Breakfast: another meal

A common piece of advice that a balanced breakfast should consist of something dairy, a cereal and some fruit, so much so that it has become an indisputable truth within our population. This moves away from what really matters and promotes some recommendations that are important to clarify and which require a change to our eating habits.  Firstly, we should be aware that breakfast is another meal of our day and it is not essential for it to contain these three food groups. This could be a big difference, and could stop being seen as a problem and a worry by many people who do not follow this structure in their daily lives.

Sadly, our hurried lives and the need for convenience have a impact on our breakfast time, and we search for options that we can prepare them the night before or that can be eaten on the go. It is purely a question of looking for different alternatives.

However, if you prefer to keep your breakfast to the «dairy+cereal+fruit» structure, we provide a few guidelines below:

• Dairy: Choose natural versions of yogurts, cheeses and kefir with minimum processing and accompany them with home-made granola and/or fresh fruit, seeds and nuts, as well as different types of milk. Plant-based drinks such as rice, oat, soya and fermented yogurt products also have a place at breakfast.
• Cereals: Consider natural ingredients when shopping and combine these. Oat flakes are the easiest resource to use, but of course, they are not the only one. Combine various kinds and add dried nuts or seeds, spices and fresh or dried fruit. The aroma of vanilla and cinnamon provide a hint of sweetness without the need to add sugar.
• Wholemeal and seeded breads should have the greatest prominence. Among the many alternatives available, they could simply be accompanied by extra virgin olive oil, tomato, humus, or avocado, or even some poached eggs or a vegetable omelette.
• Remember that flavour comes from variety and, because of this, rice, vegetables and any preparation that includes wholemeal flour (pizza, pasta) is a very worthwhile choice.
• Fruit: Fresh, and even better if it is whole, still has its skin, is seasonal and local. It is essential to understand that a juice is not the same as a piece of fruit, even if it is freshly squeezed, as the sugars it contains are free sugars, which tend to be implicated in many chronic diseases.