Great pick-me-ups to refresh and recharge you for the day

Have a healthy breakfast to improve attention, mental power and memory

Several studies have confirmed that a good breakfast can improve attention, mental performance and memory. Research has also shown that people who eat breakfast have a better attitude towards work, higher productivity and better concentration.

Skipping the first meal of the day is not only counter-productive to shedding weight, it may also leave you feeling more tired, irritable and restless in the morning. Moreover, those who go without it are more likely to eat fatty foods all day long.

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Let us look at a few healthy pick-me-ups which can refresh and recharge you for the day

1 Be careful while choosing your food. Breakfast can be transformed into a fibre-rich, high-nutrient, and antioxidant-laden meal to reduce the risk of several diseases.

2 Also, it must not be large or heavy to cause discomfort or distention. A large or heavy breakfast can lead to slump in energy and be counter-productive.

3 Avoid high-fat and high-glycaemic food such as that made of refined flour, if you are going to be inactive after breakfast (that is, you are going sit for two-three hours in class at a stretch).

4 You may go for one of the following items:
* Whole grain cereal/muesli/granola + milk (low-fat milk or soya milk) + nuts like almonds
* Egg + wholegrain toast with vegetables or fruits
* Sprouts + butter milk
* Wholegrain chapati stuffed with vegetables with curd
* Besan/dal cheela with vegetables stuffed with cottage cheese

5 Have one of the following beverages:
* Milk - soya/ low-fat dairy milk/ milkshake
* Tea/green tea, preferably without sugar/ coffee
* Lassi/ chhaach
* Smoothie

Ishi Khosla is clinical nutritionist and founder, theweightmonitor.com, founder, Whole Foods India and founder president, Celiac Society for Delhi