Carbohydrates for breakfast, for an energetic start to the day!

Mothers and grandmothers often say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Starting it off right is important for both our bodies and our mood. If we don't have time to prepare a hot breakfast, we should choose quick breakfasts. However, we should not give up on them entirely. What we eat is converted into energy. How we start our morning determines how much of this energy we will have to use.

So, what can we eat for breakfast? What carbohydrates should we eat for breakfast? What do healthy carbohydrates contain? Who really needs to remember about them? We will answer these questions in this article.

Carbohydrates as an energy source for the body

Carbohydrates are the most important energy source for humans. 1 gram of carbohydrates provides us with 4 calories, and this is energy that is easy to absorb. Thanks to this, the body has the strength to function, and the brain functions properly. Too small an amount of carbohydrates in the diet can even be dangerous.

We divide carbohydrates into simple and complex. The former are easier to absorb, and their best source is nothing other than fruit. Complex carbohydrates, however, are a better source of energy. They do not cause a sudden change in blood sugar levels, and the energy released from them is slower and lasts longer. Simply put, after eating them, we do not feel hungry for longer.

Products that are a source of complex carbohydrates:

Above all, whole grain products:

- whole wheat pasta,

- dark bread,

- oatmeal,

- legumes,

- brown rice.

The first meal in the morning – is breakfast the most important in the day?

We often hear that the best morning meal is the one eaten within an hour after waking up. However, a lot depends on individual preferences, and one person may need a meal very quickly, while another will feel fine eating it a little later. Breakfast, however, is a very important meal. It is difficult to start studying or working effectively without it. Concentration is then significantly worse, and the lack of this energy boost means much less strength to act. Breakfast is also intended to stimulate metabolism, which slows down at night.

It is not worth giving up on it or eating just anything, because avoiding this meal can cause a greater risk of overweight or obesity. The explanation is simple. By eating a valuable and nutritious breakfast for a long time, we are not hungry. When we do not eat it, or we eat very little, we have a greater craving for sweets, and during the day we snack more often. We often make up for too few calories during the day in the evening by eating too late and too hearty dinners.

A Chinese proverb says: “eat breakfast by yourself, share lunch with a friend, and give dinner to your enemy.” There is definitely something to it. The best breakfast should provide us with at least one-fourth of our daily caloric needs. It is also worth remembering that a good start to the day is important not only for our body. It also affects our mind and mood, we feel better during the day by starting it properly.

What to eat for breakfast? Basic ingredients of a healthy breakfast

It is important not only whether we eat breakfast and at what time we do it, but also what we put on our plate. One of the most important dietary principles is variety. Let's remember it when composing our meals and not stick to one favorite breakfast all the time, but at least change the toppings.

A well-balanced breakfast can consist of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. The source of carbohydrates is bread, oatmeal, groats, but also fruit and vegetables, which should dominate our meals. The source of protein can be dairy, but also nuts, which are also a source of healthy fat. We will also get fat by eating seeds, avocado, fish, or olive oil.

What carbohydrates to choose for breakfast?

Not everyone likes to eat carbohydrates for breakfast. Fat breakfasts are also popular, but they do not suit everyone. However, when deciding on such a breakfast, let's remember to provide ourselves with carbohydrates in subsequent meals.

However, the vast majority of us eat carbohydrates for breakfast. What to choose and what to pay attention to? For many of us, the best for an energetic breakfast will be complex carbohydrates, for example in the form of rye bread or oatmeal.

What about simple carbohydrates? Glucose and fructose are also present in our diet and have their role. Glucose is an energy source for the brain and spinal cord, it provides energy for the liver, muscles, heart, kidneys, and intestines. Unlike fructose, glucose regulates insulin levels. In this regard, it is healthier than fructose, which can be a cause of high blood pressure. We should watch out for excess fructose in the diet, but too large amounts of consumed glucose are also not recommended.

The World Health Organization recommended in 2004 that the diet be based on products rich in carbohydrates with a large amount of fiber and a low glycemic index. Products with a high glycemic index are quickly digested and cause an increase in blood glucose concentration. This can affect the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. Therefore, not only people already at risk of these problems should be careful about this type of product.

