0:00:02 > 0:00:04Every day, we are bombarded with conflicting information
0:00:04 > 0:00:06about our favourite foods.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13One minute, we are told something is good for us, the next, it's not
0:00:13 > 0:00:16and we are left feeling guilty about what we are eating.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22So, we have been wading through the confusion
0:00:22 > 0:00:24to separate the scare stories from the truth
0:00:24 > 0:00:27so that you can choose your food with confidence.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Hello and thank you so much for joining us on the programme
0:00:34 > 0:00:38that unravels the truth behind all those baffling headlines
0:00:38 > 0:00:41and theories, telling us all what we should and shouldn't be eating.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43There are so many scare stories around,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46you can easily forget that food is something to enjoy,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48but even if, like me, you are fed up of being warned away
0:00:48 > 0:00:51from the stuff you like, you'll still want to know how much
0:00:51 > 0:00:53of the advice we are getting really stacks up.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57And whilst we all do know that what we eat has a massive impact
0:00:57 > 0:00:59on our energy levels and even our moods,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02today, we'll be finding out what difference is made by how we cook it
0:01:02 > 0:01:04and I find this really interesting,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06even what time of the day that we have it.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08Coming up -
0:01:08 > 0:01:11after new reports claiming you might not need it,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13we have a test to see if having breakfast
0:01:13 > 0:01:15makes any difference to your day.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18The full English - how did that go for you? What was good about that?
0:01:18 > 0:01:20I just felt fuller. Like, usually of a morning,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23I don't get full until, like, lunchtime.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27We have another experiment too - to find out if it is true
0:01:27 > 0:01:30that instead of three square meals, you would be better off with six
0:01:30 > 0:01:32or even just one.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34I thought I'd easily be able to eat it all
0:01:34 > 0:01:36but I am starting to struggle now.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And as we discover the truth behind warnings about cooking
0:01:39 > 0:01:41with olive oil and even barbecues,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44we have surprising advice on the best way to cook your veg.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Almost a third of people say they don't eat breakfast
0:01:51 > 0:01:54so it must be music to their ears when they see newspaper reports
0:01:54 > 0:01:57suggesting that it might not be the most important meal of the day
0:01:57 > 0:01:59after all, as the age-old adage goes.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00But to find out once and for all
0:02:00 > 0:02:03what difference a good breakfast makes to your day
0:02:03 > 0:02:06and what it should be, we drafted in a family of volunteers
0:02:06 > 0:02:09to put some of our favourite breakfasts to the test.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15We are spoiled for choice on how to start the day.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18My typical breakfast is actually fruit.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Fruit or yoghurt, to be honest.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23I just love my eggs and I love my Weetabix.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26But I do think that it does start you off for the day,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29even if it is a very light...
0:02:29 > 0:02:31You should have something before you go out.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35For breakfast, I choose porridge cos it helps me go to the bathroom.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38- Most important meal of the day.- You don't want to go out of the house
0:02:38 > 0:02:40feeling hungry, so you need to eat something.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42We only have an egg-and-bacon breakfast
0:02:42 > 0:02:44maybe Saturday or a Sunday morning,
0:02:44 > 0:02:49so during the week, we are back to porridge, cereals,
0:02:49 > 0:02:50boring stuff.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54But... And that is it, just to try and keep as healthy as you can.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59But whilst that lot and millions more of us
0:02:59 > 0:03:01think that we are doing the right thing by having breakfast,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04there's a whole host of reports and headlines saying
0:03:04 > 0:03:06it might not be that simple.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10For me, breakfast is a must and I suppose it goes right back
0:03:10 > 0:03:13to my growing up days when my mum, bless her, would never let us
0:03:13 > 0:03:16go to school without a cooked breakfast, every single day.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18But there are some people who say, do you know what,
0:03:18 > 0:03:22I just don't need breakfast, I don't like it, I just don't want it.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25So, at the end of it all, is it a question of preference and choice
0:03:25 > 0:03:28or does breakfast really do you some good?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Well, to help us test if breakfast really is essential,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34and if so, what is the best thing to eat,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37we have called in the Meegan family from Liverpool.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Mandy, who is the mum of the family, finds it a constant battle
0:03:40 > 0:03:43to get the kids fed and ready for the day ahead.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45- Come on, Os.- Come on, Os.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47And it is one that she doesn't always win.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Come on, lads.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51On a regular basis, every morning,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55I have lots and lots of healthy food in the kitchen
0:03:55 > 0:03:59and that can range from cereal, eggs, bacon, bananas.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01However, your kids get to a certain age
0:04:01 > 0:04:04where they will want to eat what they want to eat.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Ten-year-old Oscar is nuts about cereal,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11scoffing nearly a box of his favourite every fortnight.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I like sweet and sugary cereals...
