How you start your day has a big impact on how you end it. If you start strong, chances are you'll have a good day. Start with a few bad choices however, and the cookie keeps crumbling until you fall into bed. So what is a good way to start your day?
The answer is definitely not sugary cereal. Even apparently benign cereals such as Rice Crispies and Corn Flakes are unfortunately jam-packed with sugar. That sugar spikes your insulin first thing in the morning, and tanks your blood sugar soon thereafter. You are pretty much guaranteed to want to chew your own arm off by mid-morning as you careen into the blood sugar abyss. Attempts to avoid snacking will just leave you feeling feeble and miserable because your blood sugar is genuinely low, but giving in will almost certainly lead to weight gain. What's more, the cycle sets you up for insulin resistance, which can lead to more serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease down the line. How do you avoid this disastrous cycle? By starting with a breakfast that leaves your insulin well alone.
Eggs are an excellent breakfast food because they are packed with complete protein but virtually no sugar. This means that they make you feel full without causing a massive insulin spike, so that you can make it to lunchtime without being terrorised by hunger pangs.
This recipe has the added benefit of being delicious, so you start your day feeling pampered, and it ticks off a handful of healthy phytonutrients too.
Ingredients:
(Serves 1)
2 free range eggs
1 tablespoon plain yoghurt/milk alternative/filtered water
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese or 1/2 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast (dairy free) (optional)
2 spring onions, chopped
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 basil leaves
2 fresh spinach leaves, veined and cut into ribbons
Herbal salt & pepper (to taste)
Recipe
Break eggs into a bowl and add Parmesan and yoghurt (or alternative). Whisk until well combined.
Add the remaining ingredients and season. Pour the mixture into a pan on medium heat, and stir continuously until well scrambled. The heat of scrambling cooks the fresh ingredients just enough to be tasty but not soggy.
Serve and enjoy!