Leading consumer group Choice has found the majority of cereals on the Australian market have too much sugar and/or salt. Of the products aimed at children, only 2 out of 40 had acceptable levels. The “winners” were weet-bix and vita-brits.
But there is a problem that seems to get overlooked in these surveys, how many children don’t add sweetener to these rather unpalatable products? While the lumps of highly processed wheat meet the acceptable nutrient levels, it is a rare child who eats them without a load of sugar. Why? Because they taste like lumps of highly processed wheat! Remember also that even if you have an exceptional child who forgoes the sugar, that the nutritional analysis is based on a standard serve. If they load up the bowl, like the role model sportsmen spruiking the cereal do, then they could also be reaching unacceptable levels of sugar and salt.
Take home message:
Almost all breakfast cereals marketed at children have unacceptable levels of sugar and/or salt.
It you do buy the “healthier” options, do not add sugar, just some fresh fruit for sweetness and flavour.
A healthier winter breakfast is porridge cooked with sultanas and banana.
Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, May 26, 2008
Eating with the seasons – the colder months
Noticed how chilly it has been in the morning lately? In Melbourne, at least, the temperature has greeted us in the low single digits. We respond by moving our body more briskly, wearing bulkier clothes and seeking heat sources for a little instant gratification. But what about our food? Most of us dress differently for the seasons but not everyone adjusts their diet.
Are there any benefits of eating seasonally?
It is argued that in this age of globalism that everything is in season, somewhere in the world. A trip to the supermarket this week in Victoria will offer you cherries from North America, barramundi from Thailand and oranges of mixed origin. While labelling is improving as to the countries these foods originate, the regions within Australia still are missing in the big chains.
European studies show that the nutrient values of foods flown in from other countries are lower than locally grown and snap frozen vegetables. It would be logical to assume that fresh vegetables grown in the area, with less time in transit would have at least similar benefits. Certainly the time between being picked and consumed can have a huge bearing on unstable nutrients such as vitamin C.
Locavore is a buzzword made popular by books on seasonal eating, like Barbara Kingsolver’s ”Animal, Vegetable, Miracle”. While the premise behind the idea is broader than just personal health, a trade-off for using less energy to transport our food is that if you eat what is grown in your vicinity (arbitrarily the consensus seems to bee 100 miles/160 kms) will essentially be food suited to the climate you live in.
Kingsolver found some obvious sticky areas. For one, the family wasn’t prepared to give up drinking coffee, a bean suited to growing in a tropical climate. Tea drinkers would have similar issues. But as far fresh produce was concerned, the family ate what they could grow on their land or in their county for twelve months as an ecological experiment.
Autumn into winter fresh produce
While most people don’t have a vegetable garden to supplement their dinner table it can be difficult to know what is in season. A simple guide is that what is most plentiful and cheaper in the shops is most likely to be in season.
However Australia is a large country, with many climate zones and even most organic groceries will tend to have fresh fruit and vegetables from many States. Once again, the further they have to travel from the farm will increase the costs. Zucchini, for example, so cheap at the end of summer is still available Australian grown but at least treble the price as autumn comes to an end.
Farmers markets tend to sell produce closer to home and become your best bet for more locavore oriented seasonality.
Fruits and vegetables in season in the Eastern states of Australia
(Source: Campion and Curtis)
May - late autumn
fruit
apples (bonza, braeburn , cox's orange, pippins , fuji, gala, golden delicious, granny smith, jonagold, jonathan, mutso, pink lady , red delicious, snow, sundowner), banana, cumquat, custard apple, feijoa, grapes (purple cornichon, waltham cross), kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarin (imperial), melon (champagne), nuts (chestnut, hazelnut, peanut, walnut), pears (howell, josephine, packham , red sensation, Williams), persimmon, quince, rhubarb.
vegetables
asian greens (bok choy, choy sum, gai laan, wonga bok), avocados (fuerte, sharwill), beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, daikon, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms (wild, field, pine, slippery jacks), okra, olives, onions (brown, spring), parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, squash, swede, sweet potato, taro, tomato, turnip, witlof, zucchini.
