Eating on the run
Here's how to make healthier choices on days when you grab breakfast away from home...
There's a member of the FAIRLADY staff who can be spotted most mornings balancing a polystyrene cup brimming with cappuccino, and a large, meaty roll drenched in mayonnaise. Far be it from us to criticise a colleague, but surely there must be a healthier way to start the day, even if you're rushing children to school en route and don't have time to eat at home?
Eating on the run
There are better choices without sacrificing convenience or taste, confirms Irene Labuschagne of the Nutrition Information Centre at the University of Stellenbosch. 'Remember, a roll is equal to two slices of bread. Don't be fooled by the healthy reputation of muffins either – a choc chip muffin is basically just a slice of chocolate cake in disguise.'
Consider this: Despite their dry appearance, scones contain about 16g of fat per 100g, so the average scone has up to 9,6g of fat. A bran muffin sounds like it's got healthy stuff in it, but may carry a whacking 14,5g of fat. A croissant comes a close second with about 10g of fat.
'As you can see, the fat content is about the same for all of those,' says Irene. 'If you have to choose one, a muffin with bran and fruit in it is better, as it has a higher fibre and vitamin content. But whatever you choose, don't add butter, margarine or cream.'
A better on-the-run choice is low-fat yoghurt or drinking yoghurt – perhaps with some fruit or dried fruit. If you've really got no time at all, grab a cereal bar such as a Breakfast Bar or Weigh-less bar, which will give you a nutrient boost without ladles of fat.
To wash it down, you'll probably be better off with a Liquifruit or Ceres-type 100 percent juice with no sugar added, says Irene, rather than a so-called fresh juice that may have been sitting around for two or three days in one of those large containers. Freshly-squeezed juice from fresh fruit is the best of all, so if you see it being squeezed, you're probably getting the highest percentage of vitamins, unless the fruit looks tired to start off with.
If you're starting the day with a breakfast meeting, it can be tempting to opt for a restaurant fry-up, and that's fine if it's once in a while. But if you often meet clients over breakfast, opt for a less fatty option such as grilled fish instead of fried sausage or bacon, which would slap your arteries with a solid 30g of fat per portion – a day's quota. Even toast isn't safe, as it's often slathered with butter – ask for yours to be left unbuttered. Muesli is a nutrient-rich choice but can be surprisingly high in fat and kilojoules if there are a lot of nuts in it, so watch your portion size.
If that doesn't appeal, you could try the international approach, jokes consultant dietician Jane Badham. 'In Korea and Thailand, noodles, rice and sour milk are popular breakfast choices, and in Mexico you could start the day with tacos, or Guisados, a stew made with meat.' Mmm, muesli suddenly sounds more enticing.
The breakfast report
Consider these facts, says consultant dietitian Jane Badham of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa:
Breakfast eaters consume less fat overall
and have a higher intake of the healthy carbohydrates. They also take in a greater proportion of the daily requirements for selected vitamins and minerals.
People who eat breakfast show improved athletic performance, concentration and long-term weight maintenance.
Breakfast replenishes the body's energy stores and gets the metabolism going.
- Fairlady