One of the most important aspects of our working lives is making sure we look after our bodies. Unless we are looking after ourselves we will struggle to maintain a high standard of work and it will be hard to keep up with the daily tasks of our jobs. Furthermore, the less we look after ourselves the more sick days we may have to take which can really put a strain on your stress levels. One way we can keep our bodies healthy and ready to take on the day is by eating properly, in particular a healthy breakfast.
If you want to learn more about how to properly fuel your body, keep on reading.
Is breakfast the most important meal?
You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal. It sets you up for the day by giving you enough energy to get through daily tasks and kick-starts your metabolism. In Western cultures, we tend to disregard breakfast or eat something full of sugar because we simply don’t have the time to sit down and eat a healthy meal in the mornings. We’re constantly on the go, rushing to get out the door. Whether you have to drop the kids at school or start your long commute, sometimes we simply don’t have time for breakfast.
However, it’s important to remember how vital our morning meal is for our bodies. By the time breakfast comes around our bodies will have been fasting for 12 hours or more, so you need to make sure to provide some nourishment in the mornings. But don’t just take our word for it, many studies have linked breakfast to better health including improved memory and concentration, lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and decreased chances of getting diabetes, heart disease and being overweight. Of course, this is dependent on how healthy your breakfast is. Consuming a full English or bacon sandwich every day won’t contribute to a healthier lifestyle but you can opt for other tasty options such as breakfast oats, cold press juices or smoothies.
What happens if you don’t eat breakfast?
If you skip breakfast, your body doesn’t have the opportunity to kickstart your metabolism and help you burn calories. It can lead to migraines, weight gain, hair loss and even increases the risk of cancer. When you wake up, your blood sugar levels are low because you haven’t eaten overnight. If you don’t break this fast by eating, your body releases certain hormones to compensate for the low sugar levels. This is called hypoglycemia and will contribute to generally feeling unwell with symptoms such as headaches, migraines, fatigue and grogginess.
Breakfast supplies your body with essential vitamins and nutrients in order to get on with your day. If you skip breakfast, it’s likely your body will crave all sorts of unhealthy foods because you are desperate to refill your blood sugar levels. Some of us may not fancy eating in the morning, but it’s important to try. You can even opt for plain foods such as porridge or wholemeal toast.
When is the best time to eat breakfast?
The best time to eat breakfast is within the first hour of waking up, often between 6 am and 10 am. If you don’t have time to prepare or eat breakfast before work, you can always prepare it the night before or in the office and eat it once you get to work. It's usually nice to give yourself 10 minutes at work before you get started with your day where you can sit and relax and enjoy your breakfast. It may even be worth starting a breakfast club at work or asking a couple of colleagues to join you in getting breakfast from a local coffee shop one day a week. Whatever you choose to do, it’s important to give yourself the time to be properly nourished.
Tasty breakfast ideas for work
So you’ve decided to start making the time for breakfast in the morning? Perhaps you have no idea what to try or what you’ll like. Here we’ve put together some of our favourite recipes that we like to enjoy in the morning before work.
Overnight oats
Overnight oats can be incredibly delicious. They are sort of like cold porridge, but they taste much better than they sound! You can make them in five minutes by combining oats, milk, chia seeds and a flavouring of your choice. The oats and milk combine overnight to produce a deliciously creamy dessert-like breakfast. The chia seeds help to add thickness as well as provide an antioxidant called quercetin, which can reduce your risk of illness. Some tasty flavour combos to try include, peanut butter and chocolate, raspberry and blueberry, cinnamon and apple or pumpkin spice. They’re perfect to grab out of the fridge on your way to work to enjoy hot or cold.
Cold press juices
If you’re someone who doesn’t get hungry in the mornings, cold press juices are a great option. By consuming juice first thing in the morning, you instantly revive all your cells and organs by adding in loads of nutrients and minerals. You need to restore vital electrolytes and vitamin levels when you wake up. It’s important to choose cold press juices over concentrate because they don’t contain any added sugars or artificial sweeteners and are made fresh so retain more of the fruit and vegetable’s vitamins and minerals. At Pow Food, we supply Daily Dose Cold Pressed Juices that are certified by the Soil Association and use up wonky vegetables that would have gone to waste.
Breakfast bars
These are easy enough to eat on the go and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Why not make up a batch every sunday and keep them for the whole family to grab before they head out the door. You can whip up a batch with oats, nuts and dried fruits and even add extras such as peanut butter, chocolate chips and dates. The great thing about these is that you can adapt them to your own tastes and swap different ingredients to make them something you’ll really enjoy.
Slow cooker oats
Yet another one that barely needs any preparation in the morning. When you don’t have time to stand over a pan of porridge for 10 minutes, just get your slow cooker out and you’ll be amazed at how simple it can be. Put the usual porridge ingredients in your slow cooker and put it on right before you go to bed. When you wake up you’ll have thick and creamy porridge ready to eat. You can put it into some tupperware and take it to work or enjoy at home. Top with your favourite toppings such as brown sugar or honey, sliced bananas, grated apple, blueberries, pinch of cinnamon or natural yoghurt. Oats are a slow-releasing carbohydrate, so they’ll give you a gradual release of energy that can help tackle your caffeine crash.
Tasty Meals & Cold Press Juices From Pow Food Ltd
At Pow Food, we want to make it easy to nourish your body throughout the working week, which is why we’ve put together delicious food boxes and meals for work. It shouldn’t be hard to have healthy prepared meals during your day, so why not choose Pow Food? We can deliver healthy food catering to workplaces or your home so you can always receive the nutrition you need to work your best. Our range of cold pressed juices are also available and can help you fuel your body without having to even think about it. Get in touch today to learn more about our meal delivery service.