0:04:15 > 0:04:19..because they are, like, tasty.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21But like almost a third of us,
0:04:21 > 0:04:2513-year-old Tilly eats nothing at all in the mornings.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27I don't really think much about breakfast,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30I don't really have time to cos I've got to get to school.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Meanwhile, Mandy is determined to start her day
0:04:35 > 0:04:37with something nutritious.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Of a morning, I do have a green smoothie...
0:04:41 > 0:04:45..because I like it and it makes me feel energised
0:04:45 > 0:04:46and it fills me up.
0:04:46 > 0:04:47Lovely.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51- Smells like...- It smells like... - ..loads of...- ..poo.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56For the next few days,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58they'll all give up their usual start to the day
0:04:58 > 0:05:01and instead, road test a bunch of different breakfasts
0:05:01 > 0:05:03that we'll send round each morning.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04And then we will see which one
0:05:04 > 0:05:06leaves them feeling the most energised.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Running the experiment for us is nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston
0:05:10 > 0:05:13who, like me, is a big fan of breakfast.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18How important overall do you think it is for people to have breakfast?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21I think breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day
0:05:21 > 0:05:23and I think that when we have a good breakfast
0:05:23 > 0:05:27and we keep our fuel levels more stable throughout the day,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29we make better choices throughout the rest of the day.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32I find that if I have eggs in the morning, that my energy level
0:05:32 > 0:05:35all day is really good, but if I just had a bit of toast,
0:05:35 > 0:05:36even if it was wholemeal,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39- it wouldn't have the same effect at all.- No, absolutely, same here.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41So I wouldn't be without a good breakfast in the morning
0:05:41 > 0:05:43unless I really could not manage
0:05:43 > 0:05:46but I would always try to have a good breakfast to start me off.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48It has long been argued that a good breakfast sets us up
0:05:48 > 0:05:52for the day and can also reduce the amount that we snack,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54but the anti-breakfast camp points to research
0:05:54 > 0:05:57that found skipping breakfast didn't have a significant effect
0:05:57 > 0:06:01on either the body's metabolism or indeed eating patterns.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04So which side of the fence will the Meegans come down on
0:06:04 > 0:06:07after trying our breakfast selections?
