Bangkok--19 Jun--Francom Asia
It is encouraging to see that Thais have started paying more attention to their health and wellness over the past few years. We spend more time for sports and exercise, and have developed a positive attitude towards fitness to make our life more enjoyable and fulfilling. A lot of good habits can be vital in starting the day right.
The Herbalife Asia Pacific Healthy Breakfast Survey conducted in Thailand earlier this year with 500 local respondents, revealed that 97 percent understand the importance of breakfast. They said that it "gives them energy in the morning", or "contributes to their personal well-being." For 90% it helps "kick start their metabolism" with 80 percent of Thais having breakfast 5 days a week.
When you walk to work in the morning, are you tempted by the patong kho (deep-fried dough stick), or kao niao moo tot (sticky rice with fried pork) that many people are queuing up for? So a big question lingers - are we making healthy choices for our first meal of the day?
Susan Bowerman, Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training of Herbalife Nutrition, confirms that eating a healthy breakfast can help jump start your day. "The right foods in the morning can provide you with the energy you need to power through until lunch. And with a healthy breakfast in your system, you're less likely to experience mid-morning cravings for unhealthy foods," she said. "Eating the right foods can help keep you satisfied and energized until your next meal or snack. Your choices can affect how you feel and perform throughout your morning," she added.
According to Susan, a healthy breakfast can…
- Keep you fueled up until your next meal or snack. A well balanced breakfast should provide you with staying power. Foods with protein help to satisfy hunger, and high fiber foods help to fill you up.
- Supply your body and brain with energy. In the morning, your body's gas tank is running close to empty. When you eat the right foods for breakfast, you're providing your muscles and brain with the fuel they need for optimal performance.
- Help avoid blood sugar swings and reduce cravings. A balanced meal that contains both protein and healthy carbohydrates can provide sustained energy throughout your system, and help prevent wild swings in your blood sugar that trigger cravings for sweets or other unhealthy foods. (This applies as long as you don't have any medical issues regarding your body's ability to regulate your blood sugar.)
- Help you make better food choices throughout the day. Breakfast skippers often experience food cravings for sweets and fats that can persist throughout the day. When breakfast is eaten, the cravings for sweets drop dramatically. If the breakfast is high in protein, it tends to also reduce cravings for salty, fatty foods. So, the right foods in the morning can help reduce cravings for unhealthy foods later in the day, and steer you towards healthier choices.
- Provide enough protein to help support muscle health. Eating enough protein in the morning not only helps satisfy hunger, it can also help maintain muscle health. For many people, typical daily meals tend to provide little protein at breakfast, a bit more at lunch, and a much larger amount at dinner. This is a pattern that may not provide the best conditions for building and repairing muscle tissue. Muscle protein synthesis can improve when protein intake is more evenly distributed throughout the day.
So before you queue up for that moo ping kao niao, maybe it would be better to consider a simple, balanced breakfast that will provide you with a decent amount of protein and help keep you sustained until your next meal. Here are 6 healthy breakfast suggestions:
- Scrambled eggs or egg whites topped with fresh puayleng (spinach)
- A bowl of tom luad moo (thai soup)
- Protein shake made with protein powder, low-fat milk or soy milk
- Plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt topped with fresh fruit and cinnamon or whole-grain granola
- Rolled oats prepared with milk or soy milk
- Whole grain toast with avocado, topped with slices of chicken breast
You can enjoy a serving of fresh fruit with your morning meal in order to get some of the vitamins, minerals and fiber you need. Remember that a healthy breakfast can and should provide the essential nutrients and fluids needed to kickstart your day!