Parents have repeatedly reminded their children to make sure that they start their day with a healthy meal so that they grow big and strong, and many adults are led to believe that if they will only eat one meal per day they better make sure it is a filling breakfast.
This is one mantra that everyone has heard at least once in their lives no matter what diet they are following and for how long they have been doing it. But how will eating a healthy vegan breakfast really benefit you?
Why it is important to eat breakfast
These are not just beliefs that came out of the blue. In fact, the notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is heavily backed by research.
In 2017, one study in the US was conducted to analyse the health data of over 50,000 people over seven years. This research revealed that those who made breakfast their largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that this happened because breakfast increases satiety, which then reduces the daily calorie intake, and then improve the quality of a person’s diet.
Fredrik Karpe, a professor of metabolic medicine at Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, also argued that breakfast is key to jumpstarting a person’s metabolism.
“In order for other tissues to respond well to food intake, you need an initial trigger involving carbs responding to insulin. Breakfast is critical for this to happen,” Karpe said.
One study that looked into the breakfast habits of 1,600 children in the U.K. found that fibre and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. This type of study was then conducted in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the U.S. and yielded the same results.
Another review of over 54 studies also found that breakfast is associated with improved brain function, concentration, and language.
Those who skip it are at risk of heart disease by 27%, and type 2 diabetes in men and women at 21% and 20%, respectively.
Why it is important to get plenty of fibre and protein for breakfast
The majority of these studies attributed their results to the nutritional value of breakfasts.
Since this is the meal that is meant to break your overnight fast and jumpstart your day, multiple studies and authorities have said that it is supposed to contain the right macro and micronutrients that will keep you going, growing, and glowing the whole day.
Specifically, a perfect, well-balanced breakfast should contain these nutrients:
A source of carbohydrate, like fibre, to keep you going throughout the day. This serves as one of the main macronutrients your body needs, and taking in enough fibre in the morning will help your body feel full which will discourage you from overeating. Regularly eating fibre-rich foods will also help lower blood cholesterol and prevent diabetes and heart disease in the long run.
A source of protein to keep your body strong and satiated throughout the day. Another macronutrient your body needs is protein, and it is used to maintain your muscles and keep your body strong. To fully maximise this nutrient, it is best to consume the majority of your protein intake in the morning so that your body can fully absorb it. This will also help your body feel fuller for longer and will reduce your chances of overeating.
A source of micronutrients to keep you glowing throughout the day. Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals you need for your body’s energy production, immune function, and overall health. Eating enough micronutrients in the morning will allow your body to absorb and utilise them well so that your body can function well.
Through a plant-based, vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients you need to start your day and help you power through it.
The problem with over-processed big cereal brands
There are many types of food you can eat every morning that contains enough nutrients, but most of them require preparation time that not everyone can afford. So, it is no surprise that ‘easy to prepare’ meals such as cereal with milk became the top choice of many households worldwide since it first appeared on the market in the early 1900s. It even became the go-to breakfast of people who are trying to maintain a strict diet.
However, after several studies through the decades, it was revealed that most of the cereal brands you see in your local grocer’s are actually nothing but a calorie filler for the body.
Most may be marketed as a full meal that is packed with all the nutrients you will need for the day, but are actually just packed full of sugar.
Other brands, on the other hand, may contain a portion of the daily nutrients for your body, but also contain more than ¾ of the recommended daily amount of free sugars per portion. Several studies have also shown that eating these puffed, flaked, and sugared meals may even lead to weight gain.
Nowadays, there are more ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare vegan options available on the market, and the nutrient-packed granola is one of them.
How to enjoy a healthy vegan breakfast with Roar Nature
If you are a big fan of those sugary cereal boxes but would like to take a healthier route, granola might be the best option for you.
Most granolas are made by baking ingredients such as oats, nuts, seeds, seasonings, oils, and syrups. They are easily customisable to fit anyone’s dietary needs. If you do not have a lot of time to create this yourself, granolas also come in different shapes and forms and can be bought as bars, balls, clumps, or even as loose pieces like cereals.
There are also many ways to eat granola; one of the most common methods is by simply tossing in a serving of granola into a bowl and adding your preferred plant-based milk or yoghurt. You can also choose to add them into any of your desserts; even eat them straight out of the container.
To really get the most out of this breakfast meal, it is important to choose the right kind of granola first. There are still many brands that are being marketed as healthy but are, in fact, chock full of sugar.
However, there are also brands such as Roar Nature that are not only low in calories per serving but also contain 10g of protein. It is also made with natural syrups. Roar Nature’s vegan granolas even contain a portion of your daily micronutrient needs.
Conclusion
With the right tools and ingredients, you can easily consume a full, balanced, and healthy meal in the mornings without worrying whether it will be enough to get you through the whole day. Eating breakfast should never feel like a chore.