Green Protein Smoothie

One thing I get asked a lot is, “What do I do if I don’t want to eat breakfast?”

Breakfast is key for stabilising blood sugar but it doesn’t need to be much, as long as the primary components are protein and healthy fat.

The timing of breakfast is also deeply personal (more on this later!). There is no right or wrong, it’s simply when it feels right for you.

Carbohydrates, particularly refined carbs found in common breakfast items such as cereal, toast, bagels and pastries etc. can raise blood sugar too quickly, causing a crash later in the morning. This then makes us crave more carbohydrates and caffeine, which causes another crash later on… do you see the pattern? If we start our day with something like a spinach and mushroom egg scramble with avocado, our blood sugar is stabilised and we stay full for much longer.

On average, we can expect to feel hungry again about an hour after eating a carbohydrate-based meal. After eating protein we may feel hungry two to three hours later, but eating healthy fat can keep us feeling full for up to four hours. This is because fat becomes assimilated in the body in a slower and more gradual way.

Typical, commercial breakfast foods such as bread products and cereal also don’t contain as many nutrients as fresh veggies, fruit, eggs and meat. We want to be focusing on nourishing our body at every opportunity for optimal health. Breakfast is a great way to do this.

However, I understand this isn’t always possible with busy mornings and sky-high to-do lists.

This smoothie is my go-to option on weekdays when we’re rushing to get out the door and I don’t have time to sit down and eat.

Although I don’t like eating on the go, this smoothie offers the nutrition of a meal in a convenient drink. When prepped the night before, it takes seconds to make in the morning.