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Over four mornings, we will send them
0:06:09 > 0:06:12four different starts to the day and they will have no idea
0:06:12 > 0:06:15what is destined for their plates until we deliver it.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16- ALL:- Oh.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- MANDY CHUCKLES - Nice.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Yvonne's kick-starting the experiment with a much-loved brekky
0:06:22 > 0:06:23and indeed my own favourite.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28Nice eggs, nice bit of bacon. Only eight rashers, that's all right.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Today's box is all the goodies that the Meegans need
0:06:31 > 0:06:33to rustle up a hearty full English.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38Right, look, I'm going to give the drill, you are on sausages.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Sausages cook first. Get the tinfoil out, Till.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Normally, they'd only have a cooked breakfast as a treat
0:06:44 > 0:06:46so they are delighted.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52I think this is better cos there is more variety.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Yeah, you've got bigger food but you have got variety.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57You've got your meat, all that malarkey.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04It might look a lot, but it should keep the Meegans going for longer
0:07:04 > 0:07:07and it might even make them eat less throughout the day.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11One study suggests that eating up to 700 calories at breakfast,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14followed by a small lunch and dinner,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17cuts the amount we snack throughout the day.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20This is a really big plate of food with lots of protein.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22It is going to digest slowly over the morning and I would expect
0:07:22 > 0:07:26the family to feel fuller, more satisfied and I would expect them
0:07:26 > 0:07:30to have better stamina and energy as they go through their morning.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34A cooked breakfast has got a lot less sugar
0:07:34 > 0:07:37than Oscar's regular cereal, and for Tilly, who is normally
0:07:37 > 0:07:41used to nothing for breakfast, it has immediately given her a boost.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44If we didn't have a breakfast this morning,
0:07:44 > 0:07:45I'd probably be starving now.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48but because I've had a full English, I just feel fine
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and I don't feel hungry and I feel I've got energy for the rest of the day.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54After 40 minutes, I would say I felt more energised
0:07:54 > 0:07:57and ready to go home and wash their school uniforms.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02The protein in the meat and eggs is great fuel for the family
0:08:02 > 0:08:05but there is more good stuff on the plate as well.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09There's wholemeal bread on this breakfast, putting in the vitamins,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11minerals and fibre. The tomatoes, obviously great,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13full of important antioxidants like lycopene.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Eggs bring us sources of iron and vitamins and minerals.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19And presumably scrambled egg better than a fried egg?
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Yes, or a poached egg would probably be even better.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Grilling the meat and cutting off any extra fat would also make
0:08:27 > 0:08:30this breakfast better, but Yvonne would go one step further
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and swap the bacon and sausage for vegetarian alternatives
0:08:33 > 0:08:36which would be lower in fat and salt.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39She'd also add some more protein-packed extras
0:08:39 > 0:08:40like baked beans or mushrooms.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44Back in Liverpool, it is day two
0:08:44 > 0:08:46and our second box has arrived.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Let's have a little look in here.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51- Oh! - THEY LAUGH
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Well, yous are made up.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Today's choice is the nation's preferred start to the day -
0:08:59 > 0:09:02cereal - and Yvonne has chosen Oscar's favourite -
0:09:02 > 0:09:04honey and nut coated flakes.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06- You'd eat that, wouldn't you?- Yeah.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11Almost two-thirds of people who eat breakfast choose cereal,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14but mum Mandy is not impressed.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18I just think it is non-descript, it is like having sweets.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- What about you, Oscar, do you feel full?- Yeah.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Neither Mandy nor Tilly are won over,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28even though Tilly wouldn't normally have any breakfast at all.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31After my brekky this morning, I feel just the same really,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33I don't really feel much different.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36It's not my chosen breakfast because it's too sugary
0:09:36 > 0:09:40and I am not used eating cereal at all.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44The reason Mandy hates the cereal is probably why Oscar loves it.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47It is sweet. So sweet in fact that his favourite brand
0:09:47 > 0:09:50contains more than 11g of sugar in a portion
0:09:50 > 0:09:54and that is more than a third of a standard 30g serving.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Trouble is, one study found that most of us
0:09:56 > 0:09:59put far more than 30g of cereal into the bowl
0:09:59 > 0:10:03and that means we are probably eating more sugar than we realise.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06A lot of the cereals that we get in, they are really refined,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08they are really processed and they have been loaded with sugar.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11There is not a lot of inherent flavour left in them
0:10:11 > 0:10:13so they have to add a lot of sugar in to make them taste nice
0:10:13 > 0:10:16and sometimes quite a lot of salt as well, actually.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20This kind of breakfast might impact our mood, our energy levels
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and affect the types of food we eat later on in the day.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26It is not a breakfast that Yvonne would recommend.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29If we fill up on sugary cereal first thing,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31our blood sugar is going to go high,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33we are going to release the sugar storage hormone insulin,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36it's going to drop our blood sugar down, we are going to be irritable,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40we might be feeling more emotional, we might be feeling that we are
0:10:40 > 0:10:43craving more sugar and more things to pick that blood sugar back up
0:10:43 > 0:10:47again and that, over time, can lead to us producing too much body fat
0:10:47 > 0:10:50and it can lead to obesity and diabetes.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53So, what is your advice generally in doing the best for yourself
0:10:53 > 0:10:56and your children in terms of cereal?