June - early winter
fruit
apples – (bonza, braeburn , cox's orange, pippins , fuji, gala, golden delicious, granny smith, jonagold, jonathan, lady Williams, mutso, pink lady, red delicious, snow, sundowner), custard apple, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarin (ellendale), melons (champagne), nashi, nuts (chestnut, hazelnut , walnut), oranges (navel), pears (beurre bosc, Josephine, packham), persimmon, pomelo, quince, rhubarb.
vegetables
asian greens (bok choy, choy sum, gai laan, wonga bok), avocados (fuerte, sharwill), beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, olives, onions, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, swede, sweet potato, turnip, witlof.
Cool weather cooking
While the hotter months tempt us with crisp and cooling fruits and vegetables (think of cucumbers, pineapples and mangoes) that are best eaten raw and chilled, nature moves onto producing denser foods at this time of year. Vegetables that often require some cooking to liberate the goodness (think root vegetables potatoes, turnips and swedes).
The most plentiful fruit tends to be apples and pears, which are even more appealing stewed up with warming spices like cinnamon and eaten hot.
This time of year, when in some places fresh food is hard to find, relies on the stored goodness of grains, beans, nuts and seeds. While Australians might think of the summe barbecue season as the time for meat, the densely packed nutrients in red meat are energetically more suited to the cooler months, slowly cooked and preferably still on the bone. Traditionally winter was the time to eat fats to gain some insulation for the months when food was harder to find, however in current day Australia this is rarely an issue.
This is the time to dust off the crock-pot and set it to work with meat, grains or beans, chopped root vegetables, stock and herbs to slowly cook while you work the day away (see recipes below).
The colder it is outside, the warmer your food and drinks should become.
Seasonal food suggestions
Breakfast
This is a great time of year to eat cooked grains to begin your day. Oats, as in porridge is an obvious place to start but so too is a cooked breakfast of quinoa, cornmeal, buckwheat or millet (which are also gluten-free options). This creamy quinoa breakfast is currently the favourite in my household.
To make a basic porridge or cooked grain dish, use a ratio of 1 part grains to 2 parts water, some kind of milk or even fruit juice, then cooked til soft. A little cinnamon or grated nutmeg makes a nice addition or dried or stewed fruit. Don’t forget the slow cooker – pour in your grains, fluid and other flavours before bed, switch it on and you have the perfect, no fuss hot breakfast waiting for you in the morning.
Homemade baked beans, boiled or poached eggs or just a bowl of stewed fruit make other great tasty cool season breakfasts.
Lunch
Soups and stews and other heated leftovers make ideal lunches. But if, like me, you are a little suspicious of microwaves or you are on the road during the day a thermos can be your best friend at this time of year. My happiest winter meal was a hot soup made from beans and winter vegetables, eaten in the snow while cross-country skiing.
If you buy your lunch consider looking at other options in your Japanese takeaway moving from the nori rolls to warm dishes like the ‘dons’ (on rice) or soupy noodles meals. Of course a toasted sandwich can feel pretty satisfying on a cold day too but make sure you vary the fillings to include a decent serve of vegetables.
Dinner
A weekly batch of soup to have on standby for nights you get home late and cold. My favourite are beans, root vegetables, a can of tomatoes and some vegetable stock. Carnivores might enjoy a classic lamb shank based soup or stew with pearl barley or split peas and orange vegetables.
A whole baked fish, such as snapper, with roast vegetables.
Chilli con carne (or without carne for a vegetarian version).
Tagine type Middle Eastern dishes favour warming spices like cinnamon, dried fruit, and vegetables as the basis of a slow cooked meat or vegetarian meal. Another ideal slow cooker meal.
Pilafs are grain based meals cooked with vegetables/meat and spices. Rice and lentils are an Indian version but millet or quinoa with finely chopped vegetables, onion, garlic and vegetable stock make a healthy modern twist on the theme. Try Lucy’s quinoa and millet pilaf for something different.
Drinks
Regardless of the season, ditch the ice. Our digestive system likes to metabolise things at room temperature at all times of the year.