The recommendations also talk about high-fiber products. Fiber is indigestible carbohydrates, called dietary fiber. Our digestive system does not digest it, but this does not prevent it from performing important functions. Large amounts of fiber are contained in products that we often eat for a fit breakfast – whole grain bread, flakes, fruit, and vegetables. These are what some call healthy carbohydrates. Fiber, among other things, helps regulate cholesterol levels, affects intestinal peristalsis and the entire digestive system. A significant reduction of carbohydrates in the diet would therefore mean a reduction of fiber, which we need very much.

“Nutritional standards for the population of Poland and their application” point out that a very low share of carbohydrates in the diet leads to ketosis, nutritional deficiencies, or acidosis. They indicate that consuming 50 to 100 g of carbohydrates per day prevents ketosis. What can be the consequences of chronic ketosis? Fatigue, mood swings, concentration disorders, or loss of consciousness.

Carbohydrates for athletes' breakfasts

For athletes, carbohydrates in the diet have special importance. It is energy that active people need very much. Studies have even confirmed that skipping carbohydrates for breakfast can affect endurance throughout the day. What's more, athletes can, and even should, allow themselves a larger share of simple carbohydrates. A small carbohydrate reserve negatively affects the duration and intensity of training, and this makes it difficult to achieve good results in sports. A light breakfast with a small amount of carbohydrates is not something that will work for an athlete.

So what can athletes eat for an energetic carbohydrate breakfast? Fruit oatmeal, banana pancakes, oatmeal pudding with fruit, or banana bread. Another idea for an athlete's breakfast is also a smoothie, prepared, for example, on a base of yogurt, bananas, and oatmeal.

The recommended daily dose of carbohydrates for athletes is as much as 8-10 g per kilogram of body mass, therefore many athletes use carbohydrate or carbohydrate-protein supplements.

Purella products for carbohydrate breakfasts that will add energy to you in the morning!

You don't have to look far, many products ideal for an energy-boosting carbohydrate breakfast can be found in our store. We have options for children and adults, for those who like hot breakfasts and for those who prefer cold ones. There will also be several options for people who have little time for breakfast and often eat it on the go.

Let's start with hot breakfast lovers. Probably a frequent choice for carbohydrate breakfasts for them is oatmeal or flakes with warm milk. Adding muesli to them will enrich the breakfast flavor and add nutritional value. We have three delicious muesli options to choose from: Immunity, Energy, and Concentration. Functional mixtures work similarly: Superfoods Mix. These are valuable mixtures, prepared together with a dietitian, composed of superfoods. They are available in five types: Protein, Detox, Beauty, Immunity, Energy.

Breakfast options for people who have little time or eat it at work will also work perfectly as a second breakfast for a child. These are smoothies, cookies, and functional bars. The choice of bars is so large that for a whole month you can choose a different delicious snack of this type every day with a good composition. For quick breakfast lovers and children, we also recommend one of several types of smoothies or mini probiotic cookies Probio Cookie – small snacks with caramel, coconut, or mango and passion fruit flavor, which contain beneficial probiotic bacteria from the natural strain Bacillus coagualns GBI-30 6086.

It is difficult to answer unequivocally what are the worst carbohydrates, what carbohydrates are healthy, or what not to eat for breakfast. Everything depends on our health, level of physical activity, and individual predispositions. Something different may suit each of us. Breakfast, however, is an important point of the day and we should all remember it every day, regardless of whether we choose protein, carbohydrates, or fats for breakfast.

Bibliography:

Gurr M.I., Szponar L., Carbohydrates and human health, in: Human nutrition and metabolism, 1997, 24 (3).

Lebiedzińska A., Carbohydrates in the human diet, in: Bromat. Chem. Toksykol, XLI, 2008, 3.

Kunachowicz H. et al., Principles of human nutrition, Warsaw 2000.

Nutritional standards for humans. Physiological basis, ed. Światosław Ziemlański, Warsaw 2001.

Grzebisz N., Functional food in athletes' diet, in: Scientific Quarterly of Vistula University, 2017, 2(52).

Metcalfe R.S. et al., Omission of a carbohydrate-rich breakfast impairs evening endurance exercise performance despite complete dietary compensation at lunch, in: European Journal of Sport Science,2021, 21(7).

Kalisz Z. et al., Active ingredients and their role in the athlete's diet, in: Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2016; 6(8).

Nutritional standards for the population of Poland and their application, ed. Jarosz M. et al., Warsaw 2020.