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Hungry, Hungrier, Hungriest
Have you ever heard somebody complain that
on some days when he or she eats breakfast, that person feels
hungrier all day long? Perhaps you've felt that way yourself.
How can you avoid that happening to you?
Most often the reason you feel increased
hunger is because your body isn't satisfied. You either consumed
too many "empty," sugary calories or ate foods that were too low
in fiber, like white bread or low-fiber cereal. Including a
high-fiber cereal or bread product and adding a fibrous fruit to
your breakfast usually prevents hunger pangs later.
Breakfast Benefits
You benefit by eating breakfast. Breakfast
provides the energy necessary to have a productive morning,
which is what, after all, starts off and sets the tone for your
day.
This is especially true for the diabetic.
Without breakfast, blood sugar levels can dip drastically low.
Finding time to prepare and eat a
nutritious breakfast can be difficult, especially if you're not
a morning person. Here are some suggestions that will help:
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Make extra batches so you can keep single
servings of smoothies in the freezer. Get out a serving as you
get ready for your day. This should give the smoothie time to
thaw enough for you to stir it when you're ready to have
breakfast.
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Set your (non-refrigerated) breakfast
fixings out the night before.
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Keep breakfast foods at work in case you
leave the house and forget to bring yours along. (Knowing you
have something waiting for you at work on those occasions is
much better than an impulsive purchase made at a fast food
drive-up window.)
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Try different foods. Instead of your usual
hot cereal, have millet or quinoa. Both are easily digestible
and delicious.
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Cook hot cereal in half unsweetened fruit
juice and half water. Another option is to soak some dried fruit
in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Use the liquid to prepare
your cereal and stir the reconstituted fruit into it when it's
done.
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Experiment with toast and pancake
toppings. Try adding a serving of raisins, almonds, apples,
bananas, berries, nut butters, peanuts, pears, walnuts, or
wheat germ and some honey.
Be breadventurous!
Instead of plain
ole toast, try:
Brush a tortilla
(preferably a nonfat variety) with a little canola oil (1/4 tsp.
per tortilla), sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 3 minutes at
350 degrees, until slightly toasted
Heat Chapatis
(Indian bread, available in ethnic and natural food stores) or
other flatbread in a nonstick skillet until it puffs up. Drizzle
1/2 teaspoon of honey over the bread once it's warmed.
Toast whole-grain
pita bread; fill the pockets with fruit and nuts
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Have a healthy low-fat muffin or a slice of
quick bread. Keep single servings in the freezer. Either get one
out the night before so that it can thaw overnight or thaw it in
the microwave when you're ready to eat it.
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Make your own granola mix. Measure
half-sized servings of granola into plastic bag or other
airtight containers. Mix in a full-sized serving of unsweetened,
lower fat plain cereal. (If you prefer, you can first toast the
plain cereal by baking it for five to ten minutes in a preheated
350°F oven. Spray the cereal with some butter-flavored cooking
spray, if you like. Watch it closely while it bakes, stirring it
occasionally, because it goes from crunchier to burnt very
fast!)
Don't get in a rut. Have breakfast cereal
later in the day for a snack and be adventurous when you eat
your breakfast and have:
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A bowl of vegetable soup and low-fat
cornbread
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A piece of low-fat cornbread, heated
for ten to 15 seconds in the microwave, topped with a little
honey or fruit and some skim milk
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A crepe filled with a healthy filling,
such as 1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup fruit;
for a richer filler, add a tablespoon of cream cheese, too.
(Better for you than one of those Cheese Danishes off the
breakfast cart.)
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A grilled cheese sandwich made on
whole-grain bread with reduced-fat cheese and a piece of
fruit
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A slice of vegetable pizza with low-fat
cheese
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A tortilla filled with 1 ounce of
reduced-fat cheddar cheese and a half cup of cooked
vegetables
Perk up
pancakes by substituting different flours for all-purpose.
Consider adding blue cornmeal, buckwheat, ground oats, rice
flour, or spelt to the batter.
Copyright © 2001-2006 Pamela Rice Hahn
All Rights Reserved.
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