Category: Breakfast

After keeping a food diary for two days it has come to my attention that the nutritional adequacy of my daily diet is actually quite poor. It has never really been brought to my attention until I physically had to write it down for this assignment. I realized I tend to blindly eat what is readily available rather than going the extra mile to make the healthier choices. I also tend to eat to satisfy my mood rather than eating food that will benefit my overall health.

Breakfast

Breakfast is supposed to be an essential part of your daily intake. Your brain runs on glucose and when you do not start the day off right with a decent breakfast you may find yourself dosing off more in your daily activities, at work, or in class. “Because the brain is so rich in nerve cells, or neurons, it is the most energy-demanding organ, using one-half of all the sugar energy in the body” (‘Sugar and the Brain’| Department of Neurobiology, 2019). People that do not eat breakfast are really pushing their brain to limits. The last meal they would have consumed would have been dinner, meaning they are going all night and well into the day without replenishing their brain with energy. In a lot of cases that can mean more than 12 hours without food. “Brain functions such as thinking, memory, and learning are closely linked to glucose levels and how efficiently the brain uses this fuel source. If there isn’t enough glucose in the brain, for example, neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers, are not produced and communication between neurons breaks down. In addition, hypoglycemia, a common complication of diabetes caused by low glucose levels in the blood, can lead to loss of energy for brain function and is linked to poor attention and cognitive function” (‘Sugar and the Brain’| Department of Neurobiology, 2019). This being said I am one of those people that tend to not wake up on time, or somehow manage to run late every day so breakfast has always been a bit of a struggle for me to get to. On days that I remember to quickly grab something it isn’t always the healthiest option. During the week I usually tend to reach for a pop tart or something quick that I can eat on my way to uni. In doing so, it adds to the amount of discretionary food I mindlessly eat throughout the day. On the weekends, however, I am usually not in a rush to be anywhere so I’m able to sit down and enjoy a cup of yoghurt, sometimes with a choice of some assorted fruits. Which is a much healthier option and helps add to the 2 servings of fruit and 2.5 servings of dairy the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends.

Lunch/Snacks

I’ve noticed that I should pack more into my lunches. Seeing that I don’t normally indulge in a very large or nutritious breakfast, I think I need to be more generous when it comes to packing a lunch with good nutritional value. I do not eat very many foods from the grains group at all, in two days I had consumed 2.5 servings when it is recommended to have 6 servings per day. It would also be beneficial to pack some fruit with me to ensure that I reach the recommended 1 serving per day. It also come to my attention that a vast majority of the food that I consume comes from the discretionary group. In just two days I had consumed 15.1 servings of food from the discretionary category when the Australian Dietary Guidelines had recommended just 1 serving per day. Meaning I had consumed way above the recommended amount and it also possessed very little or no nutritional value. I also did not consume any vegetables and I did not have any meat in my lunches. Another point I noticed was that my lunches are very small and more so satisfy my mood rather than to eat for my health and what body needs. In saying that, I also noticed that throughout the week because I generally have a poor breakfast and a poor lunch to follow it my body and brain function are going to suffer, if not now than sometime in the future. I tend to lack energy throughout the day, I become very lethargic, and I have a really hard time being able to focus and it could all be linked to my poor eating habits. “Eating in the middle of the day, several hours after breakfast, re-energizes your body and can raise blood sugar levels when focus and concentration are flagging… In addition, eating lunch keeps your metabolism active, especially if you have a moderately sized meal and a snack before and afterward” (‘Why Is Lunch So Important?’| Livestrong.com, 2019). I become so hungry that all I think about I dinner and I may overdo and indulge un my dinner rather than eating nicely proportioned meals. “It’s common to want to skip lunch if you’re trying to lose weight or cut calories, but that strategy rarely works. According to the Weight Control Information Network, people who regularly skip meals tend to weigh more than people who eat often throughout the day. Skipping lunch can rev up your appetite later, causing you to overeat or choose foods that have poor nutritional values” (‘Why Is Lunch So Important?’| Livestrong.com, 2019).