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Get used to how to read a label because on the back of that label,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02it will tell you how much sugar there is in there
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and that is the part that says carbohydrates, of which sugars.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09So when we had a look, we found that the cereals ranged between
0:11:09 > 0:11:13about 6% sugar and about 37% sugar.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- And what should it be?- If we can get a cereal that is about 10% sugar
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and even more, ideally, choose a wholegrain cereal,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22one where you haven't had the natural nutrients processed out.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Look for a cereal that has some nuts, that has some seeds
0:11:25 > 0:11:28and has some things in there that are going to add some protein
0:11:28 > 0:11:32and add some good fats and help us to digest that more slowly.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35They help to keep our blood sugar levels more balanced throughout
0:11:35 > 0:11:39the day, so our blood sugar isn't fluctuating up and down, making us
0:11:39 > 0:11:42hungry and irritable and wanting more sugar to keep us going.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47It's halfway through the Meegans' breakfast experiment.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49They have two mornings to go, but on one of them,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51they can expect a big surprise.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54We'll find out exactly what that is later on in the programme.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02How many times a day do you have a meal?
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Well, for generations,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06we've been told to eat three square meals every day.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Two relatively small ones and a big main meal
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and it is something the overwhelming majority of us still stick to today.
0:12:12 > 0:12:13I mean, I know I do.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16We have our main meal in the evening but I know that we eat too late.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19All that traffic, getting home, it is eight, half past eight
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- and that's not good.- But it seems a case of old habits may not always be
0:12:22 > 0:12:25the best ones, so we are going to put that to the test.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Most of the time, I still stick to the three meals a day
0:12:31 > 0:12:34I was brought up on, but that is not how everyone does it.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Could I ask you, how many meals do you eat a day?
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- Meals a day? Oh, five. - Five meals a day?- Yes.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43- Three.- Three?
0:12:43 > 0:12:46- And that's your traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner?- Yup.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- And is that...?- I'm the same. I cook them for him...- You cook them, so...
0:12:49 > 0:12:50THEY LAUGH
0:12:50 > 0:12:52- One.- One?- One main meal, yeah.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- OK. Which meal's that?- Evening.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59- So, you have lots of smaller meals throughout the day?- Yes.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02- So, you get most of your calories from one main meal?- Yep.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- OK, that's very good, and why is that?- Cos I'll get fat.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09If the headlines are to be believed,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12any number other than three seems to be the way forward.
0:13:12 > 0:13:18From one or two big meals a day to six or even nine small ones,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20each has been claimed to be better for us
0:13:20 > 0:13:22than we've traditionally been told.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25So what is the truth about how often we should eat?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Well, with the help of nutritionist, Ian Marber,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31we have set up an experiment to see what effect
0:13:31 > 0:13:35three very different eating patterns will have on our volunteers.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Mitch, Chloe and Matt all work together
0:13:37 > 0:13:38at this call centre in Leeds.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Matt is going to eat just one large meal in the middle of the day,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Chloe will spread her normal daily calories over six meals
0:13:48 > 0:13:51and Mitch will stick to the traditional three meals a day.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- I'm quite happy with three square meals.- I know, it's your normal day.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- Yeah.- I'll just watch you, enviously.
