Author: Uncle Tobys Nutrition Ambassador, Kathleen Alleaume
Many people feel sluggish in the morning occasionally. While some of this comes down to your personal level of sleep and exercise, a nutritionally balanced breakfast can play a big role in starting your day on the right foot. A nutritionally balanced breakfast is one that consists of good balance of quality high-fibre carbs and is rich in protein.
If you’re feeling particularly tired and lethargic, there’s a chance you might not be getting enough iron in your diet too. In fact, according to a study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Food Standards ANZ, one in four Aussie women are not meeting their daily iron intake requirements.
Iron is an important mineral for helping our body make healthy red blood cells and helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. The average Recommended Daily Intake of iron is around 12mg.
While iron is commonly found in high levels in red meat, it can also be found in many plant-based foods meaning it’s easy to kick-start your day with an extra iron energy boost. To maximise your absorption of iron, combine your favourite iron-rich brekkie options below with foods that are high in Vitamin C:
Eggs
Adding a two-egg omelette to your brekkie menu can also provide 10% (around 2mg) of your daily iron needs.
Spinach
Leafy greens like spinach not only help boost your Vitamin C and fibre intake in the morning but adding just 100g to your omelette can dish up 17% of your daily iron needs.
Cereal
Fortified cereals, which are cereals with added vitamins and minerals, are one of the best sources of iron for your morning energy kick-start. I enjoy a bowl of UNCLE TOBYS PLUS Iron, with its Nutty Clusters & Cashews with 125ml of skim milk, which gives me 25% of my daily iron needs in each serve.
Nuts
Of all the popular nut varieties, cashews have the most iron, with two handfuls giving you 16% of your daily iron needs. Go nuts sprinkling some on your cereal or blending into a yummy breakfast bar on-the-go.
Dried Fruit
If you are looking for a natural way to add some sweetness to your morning meal, why not try adding some dried fruit like dates or apricots. 100 grams of dates contains 4.79mg of iron and are a great source of antioxidants, while 100g of dried apricots contains 2.7 mg of iron and are an excellent source of dietary fibre too.
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