The Princess of Wales boasts an enviable physique thanks in part to her breakfast routine which is reportedly oatmeal-heavy.
The question on everyone’s lips…. What’s so special about Kate’s breakfast regime and why are oats thought to be so incredibly good for our health?
In short, as nutritionist Charlotte Faure Green explains, oats are jam-packed with soluble fibre, making us feel fuller for longer.
According to Charlotte, “This can curb those mid-morning or late-night cravings, making it easier to stick to a lower calorie intake across the day. The fibre in oats also helps regulate blood sugar levels, which is crucial for weight management.”
In a bid to discover whether the royal’s staple oats really are the ultimate morning superfood, I ate porridge for an entire working week.
I stopped eating unhealthy snacks
Typically, at breakfast time, you’ll find me eating a single banana or a yoghurt teamed with a steaming cup of coffee. This means that by 11am, I’m already hankering for a little pick-me-up.
When I switched up my breakfast routine and swapped my pitiful breakfast for a bowl of hearty oats, however, the urge to snack completely vanished.
What’s the science behind this? Charlotte says, “The complex carbohydrates in oats provide a steady release of energy, keeping you fuelled and satisfied – no sudden spikes and crashes that often lead to reaching for unhealthy snacks.”
This sense of satisfaction continued after lunch! I wasn’t tempted to snack before dinner and I felt much fuller for longer throughout the entire day.
I had more energy in the morning
As expected, eating a nourishing bowl of creamy oats in the morning really did set me up for a busy day in the office. While I tend to struggle with the early morning wake-up calls, eating porridge definitely provided me with that much-needed boost of energy.
“When you eat in the morning, you’re essentially breaking the overnight fast and fuelling up your body and brain,” Charlotte explains.
“It kick-starts your metabolism, replenishes your glucose levels, and helps improve your focus and mood. Plus, it sets the tone for healthier eating throughout the day. So, breakfast isn’t just a meal; it’s a morning power-up!”
So, when is the best time to eat breakfast? According to Charlotte, our bodies usually run out of fuel in the early hours of the morning, meaning that we should ideally eat breakfast within an hour of waking.
“It tells our body that there is no famine, and to switch off cortisol-assisted glucose production, lowering stress,” Charlotte adds.
