Being of South Asian origin implies you are more likely to suffer certain health conditions, one of these being heart disease. In fact, South Asians are 50% more likely to develop a heart condition compared to the rest of the population. This, of course, can be attributed to diet, lack of exercise and other external factors.
Recent research has shown people who skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to have heart problems than those who started the day with a meal. They further found that people who ate breakfast every day were a third less likely to be obese compared to those who skipped the meal.
Researcher, Dr Leah Cahill explained, “The take-home message is eat in the morning when you wake up, preferably within an hour. The results show that something is better than nothing, but it’s always better to have something healthy and balanced.”
She said the timing of the meal seemed to be key and waiting until lunch rather than “breaking fast” may be straining the body over time. This could be increasing the risk of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes which could in turn damage the heart.
“Don’t skip breakfast,” Dr Cahill concluded.
Top tips for a healthy breakfast
- Eat whole grain foods, including toast, cereals and whole milk. Their study found that people who eat whole-grain cereals every morning are among those most likely to see the health benefits.
- Eat a wide range of foods to ensure that you’re getting a balanced diet and that your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs.
- Don’t underestimate the power of your 5 a day. A glass of 100% unsweetened fruit juice can count as one portion, and vegetables cooked into dishes also count. Why not chop a banana over your breakfast cereal, or swap your usual mid-morning snack for some dried fruit?
- Cut down on your salt intake. This can help develop high blood pressure. Use food labels to help you cut down. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g means the food is high in salt. Adults and children over 11 should eat no more than 6g of salt a day.
By Aneesa Malik
