How to Lose Weight Series - Healthy Breakfast
- Pooja
- Jun 21, 2018
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 26, 2018
Based on our age group, gender and level of activity, we could have a fair idea about how many calories we can have per day.
Once we know how many calories our body needs to take in per day, we can understand how much we would need to consume in order to maintain weight, gain or lose weight as the case may be.
I am eating healthy for breakfast. Are you sure?
It’s surprising to note that lot of people think they are eating healthy meals, when they are actually not. The sad part of the story is that they are not even aware of the culprits. Some examples are given below:
Breakfast cereals: Many people are unaware that breakfast cereals that are available in the market typically have lot of added sugar which is not a great way to start the day.
Brown Bread & Whole Wheat bread - Many of the varieties of the whole wheat bread sold in the market do not contain the germ and the bran. The FDA says that a grain containing product labeled “100% whole grain” must be made of germ, endosperm and bran in proportions that are equal to those of intact grains. Manufacturers exploit this loophole and often process grain as white flour, then add the germ and the bran back in. The re-constituted bread still has dough conditioners and flavouring added also sugar that certainly are not the most healthiest items for a breakfast meal. In India too, lot of companies market their products as whole wheat bread however, it is full of preservatives, added flavours and sugar besides not having the whole wheat but made of mainly “maida.”
Canned Fruit & Yogurt - Any food that is technically processed is not the most healthy item that can be served to your family. Canned fruits and veggies may seem like a great addition, but not only are canned fruits loaded with excess sugar, their nutrient content is typically much lower than fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables. Unlike non fat Greek yogurt which has been strained to give it a thick, creamy texture, regular yogurt just becomes watery and bland without the fat. And when they take out the fat, somethings gotta go back in. Thats’ usually high sugar fruit mixture and a whole lot of it.
Fruit Juices - Fruit juice is not as nutritious as a fresh fruit. Even when it contains only naturally occurring fructose from whole fruit and no added sugars to boost sweetness, fruit juice is still a concentrated source of sugar and calories for those watching their weight or blood sugar.For ex: One 8 ounce cup of fresh orange juice has 12 grams of sugar and 112 calories. By comparison, one medium orange has only 12 gas of sugar and 62 calories.
So, what is a healthy breakfast?
- A healthy breakfast contains one or more of four food groups namely - whole grains, low fat dairy, low fat protein and fruits and vegetables.
Now we will give you a great variety of options depending on whether you are the “desi” kind who relishes your parathas or you are the person who prefers the “English breakfast.” And if you are like me then somedays you like the Indian version and other days its continental. That’s great too.
While we go on the series of the Eating Healthy Breakfasts, will introduce one ingredient and give you minimum 5 recipes that you can make from that ingredient which would be a mix of Continental and Indian recipes for breakfast. These will feature calories, the number of person the meal serves, the ingredients, proportions and methodology of preparing the dish.
Oatmeal
The first time I knew about oatmeal being one of the healthiest breakfast options, I was like - “Blah!! That’s certainly not for me.” It almost made me feel like a horse for some odd reason.
Seems like mankind has been having oats for eternity. Archaeological studies have found references to oats dating back as far as 2000 years BC. The Romans and Greeks considered oats to be a rancid form of wheat and great as animal feeds.
Here are some reasons why you should consider having it-
a. It boasts of an impressive nutritional profile - One cup of oats provides 6 gms of protein and 4 gms of fibre. Fibre is a multi-talented nutrient protecting us from any number of health problems. One cup of oats would give you nearly 70% of your needs of manganese, a mineral that helps enzyme in bone formation. You’ll also get good helpings of vitamin B1 and magnesium, vitamin A, calcium, iron, Vitamin B6.
b. It will keep you full for longer - The fibre in oats will fill you up. When you eat oats, your body will digest and absorb them slowly, keeping you feeling full, controlling your appetite and delaying hunger pangs.
c. Numerous health benefits: It is rich in antioxidants, relieves constipation, improves insulin sensitivity, provides energy boost, assists in haemoglobin formation, lowers cholesterol levels, helps with weight loss, assists in oestrogen balance, wards of muscle disorders and myriads of other benefits.
How can I make a delicious, healthy serving of oatmeal for breakfast?
This nutrition packed ingredient can be served as a porridge, smoothie or as a grain bowl with versions where if mornings are all rushed up, you can have it prepared the previous day itself and off you go.
These are generally highly recommended on work days where you don’t have enough time to prepare elaborate breakfasts and you are following the healthy principle of eating healthy 5 days in a week and giving yourself some lee way over the weekends.
Here we are targeting to get in around 450 calories through the morning breakfast. You may have lesser than that requirements or more as well. Accordingly you might have to tweak the recipes and mix and match. In case you require our assistance please feel free to send in an email.
Recipe 1: Oatmeal porridge with Dark chocolate shavings
Honestly speaking, I hated oats and really resented the thought of having an oats porridge in the morning. Till I used this recipe and it worked its wonder.
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
1.5 cups of skimmed milk
1 cup of oats
1 teaspoon of cocoa powder
1 piece shredded dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
Method:
Take a saucepan pour 1.5 cups of milk in it and then add in the 1 cup of oats.
Let it come to a boil. Reduce the flame and keep stirring for another 2 minutes.
Pour the mixture in a bowl and add cocoa powder and top it with the shredded dark chocolate (cocoa 70%).
The above can be made and kept in the fridge overnight. If doing so, you may reduce the quantity of milk to 1 cup of milk and pour in the remaining 1/2 cup while taking it out in the morning since it would be lumpy.
Total calories: 452 calories
If you like it cold you can make it and keep it the previous evening before going to bed and have it cold in the morning. There is a possibility it can get very solid so make it with only 1 cup of skimmed milk and add in about half a cup of milk in the morning if you would prefer that consistency.
Recipe 2: Oatmeal porridge with peanut butter and fruits
Serves : 2 people
1.5 cups of skimmed milk
1 cup of oats
1 teaspoon of peanut butter (Prepare this at home or select from any brand which does not have added sugar for sweetening. Now, in my experience in India its difficult to get this. There was only one brand which we found at Godrej Nature’s Basket called Peanut Butter & Co which does not have added sugars and instead uses natural date palm to impart sweetness. It has one product called Cinnamon Raisin Swirl which is quite yummy.)
2 roasted almonds - chopped finely
1/2 banana/ apple sliced/ strawberry
2 dates
Total calories: 420 calories
Method:
Take a saucepan pour 1.5 cups of milk in it and then add in the 1 cup of oats.
Let it come to a boil. Reduce the flame and keep stirring for another 2 minutes.
Add in the peanut butter. ( 1 teaspoon)
Add in the chopped 2 almonds.
Add in 1/2 banana/ apple
Add in the 2 dates. You can tear it apart and make it more number of pieces.
Happy morning from the FoodGym team!!! We love working out with you. Would be great to hear if you loved trying out these recipes.
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