While chai has become a popular drink year round, those warming spices like ginger, cardamom and cinnamon can blend well with a variety of herbs to make what I call “kitchen cupboard spice tea”. A few slices of oranges or lemons, a generous chunk of finely chopped or grated root ginger, a cinnamon or cassia stick and a couple of star anises brewed up in the pot makes a warming mix. The rich red of dried hibiscus flowers with root ginger also makes a pleasant brew.
Of course spices and warm drinks are synonymous with mulled wine. Much of the alcohol is driven off in the cooking process (if not fortified with brandy or other spirits before imbibing!). Similar recipes use cider or grape juice, heated with spices for a warming drink.
More healthy winter food ideas and other links
A Melbourne reporter’s locavore experiment
Crock-pot recipes
Vegan slow cooker recipes
Things to do with a thermos including how to make porridge in one.
Are there any benefits of eating seasonally?
It is argued that in this age of globalism that everything is in season, somewhere in the world. A trip to the supermarket this week in Victoria will offer you cherries from North America, barramundi from Thailand and oranges of mixed origin. While labelling is improving as to the countries these foods originate, the regions within Australia still are missing in the big chains.
European studies show that the nutrient values of foods flown in from other countries are lower than locally grown and snap frozen vegetables. It would be logical to assume that fresh vegetables grown in the area, with less time in transit would have at least similar benefits. Certainly the time between being picked and consumed can have a huge bearing on unstable nutrients such as vitamin C.
Locavore is a buzzword made popular by books on seasonal eating, like Barbara Kingsolver’s ”Animal, Vegetable, Miracle”. While the premise behind the idea is broader than just personal health, a trade-off for using less energy to transport our food is that if you eat what is grown in your vicinity (arbitrarily the consensus seems to bee 100 miles/160 kms) will essentially be food suited to the climate you live in.
Kingsolver found some obvious sticky areas. For one, the family wasn’t prepared to give up drinking coffee, a bean suited to growing in a tropical climate. Tea drinkers would have similar issues. But as far fresh produce was concerned, the family ate what they could grow on their land or in their county for twelve months as an ecological experiment.
Autumn into winter fresh produce
While most people don’t have a vegetable garden to supplement their dinner table it can be difficult to know what is in season. A simple guide is that what is most plentiful and cheaper in the shops is most likely to be in season.
However Australia is a large country, with many climate zones and even most organic groceries will tend to have fresh fruit and vegetables from many States. Once again, the further they have to travel from the farm will increase the costs. Zucchini, for example, so cheap at the end of summer is still available Australian grown but at least treble the price as autumn comes to an end.
Farmers markets tend to sell produce closer to home and become your best bet for more locavore oriented seasonality.
Fruits and vegetables in season in the Eastern states of Australia
(Source: Campion and Curtis)
May - late autumn
fruit
apples (bonza, braeburn , cox's orange, pippins , fuji, gala, golden delicious, granny smith, jonagold, jonathan, mutso, pink lady , red delicious, snow, sundowner), banana, cumquat, custard apple, feijoa, grapes (purple cornichon, waltham cross), kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarin (imperial), melon (champagne), nuts (chestnut, hazelnut, peanut, walnut), pears (howell, josephine, packham , red sensation, Williams), persimmon, quince, rhubarb.
vegetables
asian greens (bok choy, choy sum, gai laan, wonga bok), avocados (fuerte, sharwill), beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, daikon, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms (wild, field, pine, slippery jacks), okra, olives, onions (brown, spring), parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, squash, swede, sweet potato, taro, tomato, turnip, witlof, zucchini.
June - early winter
fruit
apples – (bonza, braeburn , cox's orange, pippins , fuji, gala, golden delicious, granny smith, jonagold, jonathan, lady Williams, mutso, pink lady, red delicious, snow, sundowner), custard apple, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarin (ellendale), melons (champagne), nashi, nuts (chestnut, hazelnut , walnut), oranges (navel), pears (beurre bosc, Josephine, packham), persimmon, pomelo, quince, rhubarb.
vegetables
asian greens (bok choy, choy sum, gai laan, wonga bok), avocados (fuerte, sharwill), beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, olives, onions, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, swede, sweet potato, turnip, witlof.
