Yoghurt and homemade muesli

Most athletes would agree that breakfast is the starting point in any proper training diet or nutrition plan. Those who skip "the most important meal of the day" tend to suffer from reduced concentration, reduced ability to store information and attention as well as a slower metabolism than those who eat within 30 minutes of getting up. The risk of prolonged post-night fasting, moreover, is that you will find yourself much hungrier at lunchtime, with the risk of taking on too many calories, all together. But what should you eat for breakfast? A little cappuccino and a croissant? Two biscuits and a coffee? Fruit and juice? These kinds of breakfasts won’t fill you up for long.

Breakfast should represent 20% of the daily caloric intake (about 400 cal for women and 550 cal for men with an active lifestyle) and provide energy sources for rapid use together with slower sources of disposal, to prevent hypoglycaemia and the sense of reactive hunger and to modulate the sense of satiety quickly and throughout the day. Breakfast should also introduce a different variety of foods, in order to guarantee to the body the right amount of both macronutrients and micronutrients. For this reason, brioche and sweets are not the best option. They have too many fats, often saturated, sugars and no proteins, minerals or vitamins. Our choice, which we propose here, is the perfect combination of taste and simplicity of execution and numerous health benefits.

It all begins with yoghurt

It starts with a base of Greek yogurt, preferably lean or partially skimmed, with a high satiating power and rich in protein. Low-fat dairy products support the metabolism, which should be reactivated as soon as possible after waking up. It is essential to choose genuine products with no added sugar. The source of complex carbohydrates is the oatmeal, a fantastic gluten-free cereal that prevents glycaemic peaks while providing protein, essential fatty acids, lysine, vitamin B and phosphorus. In addition, oats are a toning substance that helps maintain the balance of the nervous system. The oatmeal is also easy to digest and for this reason it is also suitable for gastritis sufferers or colitis. Unlike corn and wheat flakes, the grain then contains much more roughage, with the advantage of filling you up more and faster.

When we talk about a complete meal, we cannot miss adding seeds and nuts: almonds are great for skin and mood, nuts for the heart, pumpkin seeds for the reproductive system and the immune system, flax seeds for the intestine and hemp seeds for muscles and bones. A nice handful of our homemade muesli every day provides much of the beneficial substances necessary for our body to function well.

Breakfast for us is strictly sweet, so let's treat ourselves to some healthy sugar, which gives energy ready to use: fruit in small pieces, depending on the season, honey and also a sprinkle of raisins or sultanas, provided they do not contain added sucrose, colourings and preservatives. Contrary to common belief, honey is no less caloric than common sugar, but while the second is considered an "empty" food that is devoid of nutrients, the first is a super food with exceptional properties: it is a powerful antibiotic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory that acts against aging and free radicals, is rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids: practically a natural supplement. It is therefore a healthy habit to eat a spoonful of them every morning. We serve yoghurt, muesli and fruit in a large bowl along with fresh mint and the recipe is ready.

500 g greek yoghurt
2 nectarines
100 g strawberries
Fresh mint

350 g oat flakes
100 g mixed dried fruit (walnuts and almonds)
50 g pumpkin seeds
25 g linseed
25 g hemp, husked
120 g raisin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon of salt
75 g acacia honey
75 g sunflower seed oil