Berries give a sporting start to the day
Seasonal Berries is pleased to announce that we are working with young British athletes Heather Watson and Mike Perham (the youngest person to sail solo around the world) to promote the benefits of eating berries to children at breakfast time.
Heather and Mike are advocates for good nutrition, and both agree that breakfast is the cornerstone of a healthy diet for athletes and energetic youngsters alike. The pair are encouraging mums and dads to put berries, packed with nutrients and vitamins, on the breakfast menu.
Heather, who made her grand slam senior debut at Wimbledon says 'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day to give me the energy to train and compete at a professional level. My favourite is strawberries and blueberries with yoghurt, toast and juice'
Sports nutritionist Sally Parsonage recommends a breakfast that includes carbohydrates, protein and fruit - ideally with antioxidants - so blueberries are ideal. Strawberries are packed with flavour and seven of the bright red gems provide an adult with their recommended daily amount of vitamin C.
"Countless studies have proven that children who skip breakfast lack concentration by late morning, becoming inattentive and restless. It's great to get kids into a good habit of eating a healthy breakfast and berries are a great option - they're naturally sweet and easy to include on cereals or in smoothies," says Sally.
Mike Perham agrees with Heather:
'When I'm training it's about building muscle so I eat high-protein food and lots of fruit such as berries. I'm a fan of all berries but strawberries are my favourite by a long way,' he said.
The British berry season is now in full swing with British strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in supermarkets across the country, so it's the perfect time to incorporate them as part of a healthy diet - especially for breakfast.
Whether you just scatter them over some cereal, add them to natural yogurt and honey or make berry pancakes, a berry fuelled breakfast is the best way to start the day.
Berry breakfast ideas
- Sprinkle some raspberries or a mix of berry fruits over your favourite bowl of cereal.
- Mash, chop or puree some hulled strawberries, mix with a little chopped fresh mint then fold into some honey flavoured Greek yogurt. Serve with extra whole strawberries for dunking if liked.
- Blitz 100g (4oz) or 7 fresh hulled strawberries with a small peeled banana, a 150g (5oz) pot of strawberry yogurt and 200ml (7 fl oz) milk in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth and frothy then pour into 2 glasses.
- Liven up eggy bread by dipping some halved pieces of sliced white bread or brioche in a little beaten egg and milk then fry in a drizzle of oil until golden on both sides, arrange on plates and sprinkle with summer berries and a little sifted icing sugar or instead of the sugar, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup or try with a spoonful of natural yogurt, strawberry yogurt or fromage frais.
The importance of breakfast
- 68% of children commented that breakfast helps you have more energy to play and 67% feel that it helps you to work harder at school[1]
- A Cardiff University School of Psychology study[2] found that eating breakfast helps children function better at school. Those who ate breakfast were
13% less tired
17% less anxious
10 % less likely to suffer memory and attention span difficulties than those who have no breakfast
- Research[3] has found that children who skip breakfast have trouble concentrating at school and become inattentive and restless by late morning
[1] Research conducted in January 2007 by YouGov of over 2,000 UK consumers, over 700 parents and over 200 children [link:today.yougov.co.uk/:[link:today.yougov.co.uk/]:today.yougov.co.uk/]]
[2] Research carried by the Cardiff University School of Psychology, led by Professor Andrew Smith 2005 www.cardiff.ac.uk/
[3] Developed by Dairy Council of California, 1997 www.dairycouncilofca.org