Warm water, soaked almonds or medicines: What's the first thing you should eat / drink in the morning?

Avoid tea or coffee; instead, make a smoothie with double-toned milk and chia seeds for a hydration and minerals boost. (Photo by Lina Kivaka via Pexels)

Warm water, warm water with lemon juice and honey, a piece of fruit, a green juice, or your thyroid medicine, there's conflicting health advice on the first thing to have in the morning.

Health experts toss up a food spin, leaving you confused about the best thing for very first intake in the morning. Breakfast arrives much later, but what is advisable as the first ingestion as soon as you wake up? Read on.

Is the first thing you put in your mouth really that important?

Bengaluru-based consultant nutritionist and dietitian, and founder of e-clinic 360 Degree Nutricare, Deepalekha Banerjee says: “Once you wake up, within 30 minutes to maximum one hour, you must replenish your body with healthy nutrients to power the day. Else the body breaks down protein in the muscles to generate energy.”

Many of us wake up and make way for a yoga session, a jog or a brisk walk. But it's important to think about what we eat or drink before we head out for these fitness routines, too.

While some of us wake up hungry, others can't even think of eating or drinking so early in the day.

Explains nutrition and fitness coach Prateek Kumar, founder, FitCru, in Mumbai: “Simply feeling hungry in the morning isn’t necessarily an indicator of a good or bad metabolic rate. Remember, our hunger can be influenced by factors including individual eating patterns, hormone levels, and the previous day's food intake. Choose your first intake based on: Hydration - drinking water or hydrating fluids can replenish fluid loss during sleep and support optimal bodily functions. Nutrient density – eating nutrient-dense foods including whole fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and lean protein sources, brings in a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Personal preference – you need to feel happy, energized and satisfied while eating to ensure overall wellbeing.”

With intermittent fasting setting mega goals for a large majority, the window between the first ingestion and the consumption of the larger meal is determined by individual preferences. “Some wait several hours after their first ingestion before eating a full meal, others choose to have their first ingestion closer to regular breakfast time. If you want intermittent fasting to promote fat burn and weight loss, maintain a longer gap between the first ingestion and breakfast,” advises Kumar.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

“As your first ingestion, sipping a glass of warm water with a dose of vitamin C (lime juice/ amla) boosts your metabolism,” says Priya Palan, dietitian, Zen Multispecialty Hospital, Chembur, Mumbai.

The antioxidant power of Vitamin C also doubles up as an immunity builder.

While you might skate off to the gymnasium as per your routine, remember working out on an empty stomach isn’t recommended as high intensity exercises can give you muscle spasms and dizziness.

It is important to respect the time gap between your first ingestion and the start of your daily routine. Space out the two with 45 minutes for best results and maintain hydration during your workouts too.

How to add more nuts and seeds

You could make the fluid intake more nutrient dense with the inclusion of dry fruits in your first intake.

Says Banerjee, “A light preparation like skimmed / double toned milk with few nuts and a fruit, or a smoothie made using chia or flax seeds sets the energy level at the start of your day. Never make tea or coffee the first ingestion as tannin and caffeine tend to shoot up the blood sugar level suddenly. When the body is tired, especially sleep starved, the sudden spike in blood sugar level impacts your nervous system, brain functioning and metabolic rate.” Optionally, consume a whole fruit (not juice). The fructose gives energy to the body to kickstart the day. Pectin in fruits like apples is a soluble fibre that works as a food binder in the digestive tract.

Explains Palan, “Chewing dry fruits in the morning brings in a rich dose of antioxidants and essential nutrients. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, raisins, figs among other dried fruits soaked overnight are a perfect pick. Rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre, they to help you stay full. A handful of 8-10 nuts boosts your diet. Soaked overnight, peeled almonds offer better nutrient availability and digestibility. Else almonds can be tough to digest as the skin has anti-nutrients, tannins, and phytic acid that can interfere with other nutrient absorption.”

Don’t have the bandwidth to soak and peel? Don't worry. “Nut skin brings in added fibre content... In most nuts, the minerals and vitamins are available near or in the skin of the nuts,” reasons Banerjee.

Actionable tips

We’re on the run the entire day, juggling stressful deadlines. Blending raw veggies for that green glug is a dream for the average individual. To combat the three common areas of concern, tuck in right.

If you have acidity, a ripe banana is your first ingestion ninja, with its alkaline pH. It neutralises stomach acids, creating a coating layer in the stomach and oesophageal wall and betters the Ph level of the tummy. Avoid intake of any other fruit if you have acid reflux history.

Do you take a daily dose of Thyronorm? Maintain a gap of 30 minutes after popping the pill for complete absorption into your blood stream as certain elements including calcium and iron, can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medication.