as one with a high refined carbohydrate or sugar content. But many different factors play a role in energy levels, such as sleep, fluid, everything eaten, and exercise.
Simple changes to try:
You can make your breakfast more nutritious by:
Slowly decreasing the amount of sugar in tea or coffee.
Regularly drinking water throughout the day.
Drinking more whole fruit and less sweetened fruit drinks.
Eating bread or porridge with a food that is high in protein.
When available, reading nutrition labelling on products purchased as breakfast food items.
For instance, instead of a breakfast of just too-sweet tea and biscuit, you can have tea with less sugar, an egg and whole grain bread.
You don’t have to cut out all sweet foods. The goal is to establish healthy foods as the building blocks of your average food plan.
4. Not eating enough fibre rich foods
Plant foods contain dietary fibre which helps the normal functioning of digestion and normal bowel movements. Foods high in fibre can also help to make meals satisfying and enhance the nutritional quality of food.
Breakfasts that are primarily grain-heavy and that are made mainly with sugary drinks may have relatively low levels of fibre, particularly since fruits, vegetables and whole grains are not necessarily part of the diet.
Eating too little fibre on a regular basis can cause constipation in some individuals. Eating a diverse range of fibre containing foods throughout the day will help to promote digestive health.
What are some ways of increasing fibre at breakfast?
A familiar Kenyan breakfast can be a starting point for healthier eating habits. Small additions can improve variety and help meet your nutritional needs
Consider these options:
If available, use oats or other whole grain cereals.
Offer fruits that are whole, like bananas, oranges, mangoes or pawpaw.
If affordable, opt for whole grain bread.
Include groundnuts or appropriate seeds in foods.
Mix fruit and porridge or other staple food.
A small amount of groundnuts, banana and porridge, for instance, can provide carbohydrates, fibre and other nutrients.
Add fibre to your diet slowly and ensure you drink plenty of fluids to ensure you don’t feel discomfort.
Remember that breakfast is only one opportunity to obtain fibre. Lunch, dinner and snacks also make up part of the daily intake.
5. Eating the Same Limited Variety of Foods Every Morning
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing to have a familiar breakfast. There are some easy tips that can make meal planning easier, especially if you’re busy.
But it’s difficult to get a variety of nutrients in the long-term by eating the same few foods every day.
Foods contain varying amounts of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Eating more nutritious meals by offering a diversity of foods.
Thankfully, a healthy breakfast doesn’t have to be an expensive or imported meal. Practical balanced meals using familiar foods in Kenya.
These are some ideas for a healthy breakfast.
Consider combining:
A daily food: Oats, sweet potato or any alternative food of the whole grain variety.
A protein source: Eggs, milk, yoghurt, beans or groundnuts.
Fruit or another fibre rich food: Bananas, oranges, pawpaw or whole grains.
A drink: Water, tea or coffee (and sugar if desired) in a quantity that suits your nutritional requirements.
One day you might have porridge and milk, another day you might have sweet potatoes and eggs, and another day, you might have whole-grain bread and peanut paste and fruit.
These are guidelines, not a set diet. Food portions and food selections should be based on personal appetite, energy needs, budgets, and nutrition and health.
The best cheap ideas for breakfast in Kenya.
Foods that are locally available and seasonal can be used for preparing nutritious meals, depending on the availability and costs of foods.
Here are a few examples:
Porridge and milk and banana: Carbohydrates, protein (from the milk), nutrients (from the bananas)
Boiled sweet potato and eggs: A source of carbohydrates and protein and other nutrients.
Whole grain bread and peanut paste: Carbohydrates, protein and fats.
Boiled arrowroots and milk: Provides easy-to-prepare mix of staple food and protein source.
Githeri with vegetables: Gives a good mix of plant protein, carbohydrates and fibre.
These meals prove that quality of meals can be improved without the use of high-cost foods. By integrating a variety of locally available foods, people can get the nutrition they need.
Making small changes can help you make healthier food choices.
I’m a nutritionist in training, and I know that it’s important to think beyond any single food and the “whole eating pattern”.
A healthy morning meal doesn’t need to be too complicated. To enhance the quality of your breakfast, add protein and fibre sources, try eating a range of foods and limit the amount of time you spend on sugary drinks.
When things are busy, it can be easier to plan ahead to ensure you are eating regularly. If you don’t feel hungry right away after waking up, you may want to try a routine that works for you and fits your needs for the day.
A good breakfast is not the only key to getting stamina and health. Other factors of importance include quality of sleep, hydration, nutrition, exercise, medications, and medical conditions.
Make a small change and gradually develop healthy habits.
Key Questions Answered
True false: Skipping breakfast is bad for your health?
Not necessarily. The impact of this is different for different people. But for some, frequently missing breakfast might be a challenge to get proper nutrition or control hunger on busy days.
Which of the following is a good breakfast for long-lasting energy?
Carbohydrate-rich foods, protein and fibre can serve as a helpful foundation. For instance, porridge with milk and fruit or sweet potatoes with eggs.
3. Do I need to skip breakfast carbs?
Carbohydrates are a needed source of energy. Oats, maize, sweet potatoes and whole grain bread can be included in a healthy diet.
Which are the available but low cost foods in Kenya to make breakfast healthier?
These may be eggs, milk, groundnuts, beans, green grams, sweet potatoes, porridge and seasonal fruits.
5. Does a sugary breakfast make you sleepy in the afternoon?
Others feel different food effects after eating foods high in refined carbs or added sugars. But there are many reasons for fatigue, such as not sleeping, dehydration and health issues.
6. Should I have to eat breakfast right after I get up?
Each person’s appetite, schedules and preferences, and health needs are different. You can decide your eating schedule in a way that helps you get your daily nutritional values.
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