Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? Well, that's a matter of opinion. What we are sure of though is it's always advisable to make sure you're fuelled up in the morning to maximise your chances of a good day on the bike. Here are some tasty breakfast options for you to try.
- 6 delicious flapjack and breakfast bar recipes to boost your riding energy
- 3 delicious vegan energy snack recipes
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Oatmeal
Porridge oats are one of the best sources of slow-release energy, and can help reduce the risk of heart disease through reducing LDL (good) cholesterol. Mix with cow’s milk, which has more muscle-building protein than soya. Don't forget to add honey and a few almonds, which are among the lowest-calorie nuts.
Turkey
For some of us breakfast simply isn’t breakfast without a large helping of cured pig. But for a healthy meaty start to the day, try turkey instead — 100g of turkey sausage has about 196kcal, while 100g of pork has about 339kcal. Turkey sausages also contain around one and a half times more protein than their porky cousins. Grill a couple and put between two slices of wholegrain bread for a breakfast of champions.
Cereal
Over the years, breakfast cereals have developed a bad reputation and, if you consider the sugar-frosted market swimming in chocolatey milk, this is no surprise. But there are excellent choices out there, among the best of which are Weetabix and Shredded Wheat.
Both are good sources of slow-release carbohydrates, to keep you fuller for longer, and are great smothered in milk for a hit of muscle-building protein. Add blueberries for sweetness.
Yoghurt
Fruit yoghurt is a staple breakfast but many ready-made ones are full of sugar, guaranteeing a mid-morning energy slump, which can only be fixed by chocolate or cake… This is even more the case with many fat-free options, which are pumped full of sugar to make them taste bearable.
Buy greek yoghurt instead — it has twice the protein of many regular yoghurts and a lovely texture too. Add blueberries and honey for a long, slow release of energy.
Eggs
Substitute foods are usually pretty grim — if you think of protein cupcakes and flour-free ‘bread’, they're usually as bad as they sound. However, banana pancakes made from just banana, egg and a dash of baking powder are really quite nice.
Mash a ripe banana until smooth, beat in two eggs, add less than half a teaspoon of baking powder and fry blobs around 5-10cm wide in olive oil for about a minute each. They're delicious and packed with energy, protein and potassium. Eggs don’t always have to be fried, poached or scrambled!