Despite the healthful benefits, breakfast, the first meal of the day, is most often neglected or skipped. Most youngsters say they skip breakfast either due to lack of time to eat, or because they are too tired.[break]
“I hardly have the time to have a proper breakfast before I leave for college,” shares Kusum Thapa, 23, a student who usually skips her morning meal. Her classes begin at 6:30 in the morning. “The first meal I take is after I come back home around 11 am from college.”
Kusum is not alone to skip breakfast. Many youngsters, especially those who attend morning colleges, relate the same situation.
For some, missing a breakfast saves their morning time. Says Pragyan Dhungel, 22, a student, “Morning hours are the precious last-minute times for me to rush to my classes.”
Skipping a breakfast can also be costly in terms of learning outcomes. Dhungel says it makes him sleepy and hampers his morning class. “I know eating healthy and on time is very important but I can’t manage time,” he says.
The first meal of the day should always be healthy and a regular meal plays a huge role in the proper functioning of the body.
A healthy breakfast improves alertness and mood, enhances short term memory, improves concentration and lessens anxiety and irritability, according to Medical Officer and Assistant Surgeon Manohar K Yadav of Sushma Koirala Memorial Hospital, Sankhu.
He further explains that breakfast is the first meal for the body to refuel its blood glucose levels after a long gap in the night. Glucose, according to him, is essential for the brain and is the main energy source.
“When you skip a breakfast, you are likely to become tired because your brain and body run low on fuel. It is, therefore, natural for breakfast skippers to feel tired, restless or irritable in the morning,” he says.
Yadav further explains that skipping breakfasts may also cause nausea. “In the long run, this may even cause gastritis.”
To maintain glucose level in the blood, a regular and healthy meal is necessary, he says, adding that most of today’s youngsters don’t have healthy eating habits. “While skipping breakfast is a problem in itself, grabbing anything that’s greasy, fried or processed is inviting more health problems.”
“I don’t bother to eat healthy in the morning since I am usually in a rush to go to college,” says Suresh Bhandari, 22, a student. “Being a great junk-food lover, I tend to grab anything from doughnuts to fried potatoes to anything that I can lay my hands on.”
“Too heavy fatty food may make you dull the whole day so choose for fresh healthy food, including proteins and fibers, carbohydrates and glucose,” puts in Yadav.
Yadav explains how skipping breakfast can result in reduced attention and poor food choices for the rest of the day. Those who skip breakfast become hungrier later and so may tend to indulge in “binge eating.” He further informs that breakfast skippers are more likely to be overweight which in the long run can lead to the development of chronic health problems. “The importance of having your first meal of the day stems from this,” he puts in.
Useful tips for healthy breakfast
Subscribe to food rich in complex carbohydrates, fibers, proteins and a small amount of fat - a combination that packs big health benefits and that also can make you feel full for hours. Try to choose one or two options from each category to start your day.
- Whole grains - include whole-grain cereals, low-fat muffins, crackers, toasts, waffles or pancakes with honey.
- Low-fat proteins - include hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, lean slices of meat and poultry, or fish.
- Low-fat dairy - includes skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese, such as cottage and natural cheeses.
- Fruits, vegetables and yogurt - include fresh fruits and vegetables or 100 percent juice beverages without added sugar. Yogurt with fruits and nuts is another healthy option.
- You can also include Oatmeal or Brown Rice and eggs.
- To add that extra zing you can also opt for fruit smoothies.
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