According to health experts, breakfast is considered to be the most vital meal on any day. Studies conducted have shown that people who have healthy, satisfying and stomach filling breakfast derive several benefits. They are found to have reduced cholesterol levels, are much leaner, enjoy having higher intake of minerals, vitamins and fibre unlike those avoiding breakfast consumption. Reasons cited for the same are that the food items consumed during breakfast are more nutrient dense and healthier when compared to those foods consumed during other times, be it meal or dinner. Fortified breakfast cereals are one such example. These items are low in fat, rich in carbohydrates, often fortified with vital minerals and vitamins. Studies also found that diets followed by the majority of the people across the globe tend to fail meeting specified targets for saturate fat and fibre content. Certain consumer groups like young women and teenagers are found to have inadequate minerals and vitamin consumption. People of every age are recommended to have balanced, healthy diet regularly to stay fit, energetic and healthy. 

Why is breakfast considered to be the most important meal taken throughout the day?

The breakfast should be nutritious as much as possible since it is the first meal to be consumed in the day.  A healthy and balanced breakfast provides the brain and body with the much-needed essential nutrients to a starved body after waking up. 

Benefits derived from consuming healthy breakfast

• People consuming healthy breakfast are able to derive essential nutrients required to have a healthy body and lead a healthy lifestyle. 
• They are found to be much slimmer unlike those skipping breakfast.
• Daily breakfast consumption contributes towards cognitive performance, thereby helping to fuel physical activities and enhance mental focus. 

About breakfast cereal

They are not something new and are being consumed for thousands of years. Kellog’s Cornflakes is one such cereal that got immense popularity and is being shopped by health-conscious consumers globally. Cereals have become the favourite healthy item for breakfast and are based mainly on natural grains such as rye, maize, wheat, oats, barley, rice, etc. They are either prepared from whole grains or flour and contain essential nutrients required to energize the body at the beginning of the day. It includes fibre, vitamins, minerals, fat, protein and carbohydrates. 

Breakfast tips to follow

A healthy breakfast can help kick-start your day. Dieticians recommend people of all ages to have cereals for their breakfast. 

• Fortified cereals should be taken in a bowl like toasted flakes as it offers essential Vitamin B and iron. 
• Your coffee and cereal should include low fat milk as it can help derive about half of the daily recommended intake of calcium all within a single meal. 
• Bread and cereals do offer slow release of carbohydrate to help focus and maintain better energy levels throughout the day. 
• Consuming bowl of granola, oats or muesli can offer approximately 25% of fibre required every day by your body. Oats are rich in fibre, minerals, vitamins and protein. 
• Cereals are excellent choices for the morning breakfast when compared to other available alternatives. You may have a bowl filled with cereal and milk as it contains fewer calories when compared to toast with jam or peanut butter or breakfast comprising cheese and meat with bread. 
• A bowl filled with cereal and milk is likely to have less sugar content unlike other available alternatives. 

Some common misconceptions and myths associated with breakfast

• No time to cook even ready to eat breakfast! 

This is completely false. Taking a bowl filled with cereals, heating milk and mixing both takes just about 5-10 minutes time and not more. It is sure to offer amazing health benefits. 

• There is no need for breakfast!

This is false! It is not just possible for any vehicle to run without proper fuel. Similarly, the body will not function properly without getting energy derived from good food. Rather, having breakfast daily during the morning hours will enable your mind and body to be fresh. 

• It is okay to skip breakfast every now and then as it is possible to make up for lost nutrients with lunch or dinner!

This is also a false statement. By skipping breakfast, you will only miss out on essential minerals and vitamins. It is just not possible to make it up with lunch, snacks and dinner that you may have later during the day. Those skipping breakfast tend to have less nutritious diet when compared to those consuming this most important meal of the day. 

• A good way to lose excess weight is to skip daily breakfast!

It is completely a wrong notion. By having healthy breakfast, your body metabolism starts to kick in, thereby processing calories that are consumed throughout the day. Moreover, those skipping it only end up consuming unhealthy junk food later during the day. Studies have found that skipping breakfast often leads to obesity.

Some hard facts to know about cereals consumed for breakfast

It is undoubtedly a healthy way to start the day and have all essential ingredients necessary for the body. It is made entirely from grain and is low in fat, rich in carbohydrates and fibre. They are also regarded to be nutrient-dense foods and supply energy (calories) only in modest amounts. They also contribute significantly to consuming essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and fats. Above five essential nutrient groups are quite important for the body to ensure well-balanced, healthy diet. 

To provide modern consumers with plenty of freedom, manufacturers have come up with lots of choices to make. The oats and cereals milling industry seem to offer wide range of conventional cereal items like different types of mueslis, oat flakes and cereals. Cereals when carefully selected and consumed in appropriate amounts on a regular basis for breakfast can help improve your health considerably. 

You can find reputed online portals to offer various types of food items that you can have for breakfast along with your children, spouse and elderly parents.