Breakfast – breaking the fast

Breakfast in the morning ends the nightly fast and provides the body with energy and important nutrients for the day. A portion of protein in combination with fibre-rich carbohydrate sources, plus some fat and vitamins from fruit or vegetables – that’s the basics of an optimal breakfast. As simple as it may sound in theory, many people find it difficult to implement in everyday life.

Here are the three most common breakfast mistakes and reasons why you may often suffer from cravings during the day. Plus: Your breakfast kit for a balanced breakfast.

Mistake #1: Not eating breakfast

We’ve all been there: the alarm clock rings, you press the snooze button once more and go back to sleep – and ten valuable minutes are wasted. When work, university or school calls in the morning, there is often no time for breakfast. Sipping a quick coffee and checking the news on social media in the meantime has become a morning routine for many. Many don’t even think about having breakfast, let alone taking something with them, and are then surprised when cravings become a daily companion.

But it’s in the morning – or mid-morning – that you should top up your energy stores in order to have enough energy for the day. If you skip the first meal of the day – perhaps in the hope of saving calories and losing weight – you will probably get the energy you saved back at the next meal, i.e. lunch. Logically, your hunger will be huge by then and your body will be craving quick energy – and you will probably eat far too quickly.

Tip #1: Plan your first meal of the day in the morning or mid-morning.

Try to plan 15 to 20 minutes for breakfast in your morning routine. If you can’t get anything down in the morning, that’s completely ok – don’t force yourself to do it. In this case, take your breakfast with you from home, such as these delicious high-protein overnight oats to go. Pay attention to when you get hungry and eat your first meal then.

But you don’t have time to enjoy your breakfast in the morning because you’re at work, university or school? No problem, just drink it! A homemade breakfast shake is also easy to drink in between meals and gives you the energy boost you need. Try this recovery shake or hemp protein peanut banana smoothie.

Mistake #2: Breakfast too sweet

A quick jam sandwich, a coffee with a dash of milk and that’s the classic Austrian breakfast. Although the jam sandwich gives you a quick energy boost so that you can easily dance up the stairs to the office in the morning, you’ll realise after an hour or two at work at the latest: Something is missing… That’s right, energy!

This is what happens in your body: if you start the day with plenty of sugar, your blood sugar level will quickly skyrocket. In order to channel the sugar from the blood into the cells, your pancreas produces insulin – a lot at once. It unlocks your cells like a key. The blood sugar in your blood drops again like a rollercoaster ride. And you can feel it: If you start thinking about chocolate at ten o’clock or have difficulty concentrating in the morning. Then it could simply be because your blood sugar has been on a rollercoaster ride and your body is screaming: ‘Again, again!’ But what your body doesn’t realise is that this rollercoaster ride isn’t so great in the long run. The constant fluctuations in blood sugar can lead to recurring cravings and put a strain on our metabolism.

Tip #2: Make sure you combine protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates and a vitamin and fat component at breakfast.

You can also spice up your breakfast with flavoured ingredients such as butter, jam, honey, protein cream or crunchy muesli. However, these ingredients should only provide the icing on the cake and not be the main ingredient.

Mistake #3: Low-protein breakfast

Wondering why everyone raves about porridge and overnight oats, but you never stay full for long? Maybe it’s because you only cook the oats in water, oat, rice or almond drink and you’re missing out on a good portion of protein. Protein is an important nutrient for cell renewal, muscle building and the immune system and can also improve our satiety. Especially in the morning, when you have a long day ahead of you, you shouldn’t miss out on this key nutrient. However, favour high-quality protein sources and try to avoid meat in the form of sausage or ham.

Tip #3: Increase the satiety effect of your breakfast with a protein portion.

Prepare your oatmeal with soya or pea drink or add skyr, yoghurt, curd cheese, whey protein or plant-based protein powder after cooking. A spoonful of almond butter or protein cream and a handful of fresh, seasonal fruit round off the flavour.

Conclusion

Now you know how to turn your breakfast into a filling, nutritious meal with a few tips and tricks. Finally, remember: eat when you’re hungry, take your time for your first meal of the day and savour every bite to the full.