Early in the morning before you go to work, you need to warm the engine first before you hit the road. The same with our body, warm and fuel it fir st before you start the day.

The question is why after your sleep through the night, the first meal the next day is important? Apart from providing you with energy, a healthy breakfast gives you many other benefits. Here are the plus points for having breakfast:
• Breakfast beats binge eating
• Eating a healthy breakfast will keep you from getting too hungry and help prevent from over eating later during the day.
•It works for weight loss Skipping breakfast is a common strategy for losing weight, but it is definitely not a smart one. There’s no evidence that says skipping breakfast will help you lose weight, but studies show that most people who skip breakfast tend to eat more calorie-dense foods throughout the day. Skipping breakfast can also slow down your metabolism, while eating a good breakfast will give your metabolism a boost. If you’re trying to lose weight slowing down your metabolism will be the last thing you need.

Breakfast Tips What excuses do you have to not eat breakfast? Not hungry? No time? Not wanting to upset the stomach? Well , here are some useful tips:
• Not hungry? Something is better than nothing. Drink milk or juice. You can have biscuits, crackers or a bun later in the morning.
• No time? For a busy person who is rushing to work, choose to eat breakfast that needs little preparation time, for instance breakfast cereals with low fat milk, toast bread with peanut butter/ cheese or yoghurt with a piece of fruit. Or top cereals with fruit or chopped nuts such as peanuts and walnuts.
•Having an upset stomach? If you are not used to having breakfast, it is common to have an upset stomach once you start, This is because your stomach is used to being empty early in the morning.

Try eating small portions first and slowly increase the portion size according to your requirements.

It’s time to make healthy breakfast choices.

Sandwiches
• Go for wholemeal bread because of its fibre content.
• Some healthy filling options are boiled egg, ‘light’ cheese, peanut butter, unsweetened jam, margarine (thin layer).
• Make sure there are vegetables in your sandwiches like cucumber, salad or tomato.
• Avoid using butter or mayonnaise. Opt for soft margarine instead and go for a thin spread.

Other breakfast options
• Thosai or chapatti
• Choose dhall gravy instead of curry
• Breakfast cereals can be eaten with low fat milk and fresh or dried fruits.

Potatoes
• Recommended types of cooking methods: baked, grilled, boiled or steamed.
• Boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, jacket potatoes are preferred compared to chips, french fries for less fat intake.
• Sliced boiled potatoes with grilled fish and salad can make a nice meal.

In a hurry? Grab these
• Bread roll or bun with filling
• A sandwich of wholemeal bread
• A carton of yoghurt
• A few pieces of high fibre biscuits or crackers
• A fruit like banana, orange, apple, pear.
• A packet of fruit juice, soya bean drink or low fat milk.

Jamilah Abd Jamil is a dietitian at Ministry of Health, Brunei and a member of the Malaysian Dietitians’ Association. This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Dietitians’ Association