Cool weather cooking
While the hotter months tempt us with crisp and cooling fruits and vegetables (think of cucumbers, pineapples and mangoes) that are best eaten raw and chilled, nature moves onto producing denser foods at this time of year. Vegetables that often require some cooking to liberate the goodness (think root vegetables potatoes, turnips and swedes).
The most plentiful fruit tends to be apples and pears, which are even more appealing stewed up with warming spices like cinnamon and eaten hot.
This time of year, when in some places fresh food is hard to find, relies on the stored goodness of grains, beans, nuts and seeds. While Australians might think of the summe barbecue season as the time for meat, the densely packed nutrients in red meat are energetically more suited to the cooler months, slowly cooked and preferably still on the bone. Traditionally winter was the time to eat fats to gain some insulation for the months when food was harder to find, however in current day Australia this is rarely an issue.
This is the time to dust off the crock-pot and set it to work with meat, grains or beans, chopped root vegetables, stock and herbs to slowly cook while you work the day away (see recipes below).
The colder it is outside, the warmer your food and drinks should become.
Seasonal food suggestions
Breakfast
This is a great time of year to eat cooked grains to begin your day. Oats, as in porridge is an obvious place to start but so too is a cooked breakfast of quinoa, cornmeal, buckwheat or millet (which are also gluten-free options). This creamy quinoa breakfast is currently the favourite in my household.
To make a basic porridge or cooked grain dish, use a ratio of 1 part grains to 2 parts water, some kind of milk or even fruit juice, then cooked til soft. A little cinnamon or grated nutmeg makes a nice addition or dried or stewed fruit. Don’t forget the slow cooker – pour in your grains, fluid and other flavours before bed, switch it on and you have the perfect, no fuss hot breakfast waiting for you in the morning.
Homemade baked beans, boiled or poached eggs or just a bowl of stewed fruit make other great tasty cool season breakfasts.
Lunch
Soups and stews and other heated leftovers make ideal lunches. But if, like me, you are a little suspicious of microwaves or you are on the road during the day a thermos can be your best friend at this time of year. My happiest winter meal was a hot soup made from beans and winter vegetables, eaten in the snow while cross-country skiing.
If you buy your lunch consider looking at other options in your Japanese takeaway moving from the nori rolls to warm dishes like the ‘dons’ (on rice) or soupy noodles meals. Of course a toasted sandwich can feel pretty satisfying on a cold day too but make sure you vary the fillings to include a decent serve of vegetables.
Dinner
A weekly batch of soup to have on standby for nights you get home late and cold. My favourite are beans, root vegetables, a can of tomatoes and some vegetable stock. Carnivores might enjoy a classic lamb shank based soup or stew with pearl barley or split peas and orange vegetables.
A whole baked fish, such as snapper, with roast vegetables.
Chilli con carne (or without carne for a vegetarian version).
Tagine type Middle Eastern dishes favour warming spices like cinnamon, dried fruit, and vegetables as the basis of a slow cooked meat or vegetarian meal. Another ideal slow cooker meal.
Pilafs are grain based meals cooked with vegetables/meat and spices. Rice and lentils are an Indian version but millet or quinoa with finely chopped vegetables, onion, garlic and vegetable stock make a healthy modern twist on the theme. Try Lucy’s quinoa and millet pilaf for something different.
Drinks
Regardless of the season, ditch the ice. Our digestive system likes to metabolise things at room temperature at all times of the year.
While chai has become a popular drink year round, those warming spices like ginger, cardamom and cinnamon can blend well with a variety of herbs to make what I call “kitchen cupboard spice tea”. A few slices of oranges or lemons, a generous chunk of finely chopped or grated root ginger, a cinnamon or cassia stick and a couple of star anises brewed up in the pot makes a warming mix. The rich red of dried hibiscus flowers with root ginger also makes a pleasant brew.
Of course spices and warm drinks are synonymous with mulled wine. Much of the alcohol is driven off in the cooking process (if not fortified with brandy or other spirits before imbibing!). Similar recipes use cider or grape juice, heated with spices for a warming drink.