0:13:56 > 0:13:57CHLOE LAUGHS
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Ian and I will be keeping a careful watch on all three
0:14:00 > 0:14:02to see how their mealtimes impact on them,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05not just physically, but mentally, too.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08There are two issues here. First, there is the emotional response
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and there's the physiological response and the emotional response
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- of watching other people eat is that you want something to eat.- Yeah.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17It may be that Matt doesn't normally eat something till lunchtime
0:14:17 > 0:14:19anyway, but of course, human nature is, the moment you're told
0:14:19 > 0:14:23you can't have something, you want it, that is the way we're built.
0:14:23 > 0:14:268am and it is time for breakfast.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Mitch is about to tuck in to his first of three meals -
0:14:29 > 0:14:30a bacon butty.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Chloe is kicking off her six-meal plan with a plate of scrambled eggs
0:14:34 > 0:14:35and an apple.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40But the only thing on Matt's menu is a rather uninspiring glass of water.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Right, let's tuck in, Mitch. Sorry, Matt!
0:14:42 > 0:14:43CHLOE LAUGHS
0:14:45 > 0:14:47So, Mitch and Chloe have got a fairly hearty breakfast,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49- haven't they?- Yes. Scrambled eggs...
0:14:49 > 0:14:51So, of course, she's got protein
0:14:51 > 0:14:53and protein breaks down quite slowly into glucose
0:14:53 > 0:14:56- so I would expect that to give her energy for two or three hours.- OK.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59So, in fact, she would probably be feeling quite normal
0:14:59 > 0:15:01and quite sort of powered up.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06But Matt hasn't eaten yet today and by mid-morning, he's feeling tired.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08His glucose levels will be fairly low.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Physiologically, he'll be feeling one thing,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12psychologically, he'll probably be feeling quite deprived.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Chloe however is on six meals a day.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17That is very different from her regular eating pattern
0:15:17 > 0:15:21and her body is not yet telling her it is ready for the next meal.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24She's just about to eat again, she's not actually hungry,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27nor really looking forward or wanting to eat again.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29If that sort of normal?
0:15:29 > 0:15:31From a physiological perspective, entirely normal,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35to be expected, but had she had a huge bowl of processed cereal
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and a cup of caffeinated coffee with sugar in it, for instance,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40the energy may have had similar calories,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43the energy it created would have run out very quickly,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45simply because they are simple carbohydrates.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47It's 11 o'clock in the call centre
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and time for Chloe's second meal.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Meanwhile, Mitch is a little peckish but his energy levels are OK.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Poor Matt, though, he has only had that glass of water
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and he's feeling really hungry and rather sluggish.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02It's not long.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- Not long to lunch.- It is quite long.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08It's not long. I need to tell myself it's not long.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Mind over matter.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Matt's one-meal diet may sound extreme
0:16:13 > 0:16:17but in fact in Roman times, it was pretty much the norm.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19And in many European countries today,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21it's still the case that the largest meal of the day
0:16:21 > 0:16:25is at lunchtime with a lighter one in the evening.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Research has shown that this approach can help lower
0:16:28 > 0:16:32your blood sugar and cholesterol and help you lose weight.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35But for Matt, who is running on empty, waiting for his one and only
0:16:35 > 0:16:37lunchtime meal is really taking its toll.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40I'm really hungry now and I'm now really tired
0:16:40 > 0:16:41and a bit foggy headed.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47It's finally lunchtime and Matt's only meal of the day is a whopper.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50It's roughly the same amount he'd normally get through in a day
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and is made up of the kind of foods he likes to eat.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57The big difference of course is that today, they are all in one sitting.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Oh, wow, Matt.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01Oh, yes.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04THEY LAUGH
0:17:06 > 0:17:07I went into this quite arrogantly
0:17:07 > 0:17:09but this is going to be a bit of a challenge.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12You reckon you can eat everything, don't you? I don't think you can.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15- I can definitely...- What are you going to start with, Matt?
