• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Homeย loans for Aussie expatsย 
        • image of domestic worker for story on advice on hiring a helper in Hong KongGuide to hiring a helper in Hong Kong
        • Expat life in Hong Kong - advantages and disadvantagesPros and cons of living in HK
        • Moving to Hong Kong - taking a photo of the viewTop tips for newcomers to Hong Kong
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • 9 family-friendly hikes in Hong Kong
        • What to watch โ€“ or listen to…
        • Great podcasts we are listening to!
        • Key Chinese events and festivals in Hong Kong - Chinese New YearTraditional Festivals & Events in HK
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
      • Kids Offers
        • Language courses for all the family
        • Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats
        • Does your child need a little extra help?
        • 12 tips for bathing newborn babies
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Dรฉcor
      • Readers Homes
        • Beautiful ginger jar lamps for your home
        • Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats
        • Taking the stress out of moving
        • Making Your Bedroom Eco-friendly
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Beach escapes - Gili Lankanfushi โ€“ MaldivesPlan ahead: 8 great beach escapes
        • Top skiing destinations - Whistler, CanadaStunning ski stays in Europe and beyond
        • Mongolia - kidsA family adventure in Mongolia
        • Where to stay and what to do in Thailand - MerdekaQuick getaways: Where to go in Thailand
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Meat-free meals: Quinoa Lentil Tabouleh5 meat-free meal ideas to try
        • Chocolate Tiffin - RecipeNo-bake Chocolate Tiffin Recipe
        • Fiamma Italian restaurant - tortelliniTaste Test: Peak Italian Cuisine at Fiamma
        • Cocktails - recipesCocktail recipes โ€“ make your own!
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Paraben-free skincare for men!
        • Where to go for holiday pampering
        • Where to get eyelash extensions in Hong Kong - Eyelash ProWhere to get eyelash extensions
        • image of woman having eyebrows done for beauty services in Hong KongUltimate guide to HK beauty services
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Home workout5 workout moves you can do at home
        • Central & Stanley Wellness - functional medicine treatmentFunctional medicine and how it helps
        • KAMA CBD OilWhat is CBD and can it help your health?
        • ATP - weight loss - fitness trainingBody makeover: an inspiring journey
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • December โ€“ February 2021
        • DEC-FEB 2020 โ€“ $36 (USUAL PRICE $48)
        • City Guide 2020-2021
        • City Guide 2020-2021 – $28
      • View all
    Close
Home ยป Health & Fitness ยป Wellness ยป The great breakfast debate: to eat or to skip?

The great breakfast debate: to eat or to skip?

3 February, 2017 by Expat Living 5 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/the-great-breakfast-debate-to-eat-or-to-skip/

In our regular health column, VERNE MAREE feels it pays to keep a flexible mind about nutrition โ€“ including the old belief that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Think how many of the nuggets of knowledge we learnt at mumโ€™s knee turned out to be plain wrong. For starters, that she knows everything, that Christmas presents come from Santa, that kissing a sore knee makes it better, that a little butter heals a burn (maybe that was Granny, come to think of it), that eating carrots makes your hair curlโ€ฆ and that you absolutely have to eat your breakfast.

To eat or not to eat, that is the question
To eat or not to eat, that is the question

Fortunately, a flexible young mind manages to accept the horrible truth about the bearded man in red, and by the age of 15 we realise that it is ourselves who know everything, and that the adults know nothing at all.

Take breakfast, for one. (Or skip it.) When it comes to what we eat โ€“ as with most other things โ€“ I believe we are all so different that we need to find out for ourselves what works for us. Especially, we need to question the foundation of the myths weโ€™re fed; I reckon the breakfast story was started by the Kelloggs and Quaker Oats of this world, supported by food industry lobby groups.

Iโ€™ve never been a happy breakfaster. My well-meaning mother insisted on forcing a bowl of hot cereal into us every morning before school, alternating between oats porridge, maize porridge, Maltabella (a sorghum meal porridge much loved by most South Africans) and Weetbix. How I dreaded Weetbix! Drenched in honey and hot milk, with more milk added incrementally by well-meaning parents as the grain absorbed ever more of the liquid, it would persist in expanding and become impossible to finish. (Granted, thereโ€™s nothing intrinsically wrong with Weetbix, and I could probably eat one today: dry, like a biscuit, but not at 7am.)

Mother isnโ€™t entirely to blame (this time), as the whole world believed that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. You know: breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper. And good for her that she went to the trouble of making us fresh porridge, rather than sugary crap like Froot Loops, Coco Pops, and the like.

