Every Day Healthy Breakfast

Chef Bhairav Singh, Indian Master Chef at Graviss Foods, shares best practices for a healthy kickstart to the day. He believes traditional Indian food to be the most balanced diet for the mind, body and spirit

Photographs: Vaishali Rajput

I am a true lover of a wholesome desi breakfast. I rank Indian food at the top of the charts when it comes to nutritional value of the meal.
The importance of breakfast is well known. I call it pratarash – the morning meal. As the name signifies, breakfast is the first meal of the day which breaks the overnight fast when the body has gone several hours without consuming any food. It, therefore, becomes significant to eat a good breakfast that can provide energy for a full day’s activities. Eating a balanced and varied diet for breakfast allows your body to be well-nourished and stay healthy. When you skip breakfast, you increase your chances of low blood sugar, resulting in constant hunger pangs and lack of energy.
People who struggle to maintain an ideal body weight must adapt a lifestyle to include a healthy breakfast first thing in the morning. Moreover, it also boosts glowing skin. Afterall, it nourishes your body with all the required vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and essential nutrients.
A hearty breakfast serves as power to the brain. This sumptuous meal in the morning gets our mind running after a long period of sleep. It also helps keep your mind relaxed and happy, and improves concentration and problem-solving skills.
I always include a serving of fresh fruits and dry fruits in my breakfast. And most importantly, I enjoy freshly cooked traditional Indian breakfast dishes.
Fruits are a wonderful way to start your day, with a burst of flavours and textures. They keep the body functioning at its optimal level, and also reduce risk of some chronic diseases. Including any one fruit on your breakfast plate can do wonders. Papaya, watermelon, muskmelon, banana, orange, sweet lime, figs, guava and grapes are some ideal fruits for breakfast. Always choose seasonal and locally produced fruits that are proven to be fresher, tastier and more nutritious.
I recommend eating a single fruit at a time, in a fixed or limited quantity for optimum benefit.
Dry fruits are superfoods that increase your nutritional intake. Rich in antioxidants, they boost immunity. They are also loaded with fibre that aide digestion.
To include dry fruits on your breakfast plate, you can soak them overnight and consume them in the morning. You can also prepare dry fruit laddoos and enjoy them with your breakfast daily.
Along with fruits and dry fruits, I like to include a nutritious Indian dish for breakfast everyday. Eating any one of these dishes within two hours of waking up can help you shine throughout the day.
Some dishes that are a part of my breakfast are poha, upma, warm sprouts chaat, idli or dosa with vegetable-rich sambhar, lapsi, stuffed parathas with curd – aloo paratha, gobi ka paratha, mooli paratha, vegetable paratha, spring onion paratha, methi paratha, fresh corn and palak  paratha, whole moong paneer chilla, beetroot chilla, pongal or simply multigrain roti with a side of veggies.
Here are some recipes for a desi start to a healthy day, for you.