- ScarbroughHealth
Sweet potato for breakfast?
Updated: Jun 5, 2019
Worldwide the guidelines for fruit and vegetables consumption varies. I should, know as I have been writing a seminar on the topic. Actually, I have been writing specifically on vegetables. It is quite astounding the differences in recommendations. To be honest, I found Australia's 2+5 to be closer to what I believe we should be heading towards. The reality of the situation is that very few Australian adults or children are meeting these guidelines (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2016). The importance of vegetable consumption is a message that most people understand, and are familiar with. What we are lacking is the ability to turn that message into action. To get people to actually eat them.
Could changing the timing help increase vegetable consumption?
A lot of new nutrition research is leaning towards timing as an important and often overlooked factor in nutrition. Numerous, excellent investigations are being conducted and released on the when we eat our meals having the ability to alter our biochemistry and metabolism ( Garaulet, 2013). For vegetable consumption, I believe the order in which we eat our meals is an area that is overlooked. Perhaps as parents, it is something that we need to think about if we are struggling to get our children to reach their vegetable requirements. How many of you offer vegetables as an option for breakfast? I bet you, not many. As a health professional I am aware that it is not part of many family dietary habits. I believe it is a missed opportunity. It doesn't have to be a salad, or even a big serve of vegetables, but what about just some carrot sticks? Or slices of cucumber with strawberries? It could even be the Chilean and Australian favourite of avocado on toast with a side of cherry tomatoes. Toastadas with hummus, or fresh, ripe tomatoes, or good quality porotos, estilo Inglesa.
I doesn't have to be complicated, expensive or time consuming.
As winter sets in here in Chile, I have a new favourite vegetable based breakfast. It may appear to be a rather odd combination, but it is actually really quite tasty. It even got the tick of approval from our girls, and the participants at our recent retreat. Here is is for you to try.
Let me know how you go!
Skye :-)
References:
Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] (2016). Key Findings; 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines.
https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4364.0.55.012
Garaulet, M., Gómez-Abellán, P., Alburquerque-Béjar, J. J., Lee, Y. C., Ordovás, J. M., & Scheer, F. A. (2013). Timing of food intake predicts weight loss effectiveness. International journal of obesity, 37(4), 604.