Classic breakfast from around the world

First meal of the day or breakfast is the most important meal for keeping us healthy and performing effectively throughout the day. An ideal breakfast should contain fibers and low calories. Eating a balanced breakfast each morning provides essential nutrients the body needs to be healthy. The foods eaten in breakfast are differing from country to country. This week, we look at some classic breakfast choices from around the world:
Pakistan:
Traditional breakfast consists of eggs (boiled/scrambled/fried/omelets), a slice of loaf bread or roti, parathas, sheermal with tea or lassi, kulcha with chole, qeema (minced meat), fresh seasonal fruits (mangoes, apples, melons, bananas, etc.), milk, honey, butter, jam, shami kebab or nuts.
Sometimes breakfast includes baked goods like bakarkhani and rusks. During holidays and weekends, halwa poori and chickpeas are favorite breakfast menu. In Punjab villages, sarson ka saag (mustard leaves) and maakai ki roti (cornbread) is a local favorite.
During winter season, a traditional Sunday breakfast might be Siri-Payay (the head and feet of lamb or cow) or Nihari (a dish that is cooked overnight to get the meat extremely tender.
Full UK breakfast:
The full English breakfast consists of fried eggs, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms, marmalade, and fried bread with tea or coffee and hot, buttered toast. Breakfast may also include other items such as baked beans and hash browns.
India:
Indian breakfast comprises of variety of dishes, differ from region to region. The most popular are Masala Paratha, flavorful flat bread. This paratha is a combination of whole wheat flour and besan with a mix of delicious spices. In south India, idli, dosa, upma, poori, vada are some of the most commonly eaten foods while in north India parathas, cheela and puri are most commonly eaten.
Egypt:
The main ingredients of Egyptian cuisine are beans and lentils as well as vegetables and onions. Egyptian breakfast is characterized special full medames. It is made with mashed Fava beans (broad beans) that are cooked with oil, chopped parsley, garlic, lemon juice and salt added to them. Traditionally eaten with pita bread and onions with some pickled vegetables and fresh rocket leaves on the side.
Italy:
Italian breakfasts vary by region and by season. The traditional Italian breakfast mainly includes pastries and a cappuccino or espresso. It consists of caffè latte (hot coffee with milk) or coffee with bread or rolls, butter and jam. Many Italians like a cookie-like rusk hard bread, called fette biscottate in breakfast. Children love to drink hot chocolate, plain milk, or hot milk with very little coffee.
Singapore:
The traditional Singaporean breakfast consists of "Kaya" toast with some runny yolked eggs topped with white pepper and dark soya sauce. Kaya is a custard jam made from egg, coconut, and the vanilla-like herb pandan. The kaya is spread on toasted or charcoal-grilled bread, usually a spongy brown or white loaf, and topped with a square of salty butter or margarine.
Noodles, both stir fried and in broth, are common breakfast options.
Malaysia:
Nasi Lemak is one of the most popular breakfast options in Malaysia. It is a rice delicacy combined with coconut milk, nuts, egg and chicken.
Thosai is another popular Malaysian breakfast dish. It can be best described as a pancake made of lentil batter and served with coconut chutney and sambar. Lentils lower blood sugar levels and their dietary fibers help maintain a good digestive health.
Turkey:
Breakfast in Turkey is a unique way of starting an active day. A classic Turkish breakfast consists of fresh cheese, black and green olives, fresh-baked white bread, fruit preserves, honey, sweet butter and plenty of brewed black tea served in Turkish tea glasses.
Another great breakfast classic with eggs is called "menemen." It is a juicy, spicy version of scrambled eggs with onions, red and green peppers, and tomatoes. Soup is also a common staple for breakfast in many homes, especially during the winter months.
China:
The Traditional breakfasts vary by region. Chinese people usually eat soyabean milk and deep-fried dough sticks, steamed buns stuffed with meat, tofu pudding, wheat noodles, or rice noodles for breakfast.
Steamed bun are available in salty and sugary flavors. Salty flavored buns are stuffed with ground meat, eggplant, eggs, and vegetables, while Sweet flavored buns are stuffed with bean paste, creamy custard, sesame seeds, and sugar.
Korea:
A Korean breakfast is similar to a Korean dinner. It comprises of rice, soup, the radish strip kimchi, meat (beef or fish), and other leftovers from the previous night's dinner. Other side dishes are spicy seafood salad, bean sprout rice, spicy stewed fish, cold cucumber soup.
Japan:
A traditional Japanese breakfast consists of steamed rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and different types of side dishes. Side dishes may include tsukemono (Japanese pickles), nori (dried seasoned seaweed), natto (fermented soyabeans), kobachi (small side dishes which usually consist of vegetables), and a green salad.
Iran:
The basic traditional Iranian breakfast consists of a variety of flat breads, butter, Tabrizi white cheese, feta cheese, whipped heavy cream (sarshir, often sweetened), oranges, radish, cucumber, a variety of fruit jams, and lebneh. In addition, make lebneh yogurt and large pinch of salt are mixed together in a bowl. Then yogurt is poured into a cheesecloth lined strainer and suspended strainer over a bowl. The yogurt strains overnight or until most of the liquid has drained from the yogurt.
Oman:
The tea is a thick, sweet mixture of black tea, condensed milk, sugar, and spices, ranging from za'atar (a mix including thyme) to mixed masala and saffron. Khabeesa is also a popular breakfast food which is semolina or cream of wheat cooked into porridge like consistency, flavoured with saffron, rosewater and cardamom. khubz ragag, a paper-thin Omani bread, which is covered with spreadable white cheese, quick-cooked egg, and crushed, chili-flavored chips Oman potato chips.
Points to remember:
-- people who eat breakfast are more active in the morning than those who skip breakfast.
-- kids who eat eggs for breakfast feel fuller longer and consume fewer calories at lunch than kids who eat cereal or oatmeal.
-- eating breakfast decreases the risk of having a stroke, heart attack and obesity.
-- a study from The Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University found that the majority of people who are "effortlessly thin" tend to eat fruit, cereal or granola for breakfast.
-- a study from Louisiana State University found that a hearty (250 calorie) serving of oatmeal for breakfast results in reduced calorie intake at lunch.
-- according to the International Journal of Dental Hygiene, teenagers who skip breakfast are significantly more likely to suffer from bad breath than teens that eat breakfast.
-- people with type 2 diabetes can reduce blood sugar spikes later in the day by starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast.
-- breakfast skippers soon feel sluggish and persuade to eat at irregular timings to perk up energy levels.
-- a study from Kings College (London) analyzing the results of 28 previous studies found the old saying, "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper" to be backed by scientific evidence, noting that keeping calories down late at night is key to combating obesity.