The best way to face the day well, even on hot summer days, is to sit at the table and eat well: “We should never skip breakfast“, remember Romina Cervigni, Nutritionist and Scientific Manager of the Valter Longo Onlus Foundation.
“It is used to awaken the gastrointestinal system after a whole night of fasting, to give us the energy we need, but also to avoid health problems: there are several studies that show that a good breakfast helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and, moreover, those who eat in a healthy and balanced way in the morning do not arrive hungry for lunch and therefore eat less and better ”, continues Dr. Cervigni.
What to eat for breakfast
Because the point, of course, is not just having breakfast, but do it well: our body needs certain nutrients to regain energy, the same ones that our mind needs to regain concentration. “The combination is more less the same in summer and winter,” continues Dr. Cervigni. “In general it would be good avoid foods rich in simple sugars, like the classic brioche, which involve glycemic peaks and therefore insulin that give an immediate release of energy but shortly after make us hungry. The ideal is a breakfast consisting of fruit sugars, which also including fibers reduce their impact,
from healthy fats such as those from nuts, avocado or coconut oil (which can be used as butter or in smoothies) and a carbohydrate such as bread, cereals, granola ». Milk and vegetable drinks? “Cow or goat milk, based on the guidelines of the Longevity Diet of the Valter Longo Foundation, we recommend it to people under 20 and over 65: it is high-protein and accelerates the aging process. but it is indicated in these age groups because it is rich in calcium which helps bones. As for the vegetable drinks, each has its own properties: that of soy is more protein, that of almonds and coconut more fat, those of oats and rice richer in carbohydrates. They must therefore be chosen according to needs, always without added sugars and even better if added with calcium and vitamin D “. As for the “extras” they can be granted to us according to the lifestyle. «Those who lead an active life, for example traveling by bicycle, can indulge themselves a little dessert. The sportsmeninstead, to optimize muscle synthesis, they can add proteinsfor example white yogurt with no added sugar, chickpea porridge, chickpea humus with which you can also make sweet spreadable cream, to optimize muscle synthesis.
The perfect time for breakfast
There is also a perfect time to have breakfast, and to make it particularly effective: “It should be 12 hours after dinner: it is an average, a period of time that helps the metabolism to function properly and which also has beneficial effects on cholesterol, blood sugar, concentration », continues Dr. Cervigni. Passing the right amount of time between dinner and breakfast is, among other things, one of the most effective ways to be able to eat something in the morning for those who really find it difficult to do so: “It happens to many, and in these cases rearranging the food day is very effective. As long as you eat healthy: it is important that dinner is light, also because it helps you sleep better ». And sleeping well rules production of hunger hormones as well as stress, another enemy of line and health.
Ideas on what to eat for breakfast? Doctor Cervigni has suggested six sweet and savory recipes, you can find them in this gallery:
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Nelli Syrotynska – Shutterstock1/6Avocado Pesto Toast with Fresh Tomatoes
Ingredients: your favorite bread, 1/4 mashed avocado, 2 tablespoons basil pesto, 1-2 sliced tomatoes, a pinch of sea salt and chilli flakes.
Method: toast the bread in the toaster or oven until golden brown. Cover with the sliced and slightly mashed avocado. Then add 2 tablespoons of pesto (per slice of bread) and spread it over the avocado. Add the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle each with a pinch of sea salt and chili flakes, if desired. -
New Africa – Shutterstock2/6Homemade granola
Ingredients: 2 cups whole oatmeal, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup coconut flakes (optional), 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 2 tbsp melted coconut oil , 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter, 1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional).
Method: Preheat the oven to 140 ° C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, coconut flakes, if used, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle with the coconut oil and add the almond butter. Stir until the mixture is well blended. Pour the granola onto the pan and compact the mixture. Cook for 15 minutes and then lightly break the granola with a spoon. Cook for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with dried cranberries if desired. Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving. The granola thus prepared lasts for 3-4 days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator. \ -
Jacek Bieniek – Shutterstock3/6Toast with chickpea humus
Ingredients: 175 g canned chickpeas, 1/2 tablespoon tahini sauce, 1 lemon (juice), 1 tablespoon of EVOO, salt, sliced tomato.
Method: Drain the chickpeas from the preserving liquid, rinse under running water and peel, removing the skin that covers them. Collect the chickpeas in the glass of the mixer, add the tahini sauce, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt. Blend everything by adding a little water until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream. Toast the bread and make the sandwich with chickpea hummus and sliced tomato.
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Vladislav Noseek – Shutterstock4/6Cold porridge
Ingredients: 1/2 cup of whole oatmeal, 1/2 cup of almond drink or other to taste, desired “fatty” toppings such as nuts, seeds, nut butters, dark chocolate. Desired condiments such as “sugars” such as jam, fresh fruit, honey, agave syrup …
Method: In a small bowl, combine the oats, the vegetable drink and other spices to taste, such as cinnamon and seeds or dried fruit. Stir and add a spoonful of jam inside. Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie and cover the preparation. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, the chocolate (if you have chosen this as a fat) will solidify and make a tasty crust. -
Liudmyla Chuhunova – Shutterstock5/6Chickpea Pancake With Salmon
Ingredients: 1 cup of chickpea flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 ½ teaspoon of baking powder, 1 cup of water. To garnish: 50 g of salmon carpaccio, 1 tablespoon of finely chopped spring onions, 1 tablespoon of finely chopped red pepper, ¼ lemon juice or more to taste, salt and pepper, 3 cherry tomatoes, rocket leaves, optional extra virgin olive oil.
Method: in a bowl put the chickpea flour, salt and yeast and beat to remove any lumps. Add the water and blend until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Heat a large, non-stick pan over low heat. Lightly grease the pan with oil and use a ladle to pour the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on the surface before flipping and cooking for another minute. To make the topping, marinate the salmon for a few minutes in lemon juice with oil and pink pepper or other spices to taste. Add a few slices of spring onion and the rocket leaves. -
baibaz – Shutterstock6/6Smoothie
Ingredients: 1 cup frozen strawberries, blueberries and / or bananas, 1 cup coconut drink or other favorites, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (or other), coconut flakes for garnish.
Preparation tipse: if you prefer less dense smoothies, add more coconut oil or any other liquid. If you prefer them thicker, you can use peanut butter (sugar free), veg yogurt. If you like, you can always add spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, unsweetened cocoa powder, coffee, etc.
Source: Vanity Fair
