National Times Bureau, August 9, 2025: Nutrition experts worldwide call breakfast the most important meal of the day and for good reason. It fuels your body after hours of fasting, sets your energy levels, and influences your food choices for the rest of the day. Here’s how to make it count.
Start Smart
After a 10–12 hour overnight fast, kick-start your metabolism with 1–2 glasses of water and a small handful of soaked almonds (8–10), raisins, or two tablespoons of roasted chana (with skin if possible).
If your day begins with tea or coffee especially black coffee consider a change. These acidic drinks on an empty stomach can cause acidity, indigestion, heartburn, and may even interfere with nutrient absorption. Tea is also diuretic, leading to dehydration. A healthier switch: herbal options like warm fennel-cumin water or ginger-cardamom infusion with a little honey.
Skip the Refined Sugar Rush
Morning tea paired with rusks or biscuits might be a habit, but it’s not helping you. These foods are loaded with refined carbs, sugar, and unhealthy fats, offering no protein or fibre. Instead, opt for a banana, papaya, or apple within 30 minutes of waking after your water and dry fruits.
Protein + Fibre = Power Breakfast
About an hour later, build your meal with a good protein source and fibre to keep you fuller for longer:
Multigrain toast with boiled eggs, paneer, tofu, or peanut butter.
Paranthas but make them wholesome. Stuff with vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, radish, beetroot, spinach, or grated paneer. Use multigrain flour, go easy on the dough and ghee, and serve with curd. Leftover dal or vegetable fillings work well too.
Smarter Cereal Choices
Packaged cereals marketed as “healthy” are often high in sugar and quick to spike your blood sugar. Instead, choose oats or amaranth with milk/plant milk, nuts, seeds, and soaked chia seeds. Sweeten naturally with honey, jaggery, or fruit.
Other Balanced Breakfast Ideas
Multigrain vegetable sandwiches with hung curd or chutney.
Whole fruit instead of juice (to avoid sugar spikes). Smoothies with milk/curd, flaxseed, nut butter, and fruit can work as a quick meal-on-the-go.
Indian staples like idli, poha, upma, moong dal chilla, or besan chilla loaded with vegetables and served with coconut or peanut chutney.
One Last Important Tip
Avoid tea or coffee with breakfast. Tannins in these drinks can block up to 65% of iron absorption from your food. Have them at least 30 minutes after eating or wait a full hour for best results.
