Breakfast is The Most Important Meal of The Day

I hear a lot of people moaning about not being able to eat in the morning but breakfast is not called that for nothing. Break-fast literally, the last time that you had eaten is probably around 8 o’clock the previous evening and now you awaken to the snoozed alarm, get up and run to the French press or percolator. You need that caffeine, and it does give you a jumpstart to your day. You still haven’t eaten and your body is effectively fasting, so you should break your fast with a healthy morning meal. This revs up your metabolism and gets the day started for you. If you still feel that you cannot face a solid meal in the morning, why not indulge in a liquid one??

Have a smoothie to start off your day, smoothies are vibrant and exciting and full of flavour. You can make it a full on breakfast smoothie with cereal and yoghurt or you can tone it down and just have one made of fruit. The smoothie can also give you many of the nutrients that you need to consume daily in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. Just remember that there are enough calories in this drink to suffice as a meal and you should not have a smoothie as a beverage and then indulge in a meal at the same time.

Smoothies do not have to be a breakfast beverage; they can be enjoyed at any time of the day and will still be super healthy and filling. It all depends on what you put into your smoothies, what you put in is what you will eventually get out of it.

The important components of a great smoothie include fresh or frozen fruit and fresh vegetables. Yoghurt is a great source of protein and calcium and should be included in your in your smoothie. Steel cut or whole rolled oats give you the carbohydrates needed and increase your energy levels for the day. I also find bananas to be a great base for a creamy smoothie. Do not get discouraged by people that tell you that bananas are fattening and bad for you. The fact is that bananas are a source of potassium that is vital for regulating bodily functions.

The thing about smoothies is that they are delicious and you should try and pack as many nutrients as you can in one smoothie in order to make it a blasting breakfast drink or a nutritious post workout snack. I found that after a week of having a smoothie for breakfast my tummy got flatter and my skin glowed more. Yours can too.

In order to make a smoothie you will need a blender to blend all the ingredients together into a smooth and drinkable consistency. A coffee bean grinder also comes in handy to grind up seeds and nuts and the oats to put in your smoothie. Making your smoothies at home ensures that you are in charge of the ingredients that you are putting into them. When fresh and whole ingredients are used the smoothie is utilized by your body to a much better extent.

Here are some things that you should know about the ingredients that you are using in your smoothies.

Yoghurt – plain yoghurt is a great source of protein and calcium. Protein is vital for building muscle while calcium helps to maintain strong bones. The cultures in yoghurt also assist with the absorption of calcium and B vitamins into the body. These same cultures neutralize the yeast in the body and stave off yeast infections.

Flax seeds - these little powerhouse seeds are a great source of fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. Due to the high fiber in these little seeds it is best to start having them in small doses as most people do not get the correct amount of fiber in their diet and could be sensitive to such a large introduction of it. Furthermore they provide the body with most of the B vitamins as well as magnesium and manganese. Flax seeds also contain phytochemicals that include many antioxidants. All round flax seeds should be a staple in any home and can be sprinkled on cereals and over fruit in addition to being added to smoothies.

Pumpkin and sunflower seeds – contain folate as well as vitamins A, E and K. They are a great source of dietary fiber and iron. These seeds are packed with protein for building muscle.

Oats – Oats are low in carbohydrates but contain high amounts of the B vitamins. Oats are packed with both protein and dietary fiber. They are also a great source of potassium and iron and make a fabulous breakfast meal.  

Now that you know the nutrition behind all these ingredients start off with them and some fruit and vegetables and make the best smoothie that you can make. EW would never leave you in a lurch so we are going to start you off with some of our favourite smoothie ideas and you can build on from that.

The ladies on our forum are quite the smoothie and juicer experts and this is what they have to say on the subject of smoothies and making them.

Ock writes – “We have had a juicer for about a year now and use it most days. You can pretty much bung any fruit and veg through a good one. I tend not to follow recipes but just use what we have got. I always put in apples and carrots as this makes the juice sweeter, then I put in bunches of spinach or bok choy, cucumbers - all of which are very cheap at the supermarkets. Also a lemon and some mint. I also put in on occasion oranges, capsicums, kiwifruit, lettuce etc. depending on what is in season and a good price. Half the fun is trying different combinations if they are 'too green' just add more mint or lemon/lime at the end to taste. It will do wonders for your health and weight, good luck with it!”

Elk1973 gives us the following smoothie recipes - “These green juice recipes were given to me by a nutritionist in the UK - they are supposed to be alkalizing.”

Green smoothie
1/2 avocado
½ large cucumber
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 large kale leaves
2 large stems of fresh mint
1 small firm pear
400ml unsweetened coconut water or filtered alkaline water
2 tbsp. flax or hemp seeds
1 fresh date, pitted (optional)
Green lemonade
1 apple (may leave out if you wish for no sweetness)
1 lemon peeled
3/4 large cucumber
2 large kale leaves

Green leprechaun
1 green apple
1/2 pink grapefruit
1/3 bunch fresh spinach
3/4 large cucumber or one small
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger
1 stalk celery

Fresh Green Mint
1 pear
1 lime, peeled
10 stems fresh mint
1 large collard leaf
3/4 large cucumber or 1 small
garnish with mint sprig

Morning Green Juice
1 apple ( may leave out if you wish for no sweetness)
1 lemon peeled
2 celery stalks
2 large carrots
1 large cucumber
1/2″ piece of fresh ginger
6-10 stems parsley
6 stems fresh mint

Green Ginger Ale
1 cucumber
few stems each of mint & parsley
2 leaves of kale, 1/2 in piece of fresh ginger
1 lemon peeled

Creamy Greens
1 cucumber
a few broccoli stems
1 stalk celery
few stems of bok choy
a small wedge of cabbage
few stems parsley & basil
add 1 avocado, 1 small clove garlic and a large pinch of Himalayan sea salt.