Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but few of us have the time to make it in the morning—at least regularly. If you’re skimping out in the morning and find yourself sluggish throughout the day, take solace in the fact that all it takes is a good drink to get a start on the day. We’re talking the two big J’s: java and juicing!
Both coffee and homemade juice provide essential nutrients to get your morning rolling. By taking a couple servings with you, you can enjoy the energy-boosting benefits as the day goes on.
1) The Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee
We’re all well aware of the energy boost that caffeine in a cup of coffee provides. But it’s got some other good stuff in there, too. Your average cup of coffee contains essential nutrients: riboflavin, pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin. While the recommended daily amount percentage for one cup may be minimal, those who drink three or four cups per day can receive a significant amount of these nutrients.
Your morning coffee contributes a nice little bit of fibre per cup, too. The average cup contains about 1.8 grams. It’s recommended that men consume 38 grams of fibre and women get 25. Most adults eat only 15 grams per day, so a few cups can help you close the gap on that daily recommended amount.
Aside from providing nutritional benefits, a regular coffee diet may reduce multiple health risks as well. The risks of liver cancer, heart attack mortality, Alzheimer’s and gout are all said to be cut by drinking coffee regularly. As far as dental health is concerned, black coffee can kill bacteria leading to tooth decay and may protect against periodontal disease—but this benefit is lost if you’re mixing in milk or sugar.
2) Juicing: Nutritious, Easy and Versatile
Juicing’s become a bit of a “miracle diet” fad lately, with proponents claiming you’ll lose fat and meet all your nutritional needs by consuming just juice. It’s important to remember that research supporting the all-juicing diet is scarce—but we love juicing for the quick energy boost it can provide in the morning throughout the day, not as a dieting panacea.
Making juice is a great way to get a few extra servings of fruit or vegetables from produce you otherwise wouldn’t eat. Juicing isn’t 100% equivalent in nutritional value to whole fruits and veggies, but its convenience makes it the perfect on-the-go morning pick-me-up if you want to get your day off to a nutritious start on your commute. What’s more, you can make use of produce that’s about to spoil—saving some money by wasting less.
Another great benefit to juicing is that it’s versatile; you can mix and match many flavours to suit your tastes and dietary needs. For example, using more veggies than fruit in a recipe will produce a juice that’s lower in calories. If you want an extra kick of protein, throw in some peanut butter or milk. Keep things exciting by trying a different recipe each day! You can design a well-rounded morning routine by including a rainbow of colours in your juices.
One caveat to juicing is that you potentially remove much-needed fibre from the ingredients you use. This is because machines typically remove fibre-rich pulp. This is easily remedied! If your juicing machine removes pulp in the process, simply save and add it to batter for muffins or bread. With a homemade fibre-boosting breakfast on the side, you can reap the rewards of juicing without making the sacrifice.