Ingredients
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
2 cups blueberries
1 lemon (zested)
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Method
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil until sugar melts.
To the pan add the blueberries, zest of lemon and lemon juice.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Stirring occasionally, simmer until blueberries have burst and the sauce begins to thicken, about 10-12 minutes.
Let it cool to room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

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Lunch… tea… dinner and supper, these words don’t mean anything on their own, but whoever created the word ‘breakfast’ left no room for confusion. “It is the meal which breaks your fast!”

Due to our monotonous routine and never-ending vicious cycle of work, very often we are in dire need of a break — be it short or long. Similarly, just as we need a break from work, our bodies too need a break to recharge.

While we sleep at night after a long day of work — physically our limbs and muscles are resting, but our mind and internal body is constantly at work.

Just as machines need some time to cool off, or a car needs fuel to run, similarly our bodies and brain need a break to recharge and refuel, before kickstarting a new day. And what better way to start than a healthy and wholesome breakfast.

Why is breakfast important?

Breakfast is often called ‘the most important meal of the day’ and for good reason. As the name suggests, breakfast implies ‘breaking’ the overnight fasting period. It replenishes your body’s supply of glucose to boost your energy levels and increase alertness, besides providing the required nutrients.

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Young people live a very busy life during their teenage years. With school, classes, extracurricular activities and social gatherings, this time is the most crucial for almost all teenagers. And this is the time where they tend to skip meals because of their hectic schedules, especially the most important meal of the day — Breakfast.

Breakfast is considered an important meal because it breaks the overnight fasting period, replenishes your supply of glucose and provides other essential nutrients to keep your energy levels up throughout the day.

Breakfast and its boosting benefits

With busy mornings rushing to school, it’s very easy for teenagers to give breakfast a miss. But just taking out a few minutes to have something to eat can really make a huge difference.

Here are the advantages of having a wholesome breakfast and why you must not skip this first meal of the day.

Energy all day: Breakfast ensures we get our energy for everyday activities. A good healthy breakfast is known to increase concentration and school performance in teens. Breakfast should contain a balance of carbohydrates and protein to ensure teens have enough energy to get going until lunch.

Nutrition: Breakfast should be eaten within an hour of waking up in order to get your metabolism quick started. Besides providing enough energy, breakfast foods should contain enough calcium, iron, Vitamin B and fibre as the body needs a good dose of these essential vitamins and minerals. Research shows that teens who miss their breakfast are less likely to compensate these nutrients later in the day. Most importantly, fruits and vegetables should be made a part of breakfast to make it an antioxidant rich one giving maximum benefits.

Weight management: Skipping breakfast as a strategy to lose weight is a very common strategy amongst teenagers, especially teenage girls. However, teens and their parents must be aware that eating a healthy, wholesome and a good portion size breakfast can be good for the waistline too! Also, one is more likely to reach out for high sugar and high fat foods (junk foods) if they skip breakfast.

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