Everyone knows there is no substitute for nutritious food in keeping healthy. Yet many ignore this and go for taste rather than nutrition, which can harm health. Remember that food is central to staying well: your health depends on what you eat and when. Eating whatever you feel like, whenever, will never keep you healthy.

Without nutritious food the body does not get balanced nutrition, and deficiencies or excesses of various vitamins can lead to disease. In particular, if breakfast is not right, the body lacks energy all day.

According to nutritionists, breakfast should never be skipped, but it is important to watch what you eat in the morning, because the body's energy depends on it. Here are some foods to eat on an empty stomach in the morning.

Many people drink water with lemon and honey first thing in the morning. You will still benefit if you take it with honey but without lemon; many people get acidity from lemon and can simply mix honey with water.

Honey contains minerals, vitamins and enzymes the body needs, which cleanse it from within. Taken on an empty stomach, it raises the metabolic rate and helps flush toxins from the body.

Nutritionists say eating a few soaked almonds on an empty stomach in the morning gives plenty of energy for the day and also helps with weight loss. Almonds are rich in magnesium, vitamin E, protein, fibre and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. To get all their nutrients, soak them overnight and eat them on an empty stomach in the morning.

Eggs are highly nutritious, so be sure to include a boiled egg or omelette at breakfast. You will not feel very hungry through the day, which also helps you lose weight.

Many people eat oats for breakfast, some with milk and some with yoghurt. Making porridge is even better for the body. You can make porridge with just hot water, oats and ripe banana; this keeps the level of hydrochloric acid in the body under control and lowers cholesterol.

To make porridge, first toast the oats in a pan. Add 2 cups of water, and when it thickens a little add half a cup of milk. Stir in two spoonfuls of gur (jaggery) or honey and take it off the heat when it is thick. When it cools, sprinkle almonds and cashews on top; add banana or apple if you like.

Always include fruit at breakfast. Many people wrongly believe fruit should not be eaten on an empty stomach, but nutritionists say fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach after breaking a fast or going a long time without food. Fruit is rich in vitamins, fibre and water, which give the body instant energy.

This article draws on The Times of India.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.