How to feel sluggish all day

Brisbane-based Consulting Dietitian, Julette Kentish APD/AN recommends you skip breakfast or include lots of processed food - if you want to feel sluggish all day.

CMW: Do you have any rules to go by for breakfasting?
JK: I always recommend a person start the day with breakfast – it doesn’t have to be big– my only rule is that it is that you have it before 10am. However, the healthier your breakfast – the more positive you feel and better your physical health is likely to be too!

CMW: There is a lot of talk about fibre for breakfast, how much do we really need?
JK: For a standard person who has meals and snacks, it is worthwhile including at a least 6-8g of fibre at breakfast – as it gets too hard to get to the target 30g women and 40 for men per day to reduce risk of chronic conditions – if you leave it all to the last part of the day. When we start to think about achieving our fibre intake first, we automatically start selecting other foods that are good for our health.

CMW: What about carbs, proteins and fats?
JK: A healthy breakfast should also contain a mixture of other energy containing nutrients – carbohydrate, protein as well as healthy fats & oils. As a starting points & for convenience – most people select some form of grains –either as cereal or bread as the starting point. Starchy carbohydrates at breakfast are likely to give you a boost of energy for the morning but try to keep them as unprocessed as possible – you don’t want to have more fibre in the packaging than your actual dish! To prevent that mid-morning dip, I’d definitely suggest you include some protein with breakfast. Great protein choices include baked beans, mushrooms, and eggs or lean savoury mince. By including a serve of fruit and vegetables plus one serve of low fat dairy at breakfast – you can begin the day ticking off boxes to fulfill your nutritional requirements.

Julette’s delicious breakfast suggestions include:
• Sautéed tomato, basil and grated reduced fat, vintage cheese on 2 slices of wholegrain bread or 1/2 toasted bagel,
• Jules’ home-style baked beans on 1-2 slices of toast or wholegrain English muffins,
• Banana-mixed Berry & yoghurt smoothie with mint & chia/flaxseeds,
• Herb& Chili mushrooms with grated zucchini & haloumi on toast.