More healthy winter food ideas and other links
A Melbourne reporter’s locavore experiment
Crock-pot recipes
Vegan slow cooker recipes
Things to do with a thermos including how to make porridge in one.
Monday, March 03, 2008
breakfast
Food, glorious food!
We're anxious to try it
Three banquets a day
Our favourite diet! (Food Glorious Food)
The evidence for eating breakfast
While eating breakfast is plain commonsense for most people, medical research has a burning need to provide evidence in order to claim starting the day with a meal is in any way beneficial. There is a plethora of studies looking at both children and adults and the effects of eating or not eating breakfast. The evidence for eating breakfast being good for your wellbeing include:
Children - better performance in school such as improved concentration, memory, able to verbally recount what they have been taught, alertness and creativity. Kids who skipped breakfast were also almost twice as likely to be overweight.
Adults - also demonstrated the connection between forgoing breakfast and weight control by showing that the greater energy intake at the beginning of the day, the less likely to overeat later. A wholegrain cereal type of breakfast predicted better cardiovascular health in women and decreased mortality (in this case death from any cause) than for those who ate a refined cereal.
Different ways to break the fast
For those for who find it a struggle to eat in the morning– resist the cup of coffee and a cigarette to start the day and just try to eat a piece of two of fresh fruit. The fructose will slowly increase your blood sugar levels (a bit like turning the computer on), the fibre keeps the bowel and the heart happy, and the vitamins and minerals potentially not only give you energy but also keep all your body systems functioning.
Cereals and grains: Grabbing a box of cereal is a popular choice but also a minefield nutritionally. “High energy” and any mention of sport or athletes tend to mean the product is high in sugars and often salt. Unless you are running a marathon it is unlikely you need that kind of quick electrolyte and energy replacement. Also watch out for added colours and flavours. If a cereal needs to add vitamins back into the food it suggests that it has already been very refined.*
The best grain based breakfasts are ones where you can actually recognise plant foods – such as oats and other grains, nuts and seeds. But toasting them does tend to reduce the nutrients, oxidise oils and generally make them less digestible. Skip the toasted muesli or keep granola to just a sprinkle to add texture and flavour to its raw counterparts. Keep in mind that grains generally need cooking or soaking. The original Bircher muesli is a mix of grains, seeds and nuts soaked overnight in milk, water or juice. It is much easier and more enjoyable to eat than when it is eaten straight from the packet.
Cooked grains make a great breakfast – porridge (oatmeal) is traditionally made from rolled oats but any slow cooked grain can taste delicious. For example millet, buckwheat, cornmeal, amaranth or quinoa. I enjoy adding using equal quantities of cooked brown rice with rolled oats for a nuttier flavoured winter breakfast. If you need to sweeten it pull back on refined sugar and try a teaspoon of mineral rich maple syrup or rice malt instead.
Fruit is a great addition to a cereal-based breakfast. Fresh is best but when it is out of season use sulphur-free if choosing dried fruit. You can also dry your own fruit in an electric conventional oven (cut thinly, placed on racks, at a very low heat).
Bread based breakfasts: There is a huge nutritional difference between types of breads and the toppings you put on it. Toast is an easy and popular way to start the day, is relatively portable and quick. The heavier the bread feels, the denser and grainier it is generally means it is higher in fibre and more beneficial. Spongy white bread tends to be the most refined and quickly broken down by the body. While a GI rating on a commercial loaf might be useful (the higher the better), frequently the healthiest tends to come from specialised bakeries that offer wholegrain, sourdough or stone ground flours. Avoid bleached flour, bread improvers and other additives. A handy Scandinavian and Eastern European alternative is pumpernickel or other dark rye breads or crackers. Fat laden croissants are best for a special occasion only.
The more savoury, less sweet or salty your topping, generally the more nutritious the meal will be. Popular commercial toppings such as jam, Australia’s own iconic yeast spread and chocolate-based concoctions (no matter how many sports people tell us how good they are) give you a poorer nutritional start to the day than real fruits and vegetables. Try tahini and avocado, nut ‘butters’ (eg almond, cashew etc), banana, fresh tomatoes, grilled mushrooms or a boiled or poached egg on the best bread or toast you can find. Compare how you feel mid-morning after this kind of start to plain jam on white toast.
