I love breakfast:

It’s one of my favourite meals of the day. Actually, I just enjoy eating. When I was younger, breakfast especially on weekends was the time when the family got together. My dad will be catching up on his newspaper, my mother her life magazines and my siblings and I will be playing around the table.

As we know or have been told breakfast is important because it sets us for the day and wakes us up. If done right, it keeps our metabolism healthy, on fat-busting and anti-ageing mode. Also important as we’re not starving by 10am and our mind starts to wander off to the dessert cart at lunch when we should be focusing on work or play.

 

The weird food I used to eat for breakfast:

I was thinking back what I used to eat for breakfast and what I eat now. I used to eat bread almost everyday, spread with butter and “kaya” (a Malaysian jam made of brown sugar and coconut). My mum used to make her special grilled bread topped with cheese or sugar. We would stare into the oven, looking at how the cheese slice rise up and sugar bubbled. The smell was intoxicating and I would eat like 4-6 slices of it. In Malaysia, you have the luxury of enjoying breakfast from all cultures – often not the usual like chicken curry and coconut rice, large chicken buns, stir-fried dried oyster omelettes. When I go back to Malaysia, I always enjoy them as there is just so much variety. My fiance thinks I’m weird 🙂

When I came to UK, I fell in love with the cereal Cinnamon Graham (I find it too sweet now but at that time, I would devour half the pack in 1 day studying for exams). Then I had loads of granola, thinking it was healthy. The bread and milk in UK was definitely better quality too.

But now, after learning so much about food and the relation to skin, hormones and weight (and still learning), I have changed my taste buds and choices to a different tune. I don’t buy any more bread or never walk down the cereal aisle.

 

This is what I learned:

The ideal breakfast should:-

1. Balance your sugars
2. Keep you full
3. Make you happy
4. Helps you go to the toilet (the first thing you put in your mouth in the morning should trigger the peristalsis of a healthy digestive system so it eliminates the waste from yesterday, starting afresh. Sitting on the throne first thing in the morning is healthy and recommended).
5. Provide nourishment for your mind, body and skin to repair, grow, glow and perform.

This is important to:

1. Avoid the massive sugar swings that you reach out for coffee or diet-coke to keep you awake.
2. Avoid sugar cravings that you HAVE to have your muffin or chocolate as a mid-morning snack.
3. Switch on your fat-burning gene and turn off your fat-storage gene.
4. Reduce inflammation so your skin don’t break out and your body don’t hold on to fat.
5. Balance your hormones so you have boundless of energy throughout the day.
6. Stabilise your moods so you don’t suffer from PMS and deal with stress better.
7. Maintain peak performance in your mind, body and soul.
8. Keep breakouts and premature wrinkles at bay.

 

The ideal breakfast should have these 5 components!

1. Protein – to stabilise your sugars and keep you fuller for longer.
2. Omega 3 fatty acid – to repair and reduce inflammation
3. Fibre – to soak up toxicity in your food, bad hormones and move the food along the way.
4. Water – for lubrication and hydration
5. Colours – not the synthetic colours of Fruti-loops but vibrant natural colours of fruits and vegetables. This contains powerful anti-oxidants and phytonutrients for wholesome health.

 

Here are my Top 5 Breakfast Choices for clearer skin, flatter stomach and happier hormones.

 

1. Eggs

A great source of protein but also supports the production of progesterone which is the calming hormone. Have it poached, boiled, sunny side up or scrambled (only with rice milk and no butter). I love having an omelette with plenty of red and green peppers. Sometimes, I have it with spinach and salmon flakes too. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with some slices of avocado for extra healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.

 

2. Protein shake

I love SunWarrior Rice Protein. I don’t really like whey protein or casein as it has dairy derivatives which for some people can cause breakouts and intolerance. Read the label as some protein shake has excessive sweeteners or colouring which are both not good.

Mix 2 scoops of protein powder with rice or almond milk and blitz it with fruits for colour (the darker the better like berries). If you wanted some variety in taste, you can put a large spoon of almond butter (NOT peanut butter) for a nutty taste, or dark chocolate for a chocolatey taste. I love sprinkling some seeds, flaxseeds and nuts on top for some crunch.

 

3. Smoothie

There are tons of smoothie recipes on the internet. The best are the green ones (don’t pull a face until you try it). If you prefer a less monstrous looking breakfast, then you can always go for a fruit smoothie.

The choice of fruit is important as some fruits e.g. ripe bananas, watermelon, dates and raisins have a high glycaemic index (GI) which means it spikes the blood sugar fast. Better choices are the lower GI berry family, apple, grapes, mangos, papayas, peach and kiwis. The riper it is, the more readily the sugar will be and less fibre it has. You can also lower the GI of the fruit by adding some healthy fats e.g. avocados, coconut milk, flaxseeds, nuts and seeds.

If you want to try a green juice, use either spinach or kale as the base with a glass of distilled water and add fruits to sweeten. You can add some ice to thicken it too. My favourite combination is spinach, cucumber, apple, celery, lemon and ginger. Don’t forget you can add some spice e.g. ginger and cinnamon which are both anti-inflammatory and sugar balancing.

 

4. Oats

Oats are a great source of slow-burning carbohydrates. Perfect for cold mornings or if you feel you need more substance. Slow-burning carbohydrates can also help with brain function and great source of fibre. With oats, you want to find non-gluten oats.

Cook it slow with rice milk or almond milk. Add a spoonful of hempseed, flaxseed or coconut milk for added healthy fatty acids. You can add some colour with topped berries, cinnamon and walnuts.

 

 

 

5. Fruit Salad

Growing up in Malaysia, we had all kinds of exotic fruits. You want to mix it up for your fruit salad. Mix different colours and textures together. Try dragon fruit, star fruit and even mangosteen. You can find them at your local Oriental food store. Add seeds and nuts, even mint and drizzle some lemon juice before serving. You can also have it with a small serving of greek yogurt too (don’t go for low-fat as it’s full of sugar. Just go for the full fat ones – don’t worry, the fruit cuts through it).

And that’s my Top 5 Breakfast Choices to clear acne-prone skin, lose stubborn belly fat, gain more energy, balance rebelling hormones and anti-age.

 

Over to you…

What’s your favourite breakfast?

Have you noticed anything positive or negative with your skin, weight loss or energy levels depending on the breakfast you eat?

Do you have a super healthy breakfast recipe that you would like to share?

Do let me know your experience in the comment box below. Fascinated by yummy food.

Until next time, enjoy your breakfast and have an awesome day!

To your beautiful skin, life and happiness.