Breakfasts

Breakfast is traditionally a bowl of cereal or piece of toast.  These are both very carb-rich options.  Breakfast cereals were only invented fairly recently and have become a convenient, quick and supposedly healthy way to start the day.  However, most contain a high proprortion of sugar and simple carbs which causes them to have a low glycaemic index (GI) which means they don't keep you feeling full for very long.  The lower the GI of a food, the quicker the carbs are absorbed into the blood stream.  Hence after an 8am breakfast you can be feeling hungry again by about 10am.

Porridge is meant to be a slower-absorbing option, and I always used to eat porridge for breakfast, but always felt hungry again by mid-morning. 

A piece of toast and marmalade is delicious, but, even if it's wholemeal or granary, it's not a paleo option.

On an earlier post I have given the recipe for banana pancakes, my all-time favourite breakfast.  Her are a few more ideas which are nearly as delicious...

Nut granola

Nut granola

In a food processor, whizz a handful each of whole almonds, whole hazelnuts and walnuts.

Put them in a bowl with a handful of coconut, either desiccated or shavings, a handful of sunflower seeds and a spoonful of runny honey and mix.

Grease an oven tray with coconut oil and spread the nut mix on the tray.  Bake for 10 mins or so or until golden in an oven at 170 degrees C.

Leave to cool then break up and store in a large jar or tin.

It can be served with Greek yoghurt and fruit.You only need a sprinkling as it's very filling.

Paleo fry up

Fry up

This photo has been chopped in half somehow!  A fry up is also a low carb breakfast.  Leave out bread and toast, just serving bacon, good quality sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, eggs.  Frying in coconut oil is meant to be a healthy substitute vegetable oils but some brands can make the breakfast taste coconutty.  I generally use a little olive oil.

The paleo diet is not a low-fat diet.  The body needs fat to function correctly and consuming fat can help to increase the body's metabolism. 

It was in the news last week that for years people have been told to cut out fat in order to lose weight, increasing consumption of potatoes to 'fill you up'.  Suggestions were made that this incorrect advice has led to the obesity epidemic.

Both these breakfasts will leave you feeling satisfied, not full up, and not hungry until lunchtime!