NoExcusesGym

Looking to jump-start your day? Then put some spring in your step by having a healthy breakfast every morning, nutritionists, dietitians and other health experts say.

According to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, fans of healthy breakfasts are several legs up on people who tumble right out of bed and rush off to work. In fact, breakfast aficionados are more likely to:

•  Consume more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol;

•  Have better concentration and productivity throughout the morning;

•  Control their weight;
 
•  Have lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease.

Furthermore, the American Dietetic Association says, your kids will have better concentration, problem-solving skills and hand-to-eye coordination if they, too, eat healthy breakfasts before flying out the door to school.

And they’re more likely to stay alert while at school and miss fewer days of classes, according to the Mayo Clinic’s Housecalls e-newsletter.

Easy to miss

If you whine that you don’t have enough time to make and eat a healthy breakfast, get up 10 minutes earlier and make it or pack it to take with you. Better, you can prepare it an evening before and save it in your refregerator.

For adults, going without breakfast means snacking on fat-laden stuff later in the morning or overdoing it at lunch, or both, she warned.

A healthy breakfast?

According to Housecalls, a healthy breakfast involves one item from at least three of the following:

•  Fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables, 100 percent juice without added sugar.

•  Grains. Whole-grain rolls, bagels, hot or cold whole-grain cereals, low-fat bran muffins, crackers, or melba toast.

•  Dairy. Skim milk, low-fat yogurt cups or low-fat cheeses, such as cottage and natural cheeses.

•  Protein. Hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, lean slices of meat and poultry, or fish, such as water-packed tuna or slices of salmon.

All of the items provide complex carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat, all of which keeps hunger at bay for several hours.

And if you’re on the go - and how many of us aren’t these days? - try dry, ready-to-eat cereal high in fiber with a piece of fruit and a small carton of low-fat or skim milk.

source: nubella news