Nevertheless, breakfast made me feel sick then and still does; sometimes, Iโ€™d literally have to throw up. It wasnโ€™t just the slimy porridge that did it: our rare Sunday egg-and-bacon fry-up did the same unless it was postponed to late morning.

So, Iโ€™ve never believed that breakfast is good for me. Nothing that makes you feel so bad can possibly do you any good; as with everything else, youโ€™ve got to listen to your unique body.

I have friends who must eat breakfast to maintain their blood sugar levels and avoid a 10am collapse at the water-cooler. Others are more like me โ€“ able to do a long morning run or even race on an empty stomach and then enjoy lunch much later, with no ill-effects. Not feeling hunger for several hours after a run, I watch amazed as others, still panting and sweaty and straight from the finish-line, tuck into the bananas, cookies, hot dogs, mee hoon or whatever else the organisers have kindly laid on. My friend Pat back in South Africa was like that too, ecstatically sniffing the bacon and coffee wafting from suburban homes as we jogged along Sunday morning sidewalks.

Are you actually hungry?
Are you actually hungry?

I know, I told you so!

So, imagine my delight when the tide of opinion started to turn away from the necessity to breakfast. In fact, thereโ€™s no scientific evidence for it; itโ€™s nothing but an unsubstantiated โ€œshared beliefโ€, in the words of John Beard, PhD. Lots of scientists and health gurus agree with him.

Though some government authorities and mainstream doctors will no doubt continue toeing the old line for a couple more years (being notoriously slow to keep up with anything except the latest wonder drugs), thereโ€™s plenty of evidence that breakfast is not essential for everyone:

* One 2015 Columbia study dispelled the myth that skipping breakfast means eating more during the rest of the day. One group ate oatmeal for breakfast, another ate Frosted Flakes, and one skipped breakfast. Overweight people who skipped breakfast were the only group that lost weight.

* Discussed just last month in dailymail.co.uk, research from the University of Bath (published in the American Journal for Clinical Nutrition) found against the truism that breakfast-skippers merely make up for it by gorging later on. The main difference? The breakfast-skippers ate fewer calories over the course of the day. Whatโ€™s more, they found no change in metabolism between those who ate nothing for breakfast and those who consumed 700 calories before noon, 350 of those within two hours of waking.

Listen to your body

Are you actually hungry first thing in the morning, or might you do better taking a mid-morning snack of fresh fruit or a handful of raw nuts to tide you over until lunch? In your experience, does breakfast really โ€œgive you energyโ€? Or does it make you feel sluggish, and then just as hungry come lunchtime?

Hereโ€™s another question. If youโ€™ve always believed itโ€™s unwise to exercise in the morning without having eaten something, why not at least give it a go? Both intermittent fasting (as a lifestyle, not as a โ€œdietโ€) and exercising in a fasted state have been shown to deliver astounding health and fitness benefits: promoting cellular repair and enhanced gene expression, lowering blood levels of insulin and increasing human growth hormone up to five-fold (for better fat-burning and muscle gain) for starters. Trawl mercola.com and authoritynutrition.com for more.

Conclusion

Itโ€™s no wonder that breakfast is so popular with those who can take it. As fitmole.com amusingly points out, it includes some of the yummiest foods on the planet, from fry-ups to Philly-laden bagels, and from eggs Benedict to waffles dripping with maple syrup. Thank goodness for joints that serve all-day breakfast!

Finally, eating nutritious food in the right amounts has to be what counts โ€“ far more so than when we eat it. And we can all benefit from keeping an open mind, and perhaps trying a different way that might work better for us. Hereโ€™s to our good health!

Read the full article in June/July issue of Expat Living or in our E-mag here.

Feeling hungry now? Take a look a some recipes and restaurants to give you some foodie inspiration

Categories: Health & Fitness Newsletter Wellness Tags: Hong Kong Food Hong Kong Health

You May Also Like

Central & Stanley Wellness - functional medicine treatment

Functional medicine and how it helps

ATP - weight loss - fitness training

Body makeover: an inspiring journey

Managing Anger - MindNLife

Managing Anger in a Pandemic

Primary Sidebar

Editor's Picks

Kellett School

Best International Schools In Hong Kong, Preschool to Secondary

Furniture in Hong Kong: Guide To The Best Furniture Stores

sightseeing in Hong Kong

Top 30 Hong Kong Attractions & Best Places To Visit

Where to live in Hong Kong

Guide to Living in Hong Kong and where to live

Landing pads: places to stay in Hong Kong

Brunch in Hong Kong

Best Sunday Brunch Places in Hong Kong

What's On

Puccini's Turandot Opera

The MET’S “Nightly Met Opera Streams”

