Ready, Steady, GORGE !

Skipping breakfast is a common trend in many Indian homes. Some of the youngsters do not really have time to sit and eat in the morning and easily forgo their morning meals while others may simply sit on the table out of social demand. The so called health conscious middle aged men are true believers of not eating in the morning and consider it as a weapon in fighting the battle of bulge. But no one really knows if it works and if it does, will it also help in shedding the unwanted layers of fat alongwith owning a healthy body and a healthy mind. The dedicated Indian housewife is always very busy in taking care of her family members and literally forgets about her own meals. The working woman on the other hand rarely thinks about her health and doesn8217;t find time to eat properly in the morning which may lead to improper eating or overeating in the next meal and sometimes the only snack, food available is sandwhiches or a dessert.

Omitting morning meals from the daily dietary intake is no solution for any health ailment and is not at all the right choice in the weight reduction regime. People who indulge themselves in this faulty dietary habit are in a bout of misery for many diseases, hence a shorter life. The obese individuals adopting this mean to stop their fat factory remain unaware that they may be inviting countless health troubles in the long run. Studies indicate that long term effect of any diet on body weight is related not only to the total energy content of the diet but also to its composition.

Several researches have proved the harmful artifice of not eating in the morning. In fact a high fibre cereal at breakfast may decrease food intake at lunch. An inverse correlation has been found between the fibre content in the morning meal and energy intake at lunch. Fewer calories are consumed at lunch following a breakfast of very high fibre cereal as the fibre content provides bulk to the diet and increases the satiety value thus decreasing the temptation to eat the available ready-to-eat snacks.

A high fibre diet is also a part of successful weight management programme and helps in endurance and fitness of a healthy body. Fibre is that indigestible part of fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals that is believed to play a significant role in protecting us from the nettlesome effects caused by a number of diseases.

It binds the fat and helps in its continuous elimination from the body. People who consume fibre rich diet reduce their risk of fat related diseases like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, hypercholestrolemia, haemorrhoids piles, appendicitis, gall stone,s colon cancer etc. It has been proved that fibre lowers cholesterol level and prevents its arterial deposition, thus chewing helps in slow digestion, food enters the blood stream more slowly and of the diet. Fibre slows down the digestion, absorption and release of carbohydrates and is beneficial for a diabetic person. It clears the intestinal tract, thus preventing constipation. Insoluble fibre is metabolized by the intestinal microfilora and protects us against colon cancer.

When you leave home with an empty stomach in the morning, you may hear the call of hunger pangs in the stomach after a few hours and in response to this reflex action you may surrender yourself to anything available to you at that time. Instead of skipping any meal, a three meal regular pattern with 4-5 servings of fibre rich fruits, snacks with 6-8 glasses per day is the universal panacea for fat related diseases and is recommended for sound health. Certain fibre rich foods like whole grains, corn flakes, wheat bran, bajra, jowar, 100 whole wheat bread, chapati, popcorn, pulses, raisins, starchy vegetables like corn, peas, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes etc. can be enjoyed as a part of their main meals but their portion size has to be limited.