0:17:15 > 0:17:17THEY LAUGH
0:17:17 > 0:17:18- Enjoy.- Yeah, let's go.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Chloe is struggling to face eating again
0:17:22 > 0:17:25just two hours after her last small meal.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29I'm not overly hungry, so even this is over-facing me a little bit,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32so that would... I just don't think I could do it.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Matt has a huge pile of food to get through.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38In fact, an hour later,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42while the others are back at their desks, he is still eating.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48I am slowing down much more than I thought I would.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51When I first saw it, cos I hadn't eaten the whole day,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53I thought I'd easily be able to eat it all,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55but I'm starting to struggle now.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57We have all skipped breakfast at one stage or another
0:17:57 > 0:18:00but certainly wouldn't necessarily sit down
0:18:00 > 0:18:03to that enormous amount of food in one go.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05And of course, he will have had quite a lot of carbohydrates,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08quite a lot of everything, actually, and I suspect afterwards,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10he will feel unusually tired, for two reasons.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13First of all, the digestive system is working hard,
0:18:13 > 0:18:14using up a lot of energy,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16and also, he has been running on adrenaline, so effectively,
0:18:16 > 0:18:18those adrenal glands will switch off
0:18:18 > 0:18:20and so he doesn't have that extra kick, as it were,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22and he will begin to relax
0:18:22 > 0:18:24and probably find it quite difficult to concentrate.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26While Matt struggles to cope
0:18:26 > 0:18:29after his one and only massive meal of the day,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Chloe, on her six small meals, is doing rather well.
0:18:33 > 0:18:34Chloe's body, by the way,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37is actually going to be nicely regulated throughout the day.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40That's what I expect, because eating little and often means
0:18:40 > 0:18:43you've got glucose being created, which makes energy,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45then as soon as the glucose starts to run out
0:18:45 > 0:18:47and your blood glucose levels come down, she is going to be
0:18:47 > 0:18:51eating again so she will probably make a better food decision.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53So, as Chloe gets ready to eat her fourth meal,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Matt has hit a wall and has gone for a lie down.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00And that's as you'd expect, isn't it? He's overloaded his body.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03He's overloaded, yes, and simply, his lack of energy is simply
0:19:03 > 0:19:06because his digestive system is taking up a lot of energy
0:19:06 > 0:19:07and leaving less for him.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12It's six o'clock and as the workday draws to an end,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Matt is still recovering from his feast.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Chloe is getting ready for meal number five
0:19:16 > 0:19:20and Mitch is preparing for his main meal of the day.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25He has got soup and chicken with vegetables and dressing.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27So I guess this one's mine then.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Yeah, and no guessing which one's Matt's.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Another exciting meal.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35This is Mitch's last meal of the day, so hopefully,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37it will be enough to see him through.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41With the working day over, our volunteers go home
0:19:41 > 0:19:44and eight hours after his only meal,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Matt is having a surprising reaction to his lunchtime feast.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52I felt fine all evening, I've had no cravings, and surprisingly,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54I think I like this diet more as the day has gone on.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56So, it was a big effort at lunch,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58it was a big effort in the morning to not eat anything
0:19:58 > 0:20:01but now I feel normal, I think it's worked out OK over the whole day.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03I could get used to it.