Students at Hong Kong Academy

Hong Kong Academy โ€“ Applications Open for 2021/22

CDNIS - Admissions

CDNIS Admissions Timetable: Apply Now for January and August 2021

Events & Weekend Activities - The Grounds is the city's first responsible entertainment destination

The Grounds: HK’s first ‘COVID-19 responsible’ entertainment destination

Elsa in scene from Frozen

FWD Presents: The Frozen Exhibition Hong Kong

You Rise art exhibition by JM Robert

โ€œYou Riseโ€ Solo Exhibition by JM Robert

Expat Living Hong Kong ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ

expatlivinghk

Open
Pieces for your dining room mood board!๐Ÿช‘We are feeling these tones ๐ŸคŽ
Open
Thanks Julianna for this delicious 
Easy Blueberry Oreo Cheesecake to start the weekend!
Serves 4, or 2 if you're hungry๐Ÿ˜‰

Preparation time: 15 mins Ingredients:
โ€ข 6 digestive biscuits
โ€ข 50g butter 
โ€ข 250g cream cheese (1 brick) 
โ€ข 6 Oreo biscuits
โ€ข 125g blueberries (1 box)
โ€ข 100g milk or whipped cream 
โ€ข 5 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:
For crust:
1. Crush digestive biscuits in a big bowl and add melted butter.
2. Press together at the base of the cake mould.
3. Set aside to cool.

For filling: 
1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and milk or whipped cream on medium speed in a bowl until it is smooth and creamy. 
2. Add crushed Oreos and beat until they mix evenly. 
3. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
4. Freeze for two hours and top with blueberries!๐Ÿซ
Open
If youโ€™re looking for a place to live in Hong Kong - particularly if youโ€™re moving here and want an easy landing pad - a serviced apartment can be a godsend! @hongkongparkview is like a mini town with everything you need from a Clubhouse with full facilities to a toy shop, clothes and food shop! ๐Ÿž๐Ÿ›
Open
Read our Winter issue on any device for free ๐Ÿ‘‰ expatliving.hk/digital/ig.
Inside: Two inspiring home reno stories, great dining room furniture ideas, insider's guide to Hung Hom Bay and plenty of other great reads, including easy dessert recipes!
Open
How cool is this - Hong Kong-based @ovolohotels is the first hotel group to go entirely vegetarian across its restaurants, bars and food services for a year! ๐ŸŒฑThis move is the latest in the groupโ€™s series of eco-friendly initiatives, and doesnโ€™t this look delicious!๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป
Open
If weโ€™ve learnt anything this last year itโ€™s how much a magical view can do for your mind๐ŸŒฟThese are just some of the properties showcased by @knightfrank ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ Head to knightfrank.com.hk to see whatโ€™s currently available! ๐Ÿž
Open
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year from the team at @expatlivinghk โค๏ธ

๐Ÿ“ท @lailasophiashah
Open
Thereโ€™s been a buzz lately around CBD (Cannabidiol, derived from the flowers and leaves of the hemp plant) and its purported health benefits. 
Did you know itโ€™s available in Hong Kong? ๐ŸŒฟ

@kamacbdhk is a new HK-based company offering CBD products that can help a number of ailments, check out our article and their page for more information!๐ŸŒบ
Open
๐ŸŽ„ Merry Christmas everyone! It's been an extraordinary year and we're so grateful for your support. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday season ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿฅ‚
Open
This 1950s colonial-style walk up in Kowloon Tong has been styled so well by tenant Jerome, it is fascinating to hear about the place and itโ€™s history! For the full story and Jeromeโ€™s recommendations see our DEC-FEB issueโœจ๐Ÿ“–
Open
Whether youโ€™ve hiked up Old Peak Road or taken the tram, make sure youโ€™re hungry, as youโ€™ll want to consume most of the menu from @fiammahk ๐Ÿด๐Ÿ…
Open
5 steps for a stylish Christmas, courtesy of Hong Kong-based home furnishing retailer @indigo_living ๐ŸŽ„
 
#1 Decide on a Theme:
Every momentous Christmas feast begins with a stunning table-scape. Whether youโ€™re going for the classic red and green pairing or a contemporary setting, pick a theme that you can go all out with! 
 
#2 Organise Your Linen:
Generally speaking, a crisp white linen table-runner will do. But if youโ€™re looking to up the ante this year, go for one with subtle prints on it. 
 