Dinner

While reflecting on the dinners I had eaten I noticed a big difference in the quality of the food that I would eat. For dinner I had a verity of vegetables in many different colors, and meat as well. There were a few items in the discretionary category still, but there was an overall improvement in quality and a verity of foods. It is very important to eat a goof dinner to ensure your body has enough glucose while you sleep and to help your body get good sleep. “Since it’s the last meal of the day it’s important to make the right choices because you won’t eat again for at least another ten hours or so. Ensuring that there is a steady supply of glucose for the body to use as fuel for essential processes whilst we sleep is critical… A common cause of waking in the night, often seen in insomnia, is when levels of sugar in the blood fall. The body then has to release stored glucose and this action can cause you to wake and sometimes it may be difficult to get back to sleep. It’s essential to eat a good dinner which combines both protein and carbohydrates which will ensure a steady release of glucose to the blood stream – helping to prevent disturbed sleep” (‘The Importance of Dinner’| Mental Healthy, 2019). Having a wide verity of food groups on your plate in the correct portions will help you achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines it is recommend that I should consume 5 servings of vegetables a day, which I managed to achieve the first day but fell short of the second day. I did not quite reach the recommended amount of meat on both days. I do however eat much more at dinner time than I do throughout the day. This could be due the fact that I do not eat very much as well as the fact that I am lacking a lot of import nutrients and vitamins in my diet. I am making it a personally goal to incorporate more grains and other food groups into my diet around dinner time because I am nowhere near the amount the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends. I am most proud of the fact that I was able to drink the recommended amount of water for both days.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I learned a lot about myself, my eating patterns and the importance of healthy eating, and I cannot wait to get started on making healthier and more nutritionally beneficial choices.

Regional breakfast is the most important meal of the day and many products come from the regions. The regional section includes dishes that are specific to certain regions in a particular place, for instance, the India cuisine’s regional breakfast.

Set in the subcontinent of Asia, India is a land of diverse cultures and cuisines. No two regions may have the same kind of food. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religion, in particular Hinduism, cultural choices and traditions. Centuries of Islamic rule, particularly by the Mughals, also introduced dishes like samosa and pilaf.

Historical events such as invasions, trade relations, and colonialism have played a role in introducing certain foods to this country. The Columbian discovery of the New World brought a number of new vegetables and fruit to India. A number of these such as potatoes, tomatoes, chilies, peanuts, and guava have become staples in many regions of India. Indian cuisine has shaped the history of international relations; the spice trade between India and Europe was the primary catalyst for Europe’s Age of Discovery. Spices were bought from India and traded around Europe and Asia. Indian cuisine has influenced other cuisines across the world, especially those from Europe (especially Britain), the Middle East, Southern African, East Africa, Southeast Asia, North America, Mauritius, Fiji, Oceania, and the Caribbean.

Nature and Characteristics

Indian cuisine throughout the nation is highly dependent on curries, which are gravy-like sauce or stew-like dishes with meat, vegetables, or cheese, although the particular spice mixtures, degree of liquidity, and ingredients are determined by regional preference. Indian cuisine in general is also very dependent on rice, although Southern Indian regions use rice more heavily than other areas. All regional cuisines are reliant on ‘pulses’ or legumes. Indian cuisine uses perhaps a greater variety of pulses than any other world cuisine: red lentils (masoor), Bengal gram (chana), pigeon peas or yellow gram (toor), black gram (urad), and green gram (mung) are used whole, split, or ground into flour in a diverse number of Indian dishes. Dal, or split or whole legumes, add creaminess to dishes that don’t use dairy, and protein to vegetarian diets.

Perhaps the most defining characteristic of Indian cuisine is its diverse use of spices. Indian spice mixes often use upwards of five different spices, sometimes combining 10 or more. Chili pepper, black mustard seed, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron, rose petal essence, and asafoetida powder (a spice that has an overly strong scent when raw but imparts a delightful flavor akin to sauteed onions and garlic when cooked) are all used frequently in various combinations.

