Wendy Middleton is an ITC Business Supporter and Founder of A Cut Above Catering and A Cut Above Nutrition. If you follow her Instagram posts, you’ll know she’s not just a brilliant caterer but a qualified nutritionist who loves helping locals eat well.
Wendy Middleton talks about her favourite breakfast… and why she never skips it. Take it away Wendy….
The ‘Go-To’ Breakfast That Kick Starts the Day – My Healthy Granola
The first thing I did to get back into a routine after the holidays was make my Healthy Granola.
I actually look forward to my granola bowl each morning.
Compared to store-bought granola, it’s significantly cheaper, contains more protein, fewer carbohydrates and no inflammatory oils. Plus, it’s delicious.
Having this in the fridge ensures I never skip breakfast and really makes a big difference to how I feel throughout the day. There’s increasing evidence supporting the impact of breakfast on your overall health.
If you haven’t tried it, now’s the time to give it a go. It will take you just 5 minutes to make.
Throw all the ingredients into a bowl, mix, then bake.
I enjoy my granola with full-fat yoghurt and berries. One serve contains approximately 12g of protein. I add one scoop of collagen powder to add an extra 10g of protein. This ensures a balance of protein, carbohydrate and healthy fat to keep me fuller for longer and energised throughout the morning.
Helpful Hints:
- You can use any nuts and seeds you have on hand. I recommend buying your nuts in bulk and storing them in the fridge to prevent them from going rancid.
- Make sure you use rolled oats, not instant oats. Instant oats are more processed and higher in carbohydrates.
Variations:
- Cacao Granola. Chocolatey and delicious!
- Low-FODMAP Granola. Swap the almonds for pecans.
The Hidden Costs of Skipping Breakfast
What happens when you skip breakfast?
Skipping breakfast places extra stress on the body
When you wake up, blood glucose levels are naturally low after the overnight fast. Without food, the body still needs glucose to function, so it responds by increasing cortisol to release stored glucose from the liver and/or muscle tissue.
Skipping breakfast adds an extra stressor to your body. This can be particularly detrimental if you’re already dealing with high stress/cortisol.
Skipping breakfast drives cravings and overeating later in the day
Going without food in the morning often backfires. By late morning or afternoon, this can manifest as strong sugar cravings, low energy, and a tendency to overeat, especially refined or high-carbohydrate foods.
Eating breakfast helps stabilise appetite and energy, resulting in healthier food choices later in the day.
Breakfast supports focus, memory and mental performance
Breakfast fuels the brain. Research consistently shows better concentration and memory in people who eat breakfast, a benefit well-studied in children, but just as relevant for adults. We all think more clearly and sustain focus more easily after a nourishing breakfast.
Skipping breakfast increases the risk of nutrient shortfalls
This is an impact that’s often overlooked.
Regularly skipping breakfast reduces your chances of meeting daily requirements for protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Trying to fit all your nutrient needs into two meals is difficult.
SMALL HABIT, BIG IMPACT
Breakfast has a big impact on energy, mental performance and eating patterns across the day.
Wendy Middleton: Nutritionist and Culinary Expert
I’m a qualified nutritionist and a caterer based in Lane Cove. My knowledge of the health benefits of food, combined with my cooking skills, helps my clients succeed in changing their diets to improve their health.
My focus is on healthy eating habits for life rather than a quick-fix diet. I will help you determine which foods best fuel their body and which don’t.
I understand, from personal experience, the positive and negative impacts that foods can have on your body. I suffered from migraines all my adult life until I made changes to my diet. This has led me to a particular interest in food intolerances.
I also really enjoy inspiring others to cook. I work with corporations and the fitness industry, educating teams through workshops, webinars, podcasts and cooking demonstrations.
Please contact me for more information.
Wendy Middleton
Nutritionist & Caterer
0403 861 117
[email protected]
www.acutabovenutrition.com.au
THIS IS A SPONSORED POST
