In order to have enough energy as well as proper nutrition for physicality, everyone should eat three meals per day. Each meal certainly has its own role and nutritional value.
A warning sent out by the
World Health Organization (WHO) stated that 70% of cases of disease are closely
related to an unfavorable diet. It has been proven that even if we eat three
meals per day, if they are erratic then one may still end up needing to see a
doctor.
But if we look at the
criteria of having an effective recovery for your body then breakfast is the
most important meal. The reason is very simple, because your body expends lot
energy while sleeping. It wouldn’t be correct if you think that your body shuts
down and is passive during sleep. It is said that antibodies against hepatitis,
influenza, and that are antiviral are rejuvenated during sleep. Collagen fibers
that keep skin’s elasticity are recycled and RBC is produced by the marrow of
bones, in a much faster tempo than compared with day time.
Therefore our body,
especially our brain, consumes our energy while sleeping, even more than a
person who work hard like an athlete. That is the reason why a patient
suffering from any chronic illness will have a slower recovery if they don’t
sleep well and long enough. It is also these reasons why we need to eat when we
wake up.
Once knowing that
breakfast is so important, the next practical question is what type of
breakfast will be the most beneficial to our health. To be able to find the
answer, researchers at the Paris University have studied all different types of
breakfast from all over the world.
Their answer was based in
objectivity, it was a surprise to nutritional experts, because the answer is soup,
such as “Phở”, fresh rice noodle with
beef, fresh rice noodle with pork or porridge. It seems that our own foods will
be the best for our health. International experts from developed countries
received low rating for a heavy breakfast served with bread, butter, jam and
ham. Compliments were extended to the Asian community because our breakfast
always includes dishes served with, or as, soup.
Dishes served with soup
will help diners feel full longer because it slows down the process of
metabolising and converting sugar. This helps to suppress appetite even just a
few hours after breakfast.
Enhance resistance to
diseases and specifically the function to mobilize phagocytic and leukocytes
thanks to the diversity of our breakfast. Our breakfast changes daily, unlike
that of Western countries.
Release the hormone that
brings optimism, like endorphins out of the pituitary gland which makes diners
feel happy before they have left the restaurant.
All the advantages of a
breakfast-style "made in Vietnam" would be feasible only if it is
clean and delicious. In other words, if you want to eat well you have to eat
delicious foods. If it is possible to fulfill all the criteria mentioned above
in our country, unique and diverse dishes will
be undoubtedly indispensable to our country's tourism, adding more
points to compete with other countries.
Vietnamese food is
interesting. Not only in the figurative but it is clever when it is simple, yet
very profound. Breakfast also was known as a temporary meal. Greet a new day by
having a good breakfast to be able to have full energy to make everyone happy,
nothing else could be cleverer?
Dr Hoang Le Luong
(Extracted from articles about Medicine in
Vietnam Cuisine dedicated only to 2014 Golden Spoon contest)