The food in India is so well thought out that you’d get all the macro-nutrients you need with each dish. With delicacies like idli, dosa, and aloo parathas, it is no wonder that Indians like to eat a hot breakfast rather than cold cereal or fruit. The southern regions of India have the most distinct recipes for breakfast. The dishes are light on the stomach, filling and give you enough proteins, carbs and fats to jump start your day in a great way. The recipes are a mix of rice and lentils and served with spicy, tangy sides like chutneys, sambar (a lentil-based soup) and so on. Some dishes include: idli, dosa, upma, idiyappam. The western parts of India have some recipes distinctive to this region. These vary in the spices and basic ingredients used. But they still have all the right balance of nutrients. some dishes include: poha, thalipeeth, dhokla, thepla, khandvi.

Indian cuisine consists of a wide variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to the Indian subcontinent. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially from each other and use locally available spices herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religion, in particular Hindu, and cultural choices and traditions. Also, Middle Eastern and Central Asian influences have occurred on North Indian cuisine from the years of Mughal rule. Indian cuisine is still evolving, as a result of the nation’s culture.

Techniques and Procedures

A typical breakfast in India varies depending on region, but is often quite similar to a lunch or dinner. A breakfast plate in India might include roti (flatbread), dosas (thin crepes made of lentils) or idlis (steamed rice-dough pancakes), and different dips and chutneys, as well as spiced potatoes.

However, one can broadly classify breakfast varieties in India into two types: North Indian and South Indian. The eastern and western parts of India also have individual breakfast items unique to their cultures and states. A typical south Indian breakfast consists of idli, vada, or dosa coupled with chutney and sambar. If one goes up north, we find a variety of parathas, chole bhature kulche, bedmi poori sabzi. The parathas have numerous stuffings and are normally served with curd, pickle, chutneys. The parathas are rich, fried in ghee and the hot favorite is aaloo paratha. Down South we have idlis, dosas, uttapams, appams. All served with sambar, stews a variety of chutneys. We even get to see some poori bhaji. West has theplas, khakras, dhoklas, khandvi, khaman. East has ghughni, eggs and rice preparations.

Conclusion

Food is one of the basic necessities of human beings. Without it, humans cannot live because food gives energy for all man’s activities – walking, talking, working, playing, reading, thinking and even breathing. This single meal can have an astounding effect on a person’s day, because it refuels the body for another day of endeavors. This meal can decide the entire outcome of a person’s day. Starting your day with a good breakfast is one of the best decisions you can make to live a productive and healthy lifestyle.

Eating breakfast is important among many other things. Lots of people, including young people start their day without breakfast. Most of them feel as if they don’t have any time when they wake up before their daily activities or just don’t have an appetite right away. I feel that it is truly vital to start off your day with a nice breakfast which provides a great source of fuel. This paper has the main purpose. It’s showing you how much of an impact and importance it is to start your day off right.

The first reason I feel breakfast is important is because of our health. When we skip breakfast, we are putting ourselves at risk for many things. For example, elevated blood pressure, bad cholesterol and even weight gain. It is not healthy to have an empty stomach from most of the day until lunch, or even dinner. All we’re doing is promoting the start of gastritis and the start of a lot of unnecessary health problems.

The second reason I feel like eating breakfast is important is because it is a source of fuel. We had humans rely on food for survival. If we don’t have food, we don’t have our source of energy or nutrients we need to have a successful day. Your body or your brain will not function as well as they could without energy or fuel to produce that. When you try to learn something with an empty stomach you will not have a successful time doing so. Did you know you will be so tired from not eating breakfast? Many people think the opposite and don’t start off with the most important meal of the day.

The third reason I feel breakfast is important is that you can avoid having these health issues by consuming breakfast. Did you know obesity is one of the common things in American and it usually starts from not eating breakfast? This means you must ensure you’re eating a healthy breakfast.

The last reason I think it’s vital for every day is because we’re setting an example for the next generation. Most kids skip breakfast like it’s okay because mom and dad do it. Children, like sponges, absorb everything they see and hear.

In conclusion, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It helps promote greater brain activity and an abundance of strength for the day. By doing so you are making sure your health is staying up to par and your strength is ready to handle any hard labor you may encounter. We the people control our bodies most of the time. It’s up to us to uphold this way of living.