You've heard it countless times before – don't skimp on breakfast! Start the day off with a good power breakfast to fuel your body and mind and you'll be amazed at the results. It is important to get the right balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Here are some tasty ideas for natural alternatives to the five cups of coffee that normally get you through the long working day.

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Perfect porridge: Good old-fashioned oatmeal porridge will provide you with an excellent slow-releasing carbohydrate. Pour in some low-fat or soy milk, add some chopped almonds (for your dose of "good" fat and protein) and sweeten with sliced sultanas.

Or you can soak the oatmeal porridge overnight in soy milk and in the morning mix in sunflower seeds, dried fruit and some more soy milk to taste.

Energiser smoothie: Blend a handful of almonds, a handful of raisins, 1 banana, 1/2 cup of Jungle oat bran, 1/2 cup of All-bran flakes, 3/4 cup of low-fat milk and 1/2 cup of low-fat vanilla yoghurt.

Toasty, very toasty: A slice of wholewheat toast with peanut butter (which is low in salt and sugar) or almond or sunflower-seed butter.

Or you can skip the peanut butter and go for baked beans-on-toast with a polyunsaturated fat spread. One slice of toast will not be enough however so you should also have some fresh fruit or a fruit salad or how about a winter treat of stewed fruit and cinnamon?

Morning drinks call: Cinnamon herbal tea is a great internal warmer in winter, while fennel and peppermint tea soothe indigestion. A glass of fresh fruit will also go a long way and if you are going to have coffee, try a coffee substitute with soy milk. Why not try apple and carrot juice – the ultimate detoxifying and immune-boosting drink.

Breakfast no-nos: Carbohydrate-only breakfasts: You can't only have breakfast cereal in the morning, because most of them contain sugar (or you sprinkle liberal amounts of the sweet stuff over the cereal). If you do, your blood sugar level will increase rapidly, but will also plummet mid-day leaving you tired and vulnerable to the cafeteria trolley.

Greasy breakfasts: Although fried eggs, bacon and tomato taste real good, they are just oozing with fat that will make you sluggish and the last hours of work virtually unbearable. On top of all this, a fry-up is very bad for your heart.

Coffee and sugar: If you are one of those people who have gulped down four cups of coffee before lunch time, consider this. Your high intake of the stimulants, caffeine and sugar, will set your pulse racing and will leave you feeling even more stressed. Too much coffee also deteriorates your body's supply of the anti-stress mineral magnesium.
 

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