#3 Choose a Centrepiece:
 A beautiful Christmas centrepiece is the fastest way to add cheer to your party. Itโ€™s also a great excuse to show off your creative flair to friends and family. 
 
#4 Invest in a Good Set of Tableware:
When it comes to tableware, most people play it safe with crystal glasses and porcelain plates. Why not take it up a notch by throwing a set of gold cutlery into the mix? Itโ€™s an instant pop of luxury that exudes warmth to traditional red and green themes. ๐Ÿด
 
#5 End with a Bang:
Whatโ€™s a Christmas dinner without some good old-fashioned crackers? Sure to put a smile on anyoneโ€™s faces, theyโ€™ll also ensure your party goes out with a bang! ๐Ÿ’ซ
Open
What a view ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ

๐Ÿ“ท @lailasophiashah
Open
Less than five days left to vote for your favourite businesses! You could win fun family staycays and dining vouchers, so make sure to vote today by visiting ๐Ÿ‘‰ expatliving.hk/readerschoice

.
#expatlivinghk #hkbusiness #hongkongbusiness #elhkreaderschoice #hkexpats
Open
Jazz up your dining area with these pretty picks!โšก๏ธ

Companies tagged in the photos for more details๐Ÿช‘
Open
Get ready for Christmas, CNY and beyond with these fab treatment packages now available at @amooma.spa โœจ

#1 BUBBLE & SPARKLE
A package for two, including an aroma steam shower, deep sleep tourmaline crystal massage, sparkling champagne facial and a glass of champagne ๐Ÿฅ‚

#2 HO! HO! HO! ITโ€™S ME-TIME!
Designed for one person, this me-time includes a ling organic forbidden rice scrub, ling nourishing body wrap, AMOONA signature blend and knesko gemological face mask ๐Ÿง–๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ
Open
How good do these look ๐Ÿ˜ New recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness. You can try a free sample by scanning the bar code on our online articles ๐Ÿ’œ

Recipe: Flourless Pecan Cranberry Brownie

Ingredients

Brownie base:

2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Chocolate Protein
1.5 cup of pumpkin puree
1 cup of hazelnut butter or almond *
1/2 cup of raw dark cacao powder
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/3 cup of dehydrated cranberries
2 teaspoons of Manuka honey ** Optional
White chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of Erythritol
Dark chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
3 tablespoons of raw dark cacao powder
1 teaspoon of Erythritol
Instructions

Brownie base:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease a square baking tray with coconut oil and line tray with parchment paper.
In a large blender, mix all the brownie ingredients together until smooth.
Pour the brownie mix into the pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Once cooked, allow the brownies to cool on a rack.
Chocolate drizzle:

You will need two separate mixing bowls for the white and dark chocolate drizzle.
Melt the cacao butter at low temperature and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the chocolate drizzle over the cooled brownies.
Pop them in the fridge to set or enjoy them as warm brownies.**
Optional: Sprinkle some fresh pomegranate and dried cranberry seeds onto the brownies (after cooling in the fridge for 20 minutes).
Open
TGIF ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒฟ

๐Ÿ“ท @lailasophiashah
Open
In our new winter issue we take a look at Dutch expat Nicole Hessingโ€™s impressive home renovation in Clearwater Bay ๐Ÿก Check out the article for all her tips and local recommendations ๐Ÿ‘‰ expatliving.hk/digital/ig
Open
Good morning! Weโ€™ve got another delicious recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness ๐Ÿ’•

Recipe: Persimmon Vanilla Chia Porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients

PERSIMMON-VANILLA-CHAI-PORRIDGE.jpg
Chia Vanilla Milky Layer:

1/2 cup of chia Seeds
1.5 cup of coconut milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Protein Vanilla 
1 tablespoon of tahini paste
2 Medjool dates
2 slices of fresh persimmon
Persimmon Coconut Porridge Layer:

1 whole persimmon chopped
1/2 cup of coconut yoghurt
2 tablespoons of coconut flakes
1 teaspoon of almond butter
Instructions

Chia Vanilla Milky Layer:

Blend all the ingredients together apart from the chia seeds.
Once the mix is well blended, add the chia seeds and mix well. Place in a glass jar and leave overnight in the fridge.
Persimmon Coconut Porridge Layer:

Blend all the ingredients together until creamy and smooth. Place in a glass jar, leave overnight in the fridge.
The next morning you can enjoy your porridge by layering your chia porridge with the persimmon porridge.
Optional: Add in between crunchy texture by sprinkling some raw buckwheat groats already activated or quinoa puffs
  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2021 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.