Eating breakfast is more than just a way to get you moving in the morning. A healthy start to the day, breakfast, can prevent diabetes, protect your heart and more.

Breakfast is more than just an eye-opener that helps you transition from sleep to the day ahead. Eating breakfast, especially if it includes whole grains, reduces your risk for heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure, according to the May 2008 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter.

The letter quotes a range of different studies that show the health benefits of taking time to eat breakfast instead of skipping it, before you leave for work or school in the morning.

Smoothing Out the Blood Sugar and Insulin Roller Coaster

Strangely enough, eating a hearty breakfast can result in smaller rises in blood sugar and insulin after all of the day’s meals and snacks.

Smoothing out the blood sugar and insulin roller coaster can help reduce your levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. It can also curb your appetite for high fat, high sugar snacks

What You Eat Is as Important as How Much

The health benefits of breakfasting are most likely to be experienced from regularly eating meals rich in whole grains, fruits, and healthy proteins. Varying what you have from day to day – or what you offer your partner and children - will encourage you all to see breakfast as a meal to enjoy, rather than a chore to be got through before you rush out the door!

And at weekends, take the time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast or brunch. Maybe invite friends or neighbours, so they can enjoy the pleasure of healthy eating with you.

Take Time to Prepare for Breakfast

Early morning is always rush hour, getting the children ready for school while getting yourself ready for work. You don’t have time to make breakfast! Maybe you can pick something up on your way downtown?

Chances are that will be a high fat, high sugar food item, that won’t do your heart – or your waistline – much good!

Breakfast is doable, if you take time to prepare as much as possible the night before.

Pancake batters can be made up and put in the fridge, where their flavour will improve overnight. Wash and cut up any fruit for the morning, then cover and put in the fridge.

Eggs for omelettes, scrambled or boiled eggs can be left out of the fridge overnight. They will cook quicker at room temperature.

You can set the table or breakfast bar, put out the ceral packets, condiments and spreads, All that’s left for the morning is to cook or pour, and enjoy.

Healthy Menu Choices for Breakfast

• a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal topped with fruit and walnuts

• a bowl of high-fiber, whole-grain cereal with milk and sliced banana, strawberries, blueberries, or other fruit

• 6 or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt with blueberries and sunflower seeds

• a whole-grain English muffin with peanut butter

• an omelet made with one egg and one egg white, or egg substitute, served with whole-grain toast and orange slices

• scrambled eggs made with two eggs and a teaspoon of yoghurt, served with a slice of smoked salmon and a whole-grain English muffin

• two soft-boiled eggs with a slice of wholemeal toast and yeast spread or nut butter

• pancakes made with wholegrain wheat, spelt, brown rice or soy flour (or a combination of flours), served with honey or fresh fruit and low fat yoghurt

• a smoothie made with milk, yogurt, orange or pineapple juice, strawberries or blueberries, and banana, plus some oat bran, ground flax seeds, or wheat germ for extra fiber and healthful oils.

See also: Breakfast Variety Aids Kids' Minds

See also: Oatmeal to Lower Your Cholesterol

See also: Choose a Heart-healthy Lifestyle