Education

    Wake up to a good breakfast

    ZzZZZZZzzzz. Sorry, did we wake you? We all recognise that fuzzy just-woken-up feeling. It’s because during the night your metabolism slows right down. No worries, to get it going again, you just need to refuel!

    Breakfast is the best way to kick start your day

    It’s widely recommended your morning meal should provide around 20% of your daily energy. It should also contribute significantly to your daily nutrient intake, including carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre. And children need to get up to a quarter of their daily calcium from their breakfast too[1]. So breakfast has a pretty big job to do!

    What do you need on your plate in the morning?

    A balanced breakfast helps you get ready to start the day. Make sure you choose from different grains, fruit and dairy as part of a balanced diet!

    Read moreWhat do you need on your plate in the morning?

    Miss breakfast – miss out!

    Breakfast helps you set up for the day ahead and if you skip it you’ll miss out on the goodness you need to get going. You might think you can get what you’ve missed later – but studies show that if you don't get the right nutrients first thing, it’s quite hard to make up for them during the day.[2]

    Did you know?

    Research shows that people who eat breakfast tend to make better food choices and have a higher nutrient intake than those who don’t.[3] It’s as simple as that!

    Wonderful worldwide breakfasts

    Breakfast is a very important meal but we all do it differently. Here's a list of ten cultural breakfasts from around the world

    Read moreWonderful worldwide breakfasts

    Skipping won't necessarily make you skinny!

    Missing breakfast isn’t a great way to try to shed pounds. That’s because if you miss out on nutrients when getting up, you’ll probably feel hungry as the morning goes on.[4] And you’ll be more likely to give in to the munchies! What’s more, studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to have a healthier diet than those who don’t.[5]

    So, there you have it … breakfast really does give you a great start to the day. When you next see someone with a spring in their step in the morning, who knows, maybe they started their day with a nutritious, balanced breakfast!

    Footnotes

    1. O'Neil CE, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Hayes D et al (2014) The role of breakfast in health: definition and criteria for a quality breakfast. J Acad Nutr Diet. Dec;114(12 Suppl):S8-S26
    2. Cho S, Dietrich M, Brown CJ et al (2003) The effect of breakfast type on total daily energy intake and body mass index: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). J Am Coll Nutr. Aug;22(4):296-302. • Serra Majem L et al (2004) Nutricion infanil y juvenile. Estudio enKid. Elsevier Espana: Volume 5. • Rampersaud GC, Pereira MA, Girard BL et al (2005) Breakfast habits, nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. May;105(5):743-60.
    3. Bertrais S, Polo Luque ML, Preziosi P et al (2000) Contribution of ready-to-eat cereals to nutrition intakes in French adults and relations with corpulence. Ann Nutr Metab. 44(5-6):249-55. • Albertson AM et al. (2001) Ready to eat cereal consumption habits of America adults: is there a relationship with body mass index? J Am Coll Nutr, 20: 585. • Albertson AM, Anderson GH, Crockett SJ et al (2003) Ready-to-eat cereal consumption: its relationship with BMI and nutrient intake of children aged 4 to 12 years. J Am Diet Assoc. 103:1613-19.
    4. Williams PG (2014) The benefits of breakfast cereal consumption: a systematic review of the evidence base. Adv Nutr. Sep 15;5(5):636S-673S.
    5. Preziosi P, Galan P, Deheeger M et al (1999) Breakfast type, daily nutrient intakes and vitamin and mineral status of French children, adolescents, and adults. J Am Coll Nutr. Apr;18(2):171-8.

    Also Interesting

    A good breakfast is great for growing up

     Breakfast is the most important meal. Get your children to have a balanced breakfast every morning to help them start their day! Read the full article A good breakfast is great for growing up

    What do you need on your plate in the morning?

     A balanced breakfast helps you get ready to start the day. Make sure you choose from different grains, fruit and dairy as part of a balanced diet! Read the full article What do you need on your plate in the morning?

    Cereal and milk: a match made in heaven

     A bowl of cereal is always well accompanied by milk. Find out just how there can be so many different ways of enjoying your cereal! Read the full article Cereal and milk: a match made in heaven

    Let'stalk

    Do Nestlé products in emerging countries have more salt than products in developed/developing countries?

    For the last 15 years we’ve been working to reduce the sodium (which is the major component of salt) in our breakfast cereals across the world, because we want to keep on making them more nutritious. Achieving consistency on all products, in all countries, takes time - so some may have more sodium than others. Our aim is for all our cereals – globally – to have the same reduced levels of sodium, with a target of less than 135mg per serving in all our children’s products.

    What are the health and nutritional benefits of Nestlé Gluten Free Corn Flakes?

    As well as being a healthy choice for people who want to reduce the amount of gluten in their diet, or have coeliac disease or a gluten intolerance, Gluten Free Corn Flakes are fortified with B-vitamins, folic acid and iron

    How can I find foods made with whole grain?

    Two things to remember: • Look for food labels where the word 'whole' appears in front of the name of the grain, like “whole wheat” or “wholemeal bread”. • For foods with more than one ingredient, make sure whole grain is listed towards the top of the ingredients list. The further up the list it is, the more whole grain has been used in the recipe. And look out for the percentage of whole grain. You should find this in the ingredients list too.

    I’ve heard a low GI diet can help me lose weight. Is this true?

    It’s too early to say. The science in this area is still emerging. There is evidence that low GI foods take longer to digest and help you feel satisfied for longer, but none that you’ll eat fewer calories at the next meal.