"?. But you haven't had your breakfast!!" How many times have you heard that as you run out of the door to school or work? For many parents, spouses and even for your own body, breakfast can be the most frustrating meal of the day.

Some of you just aren't hungry, some don't have food in the fridge and others are in a mad rush and simply do not have time!

We all know that it's important to eat breakfast, but can you remember why?

Having a healthy breakfast actually helps to kickstart your metabolism and burn off calories more efficiently for the rest of the day.

So those of you who think that skipping breakfast will help you to lose weight, think again!

By providing you with a steady release of energy, a good breakfast can also help to prevent blood sugar imbalance and cravings for coffee and that chocolate bar or muffin at 11 o'clock (sound familiar?).

Additionally, breakfast is a great opportunity to include antioxidants and good, essential fats in your diet! Bermuda seems to be rife with colds, flu and wiped out people at the moment so it's all the more important to try and boost your nutrient intake.

This breakfast time smoothie is easy to make and packed with fibre, essential fats and antioxidants that boost your immune system.

Once you get the hang of it, it only takes a few minutes to make and you can even put it in a flask and have it on the way to work (obviously not if you are on a bike!) or at your desk.

Challenge yourself! Why don't you see if you can manage to do this every day next week?

:

cup skim milk or unsweetened soy milk

cup apple juice (choose a brand with no added sugar)

? banana

cup berries (e.g. blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. Frozen is fine.)

2 tablespoons ground seed mix

Aim for 1 tablespoon flax seed or linseed

1 tsp each of unroasted & unsalted sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds

Grind in an electric coffee bean grinder, food processor or in a pestle and mortar. If you make a batch in advance, always refrigerate it to prevent the oils from spoiling.

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Drink as soon as possible and enjoy! The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns.

Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Clinical Nutritionist. You can contact Catherine on 291-4725 or clinicalnutritiongmail.com