It will come as a surprise to many people but the evident truth is that each body is unique in its make up depending on its genetics and environmental adaptations. What serves as a good breakfast for a person living in India may not come across as a good option for someone who has grown up in France or Brazil. To accept an advice blindly, especially when it comes to health aspects, can be quite detrimental in the long run. The most prudent thing to do would be to test how your body reacts to the change you are making, and decide on whether to proceed with a plan based on your observation.

When it comes to food choices nothing is really black and white. If someone is selling you a “best breakfast” plan you can be quite sure that it’s coming from a very narrow perspective. The best breakfast for you will completely depend on your body’s makeup and requirements. Nothing general can be applied to your body simply because it’s unique in its structure and evolutionary adaptation.

Listed below are a few popular breakfast options along with their pros and cons. Remember that these are just pointers, and you need to make a decision based on how your body reacts to the food. Only you can ascertain what feels healthiest to you.

Fruits

The raw food community would pledge their support for fruit as the best breakfast option hands down. Many people who have tried an all fruit breakfast would attest that they feel light and agile, their mental faculties are sharper and they feel a natural high (good mood). The reasoning is simple, fruit gets digested within 15-20 minutes in the stomach, and moves into the intestines, so there is minimal energy wasted in digestion, and fructose is a simpler carbohydrate to assimilate into the body thus supplying quick energy.

Fruit breakfast also aids in weight loss and many people have seen excellent results within just a couple of weeks of following an all fruit breakfast. The best part is that you can eat as much fruit as you want, and any fruit that you want (except may be avocado which is high in fat and low in carb). Sweet fruits are a better option than non sweet fruits, as they supply higher energy.

The downside of an all fruit breakfast is that many people complain about not feeling full. You will also start to feel hungry quite early, way before lunch time. If you are at home you can always eat more fruit, but if you are in office you may not have that luxury.

Cereals

A wide range of cereals can be procured from the market today. Most of them are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals which supply the daily requirements of the body. Cereals are also rich in fibre content. Breakfast cereals are low in fat content, usually 2 to 4%, except those containing muesli and granola, so it’s a good option for people who are looking for weight loss.

An upside of eating a bowl of breakfast cereal is that it tends to release energy slowly at a more balanced pace and hence you tend to feel full till lunch time, there is no sudden hike or dip in your sugar levels. Breakfast cereal has been commended as the single most efficient means of inculcating whole grains in our diet.

The downside is that many breakfast cereals contain a generous presence of refined sugar and artificial flavoring elements. You will be better off eating breakfast cereals which has as little artificial ingredients as possible. Pressed oats make for excellent breakfast option if you can live with the taste.

Bread and its accompaniments

There are many types of bread, and different ways of making them. In India people make breads out of wheat (called “chappatis” or Puris), Rice flour (called “Dosas” or Idlis) and Corn flour, in the UK and United States wheat bread is very popular.

Bread is usually accompanied by eggs, ham, butter, cheese, jam, ketchup, sausages, chicken or meat. So this has to be counted as the heaviest breakfast one can indulge in. If you are looking for weight loss you should try avoiding a bread oriented breakfast and look for options like a fruit or a cereal based breakfast. The upside is that you tend to feel full for most part of the day as the energy is released at a slower pace.

The downside of breakfast rich in bread and it’s accompaniments is that many of them, like butter, jam and cheese, and be quite fattening. Whole wheat bread is a better option compared to bread made out of refined flour. Also ensure that it contain as little refined sugar as possible.

Rice

In many countries in the east, including China and India, rice is a popular breakfast option. Many under-developed countries have people eating a simple breakfast of rice porridge and pickle. This can certainly not be equated to a wholesome breakfast option but in many cases it’s the most economical one for these people.

If you must eat rice, make sure you have some veggies to accompany it. Rice is rich in carbohydrates but is a weak source of other minerals and vitamins essential for the body, so it should be taken along with some boiled or stir fried vegetables to balance to the requirements. If you are looking to lose weight, rice may not be an ideal breakfast option for you.

In conclusion, the best thing to eat for breakfast is the one that gives you the best feeling after having eaten it. If are looking to do a workout after breakfast, it is best that you take food rich in carbohydrates, like fresh fruits and dates. If you have a more relaxed morning, and you are not overly concerned with weight loss, you can opt for more filling options. Many people worry too much about the food they eat without realizing that it’s the stress (caused by worries) that is more injurious to the body than any food that you might eat.