Eggs have been plagued with controversy for years. Cholesterol-wise conventional medicine has deemed it acceptable to have an egg a day (or up to 7 eggs a week) for most people. However frying your eggs or eating them more them 3 times a week appears to increase a woman’s chance of developing ovarian cancer (JAMA 254(3): pp.356-7, 1985]).
An egg-based breakfast is a great way to start the day if you need endurance; you are busy or just have a lot to achieve before there is time for lunch. A plain boiled egg is a like a protein pill, slowly releasing energy and nutrients over the next few hours. Remember it doesn’t always need to be on toast, served with (cancer causing) bacon or scrambled with cream to taste delicious.
Breakfasts from different cultures: Miso soup with a small serve of rice, some pickled fish or vegetables and a boiled egg, plain sheep’s milk yoghurt and a drizzle of honey, spiced rice and lentils, meat and grain based soups, cooked beans – are just a few of the healthiest breakfasts from around the world. It makes a bowl of cornflakes look very boring, doesn’t it?
Try to avoid:
Caffeine within 2 hours of a meal – if you are needing a quick hit try a small glass of pure juice and leave the tea or coffee til mid-morning.
Breakfast Bars: almost always baked, so the grains are difficult to digest and the nutrients compromised as well as high in sugars. If you want something sweet on the run try a handful or raw seeds and nuts with some fresh or (sulphur free dried) fruit or even a mashed banana on wholegrain bread.
“Energy drinks”: in this context energy is just another work for refined carbohydrates and sugars. A fresh vegetable juice is a better (and often tastier) choice.
Skipping breakfast: unless you want to not utilise your innate intelligence and creativity or gain weight.
Update: March 2009: Australian Lobby Group, "The Parents Jury" has published their list of the top 3 cereals with misleading health claims. This dubious honour goes to Nutri-Grain, Milo and Cocoa Bombs. All have unacceptably high levels of sugar, amongst other health concerns and are not deemed a suitable cereal for children to eat on a regular basis.
We're anxious to try it
Three banquets a day
Our favourite diet! (Food Glorious Food)
The evidence for eating breakfast
While eating breakfast is plain commonsense for most people, medical research has a burning need to provide evidence in order to claim starting the day with a meal is in any way beneficial. There is a plethora of studies looking at both children and adults and the effects of eating or not eating breakfast. The evidence for eating breakfast being good for your wellbeing include:
Children - better performance in school such as improved concentration, memory, able to verbally recount what they have been taught, alertness and creativity. Kids who skipped breakfast were also almost twice as likely to be overweight.
Adults - also demonstrated the connection between forgoing breakfast and weight control by showing that the greater energy intake at the beginning of the day, the less likely to overeat later. A wholegrain cereal type of breakfast predicted better cardiovascular health in women and decreased mortality (in this case death from any cause) than for those who ate a refined cereal.
Different ways to break the fast
For those for who find it a struggle to eat in the morning– resist the cup of coffee and a cigarette to start the day and just try to eat a piece of two of fresh fruit. The fructose will slowly increase your blood sugar levels (a bit like turning the computer on), the fibre keeps the bowel and the heart happy, and the vitamins and minerals potentially not only give you energy but also keep all your body systems functioning.
Cereals and grains: Grabbing a box of cereal is a popular choice but also a minefield nutritionally. “High energy” and any mention of sport or athletes tend to mean the product is high in sugars and often salt. Unless you are running a marathon it is unlikely you need that kind of quick electrolyte and energy replacement. Also watch out for added colours and flavours. If a cereal needs to add vitamins back into the food it suggests that it has already been very refined.*
The best grain based breakfasts are ones where you can actually recognise plant foods – such as oats and other grains, nuts and seeds. But toasting them does tend to reduce the nutrients, oxidise oils and generally make them less digestible. Skip the toasted muesli or keep granola to just a sprinkle to add texture and flavour to its raw counterparts. Keep in mind that grains generally need cooking or soaking. The original Bircher muesli is a mix of grains, seeds and nuts soaked overnight in milk, water or juice. It is much easier and more enjoyable to eat than when it is eaten straight from the packet.
