Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

You might think that you don’t have time for breakfast, but nutritionists universally agree that a good breakfast is essential in giving you enough energy to get you through the day and keep your blood sugar levels stable.
‘If you eat protein and carbohydrates together they’ll convert to glucose giving you energy in a slow and consistent way, leaving you more energetic and potentially calmer,’ recommends Ian Marber from the Food Doctor Nutrition Clinic. He suggests a non-sugared cereal or porridge with added flaked almonds, chopped apple and blueberries. ‘It’s also essential to have a snack mid-morning,’ says Ian. ‘An apple and a couple of brazil nuts will give you consistent energy up until lunch’. For an energising lunch, Ian recommends using the same principle as for breakfast – including both protein and complex carbohydrates to give you energy for the afternoon. Again, he emphasises the importance of snacking on fruit, nuts or seeds again mid-afternoon. ‘Eating in this manner will help you lose, not gain weight, because when you come to making food decisions, you won’t be really hungry’. It’ll also ensure your blood sugar levels stay stable, leaving you better able to concentrate and less likely to give in to binges and sweet cravings.

Food is not just about giving us energy to keep going but it also helps to boost our immune system, protecting us from winter ailments such as colds and flu. Vitamins B, C and E, and minerals magnesium and zinc are important immune system stimulants says Neil Shah, wellbeing expert. ‘The best source of these nutrients is from food, rather than supplements,’ he says.  Neil emphasises that a balanced diet including meat, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables and oily fish will give you the nutrients that you need.