No matter where in the world you go, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And as such, everybody can agree that a proper breakfast is one that not only curbs hunger, but also keeps your energy up throughout the day.

In southern India, for example, a common breakfast consists of idli and sambar, a vegetable stew served with steamed lentil and rice bread. The French, on the other hand, love their tea and coffee (no sugar, of course), complete with wholemeal bread from the bakery. Aside from being tasty, these breakfasts score pretty high on the health quotient.

Not all breakfasts, however, were created the same. In Singapore for instance, our typical breakfast choices of mee siam or fried bee hoon, do not necessarily make a breakfast for champions. Here is a numerical breakdown according to the Health Promotion Board:

Unhealthy:

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Item</th>
<th>Per Serving Amount (g)</th>
<th>Energy (kcal)</th>
<th>Total Fat (g)</th>
<th>Saturated Fat (g)</th>
<th>Sodium (mg)</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Fried Carrot Cake</td>
<td>350g</td>
<td>402.5 kcal</td>
<td>32.55g</td>
<td>14.04g</td>
<td>1,326.5mg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mee Siam</td>
<td>655g</td>
<td>521.15 kcal</td>
<td>19.27g</td>
<td>6.35g</td>
<td>2,346.66mg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasi Lemak</td>
<td>306g</td>
<td>656.58 kcal</td>
<td>24.94g</td>
<td>10.65g</td>
<td>877.09mg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vegetarian Fried Bee Hoon</td>
<td>362g</td>
<td>548.54 kcal</td>
<td>16.65g</td>
<td>7.96g</td>
<td>1,538.5mg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wanton Noodle (Soup)</td>
<td>545g</td>
<td>318.04 kcal</td>
<td>7g</td>
<td>1.85g</td>
<td>1,969.63mg</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Try These

Instead of these high caloric breakfasts, why not tweak the menu a little? Here is a list of breakfast options that are healthier than the ones above.

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Item</th>
<th>Per Serving Amount (g)</th>
<th>Energy (kcal)</th>
<th>Total Fat (g)</th>
<th>Saturated Fat (g)</th>
<th>Sodium (mg)</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Chee Cheong Fun</td>
<td>101.33g</td>
<td>133.2 kcal</td>
<td>2.23g</td>
<td>1.01g</td>
<td>271.56mg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chicken Porridge</td>
<td>510.8g</td>
<td>181.33 kcal</td>
<td>5.62g</td>
<td>2.04g</td>
<td>1,307.65mg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fish Porridge</td>
<td>559g</td>
<td>210.74 kcal</td>
<td>2.8g</td>
<td>0.01g</td>
<td>1,347.19mg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Steamed Yam Cake</td>
<td>133g</td>
<td>192.85 kcal</td>
<td>3.19g</td>
<td>1.33g</td>
<td>579.88mg</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Make it even healthier by choosing, instead of the usual kopi or tea, milk enriched with oats. The combination of milk and oats provides health benefits for the entire family, and is even more nutritious than plain milk alone.

Of course, that is not to say that your family should abstain from your local favourites altogether. Life should be about eating everything in moderation and having a balanced meal — especially for breakfast.

Make small changes to the menu tomorrow morning and see the benefits go a long way for the ones you care for the most!