Cooked grains make a great breakfast – porridge (oatmeal) is traditionally made from rolled oats but any slow cooked grain can taste delicious. For example millet, buckwheat, cornmeal, amaranth or quinoa. I enjoy adding using equal quantities of cooked brown rice with rolled oats for a nuttier flavoured winter breakfast. If you need to sweeten it pull back on refined sugar and try a teaspoon of mineral rich maple syrup or rice malt instead.
Fruit is a great addition to a cereal-based breakfast. Fresh is best but when it is out of season use sulphur-free if choosing dried fruit. You can also dry your own fruit in an electric conventional oven (cut thinly, placed on racks, at a very low heat).
Bread based breakfasts: There is a huge nutritional difference between types of breads and the toppings you put on it. Toast is an easy and popular way to start the day, is relatively portable and quick. The heavier the bread feels, the denser and grainier it is generally means it is higher in fibre and more beneficial. Spongy white bread tends to be the most refined and quickly broken down by the body. While a GI rating on a commercial loaf might be useful (the higher the better), frequently the healthiest tends to come from specialised bakeries that offer wholegrain, sourdough or stone ground flours. Avoid bleached flour, bread improvers and other additives. A handy Scandinavian and Eastern European alternative is pumpernickel or other dark rye breads or crackers. Fat laden croissants are best for a special occasion only.
The more savoury, less sweet or salty your topping, generally the more nutritious the meal will be. Popular commercial toppings such as jam, Australia’s own iconic yeast spread and chocolate-based concoctions (no matter how many sports people tell us how good they are) give you a poorer nutritional start to the day than real fruits and vegetables. Try tahini and avocado, nut ‘butters’ (eg almond, cashew etc), banana, fresh tomatoes, grilled mushrooms or a boiled or poached egg on the best bread or toast you can find. Compare how you feel mid-morning after this kind of start to plain jam on white toast.
Eggs have been plagued with controversy for years. Cholesterol-wise conventional medicine has deemed it acceptable to have an egg a day (or up to 7 eggs a week) for most people. However frying your eggs or eating them more them 3 times a week appears to increase a woman’s chance of developing ovarian cancer (JAMA 254(3): pp.356-7, 1985]).
An egg-based breakfast is a great way to start the day if you need endurance; you are busy or just have a lot to achieve before there is time for lunch. A plain boiled egg is a like a protein pill, slowly releasing energy and nutrients over the next few hours. Remember it doesn’t always need to be on toast, served with (cancer causing) bacon or scrambled with cream to taste delicious.
Breakfasts from different cultures: Miso soup with a small serve of rice, some pickled fish or vegetables and a boiled egg, plain sheep’s milk yoghurt and a drizzle of honey, spiced rice and lentils, meat and grain based soups, cooked beans – are just a few of the healthiest breakfasts from around the world. It makes a bowl of cornflakes look very boring, doesn’t it?
Try to avoid:
Caffeine within 2 hours of a meal – if you are needing a quick hit try a small glass of pure juice and leave the tea or coffee til mid-morning.
Breakfast Bars: almost always baked, so the grains are difficult to digest and the nutrients compromised as well as high in sugars. If you want something sweet on the run try a handful or raw seeds and nuts with some fresh or (sulphur free dried) fruit or even a mashed banana on wholegrain bread.
“Energy drinks”: in this context energy is just another work for refined carbohydrates and sugars. A fresh vegetable juice is a better (and often tastier) choice.
Skipping breakfast: unless you want to not utilise your innate intelligence and creativity or gain weight.
Update: March 2009: Australian Lobby Group, "The Parents Jury" has published their list of the top 3 cereals with misleading health claims. This dubious honour goes to Nutri-Grain, Milo and Cocoa Bombs. All have unacceptably high levels of sugar, amongst other health concerns and are not deemed a suitable cereal for children to eat on a regular basis.
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