Lhe breakfast, some like it sweet, others salty, and there are almost as many variations of it as there are French people. And then there are those who dispense with it, because they are not hungry in the morning, no time to eat, or because they have succumbed to the trend of intermittent fasting straight from the United States, where she finds more and more followers. If the morning meal is not absolutely essential, taking a balanced one has many advantages which it would be a shame to deprive yourself of.
A Danish study carried out on adolescents showed that the absence of breakfast was associated with a risk of overweight and other studies have shown that its consumption was associated – in adults – with a lower body mass index. The consumption of a breakfast induces many favorable effects on the tone, on the concentration, on the mood, on the regulation of the appetite throughout the day, on the sensitivity to insulin and on the regulation long-term weight. And it is important to take it regularly at the risk of developing insulin resistance which foreshadows the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Be careful, however, not to swallow anything: our morning meals are too often made up of foods with a high glycemic index and not very interesting from a nutritional point of view. Breakfast should be a meal in its own right, it should be hearty, rich in protein and low in sweet foods such as jam, honey or industrial cereals.
Bread, fruit, cereals: what does the ideal breakfast look like?
Featured Proteins
The benefit of consuming protein at breakfast is scientifically documented. Their consumption has a very favorable influence on the regulation of appetite and therefore on food intake throughout the day. In addition, the consumption of proteins stimulates tone because they promote the production of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that boosts motivation and energy.
There are two types of protein: those of animal origin, which can be found in eggs, ham, yoghurts or even cheese; those of plant origin, which will be found in oilseeds (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.) and in soy-based dairy products. Finally, consuming protein in the morning helps prevent late-morning cravings.
Low glycemic index carbohydrates
Swallowing carbohydrates at breakfast is not mandatory, but for some, it is essential. Those who cannot do without their slice of bread should favor wholemeal flour and sourdough bread rather than traditional baguette or sandwich bread, which have a high glycemic index and thus promote insulin secretion.
The same reasoning applies to cereals, which should preferably be unprocessed and of a varied nature (wholemeal oats, raw muesli, whole wheat pancakes). Forget industrial cereals, which are too sweet and not very interesting from a nutritional point of view, and moderate your consumption of jams, spreads or honey, whose glycemic index is very high.
Good hydration
Breakfast offers the opportunity to stay well hydrated provided that pressed fruit juices are avoided, which should only be consumed occasionally because they are hyperglycemic.
Drink water, tea or coffee – without sugar – and, if you need fruit, prefer them whole to chew rather than in the form of squeezed juice.
A fruit and oilseed
Eating fruit for breakfast has many benefits. When consumed whole, rather than in the form of juice, fruits retain their fiber, which reduces the speed of their digestion and therefore their glycemic index. In addition, fiber has many benefits, especially on the gut microbiota. Finally, the consumption of seeds such as walnuts (rich in omega 3 fatty acids), almonds or cashew nuts (unsalted) provide quality fatty acids, the benefits of which are constantly being discovered for the body, more particularly on the brain and in the fight against cardiovascular diseases. In this same category, we will also find crushed flax seeds or chia seeds, which can be added to yogurt.