0:20:03 > 0:20:04Mitch is feeling good, too,
0:20:04 > 0:20:09although he has had less of a change from his normal routine.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12I'm still feeling quite energetic, not feeling tired,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15usually feel a bit more tired at this point in the day.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Erm, I'm definitely not hungry
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and have not been tempted to eat anything.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24There are lots of conflicting claims about when is best to eat
0:20:24 > 0:20:27but it is generally believed that eating a big meal
0:20:27 > 0:20:29just before bed means the body is more likely to store
0:20:29 > 0:20:33calories as fat rather than burn it off as energy.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Having your biggest meal at lunchtime
0:20:35 > 0:20:37and something lighter in the evening has the opposite effect
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and like Chloe's six-meal plan,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41has been shown to help weight loss, too,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44probably because, as Chloe is discovering, it keeps you full.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49It's time for her sixth and final meal of the day.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52I'm not really hungry, I was sort of relaxed on the sofa,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55I don't usually eat at this time so I am not used to it.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Erm, but I'm going to eat it anyway.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03While eating so often was a struggle for Chloe, she was never hungry,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07so you could say she fared the best in today's experiment.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Maybe that is because her mini mealtimes perhaps came closest
0:21:10 > 0:21:13to what many experts do recommend.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Breakfast within an hour of getting up,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18lunch three to four hours later,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20then a mid-afternoon snack,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24dinner around six to avoid overloading your body before bed
0:21:24 > 0:21:27and finally, a late snack to keep you full.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29But while three meals and two healthy snacks
0:21:29 > 0:21:32might generally be considered the best approach,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Ian says there is no need to get too hung up on exactly
0:21:35 > 0:21:39how many meals you split your daily calories into.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41What has happened is that the human body is very adaptable
0:21:41 > 0:21:44and so if they were to continue this experiment for weeks and weeks
0:21:44 > 0:21:46and weeks, so eat once a day, three times a day,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48five or six times a day,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52the metabolism adapts and what will happen over a period of time
0:21:52 > 0:21:55is that you begin to become very used to what you are doing.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58They all took positives and negatives from it, really.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- Mitch being probably the least affected, but...- Yes.- ..there were
0:22:02 > 0:22:05certainly very interesting parts of all three of them.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I wouldn't want to be Matt, though. Couldn't do one a day.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Do you know at what time of day your metabolism is most efficient?
0:22:12 > 0:22:15If you are an early riser, you might need a big breakfast
0:22:15 > 0:22:17or if you are a night owl,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20studies show it may be better for you to have a large lunch.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Go to bbc.co.uk/food
0:22:23 > 0:22:26to take our test to find out what is right for you.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Still to come...
0:22:30 > 0:22:33we find out if the Meegans are any closer to proving
0:22:33 > 0:22:36whether breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Oh, God.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40That looks disgusting.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42That is ridiculous.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45And we get to the bottom of warnings about the safety
0:22:45 > 0:22:47of some of the cooking oils we use every day.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52But first...
0:22:52 > 0:22:55The best way to cook your food has been debated for centuries
0:22:55 > 0:22:58and I can't see that changing any time soon.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01- How are you?- Very well, Joe, how are you?
0:23:01 > 0:23:04But even as a fruit and veg trader, I hadn't fully appreciated
0:23:04 > 0:23:07what an amazing difference the cooking method you choose
0:23:07 > 0:23:11can make to the amount of goodness you get when you eat it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Take for instance, one of my bestsellers - the simple carrot.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Could I ask you, how would you cook this?
0:23:18 > 0:23:19Oh...
0:23:19 > 0:23:21- generally, boil it.- Steam it.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I might peel it, chop it into small bits
0:23:24 > 0:23:26and braise it in the oven with a lot of butter.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30- I have got a carrot here...- Mm-hmm. - How would you cook that?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- Erm, I'd boil it or roast it. - You'd give it to her!
0:23:32 > 0:23:34I would cook that whole,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I would boil it for about ten minutes then roast it whole.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39- Oh, would you?- Yeah.- Very good.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Olive oil, maybe rapeseed oil.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- A bit of thyme and garlic. Delicious.- Very nice.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Sounds delicious. Do you think that is the healthiest way to cook it?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49No, it's not, but it's delicious.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Do you think that is the healthiest way to cook it?
0:23:51 > 0:23:54- Erm, probably steaming it would be the healthiest.- Yeah.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55- Steam it.- Steam it?
0:23:55 > 0:23:58- If you were cooking, yeah.- OK. - Microwave? In the microwave?
0:23:58 > 0:24:01- Microwave. Yeah, maybe. - Posh, she is. Steam.- Steam? Steam?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05I'd probably go for the steaming option, too.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08But as always, there is no shortage of conflicting headlines
0:24:08 > 0:24:11telling us which way is apparently the best to cook our veg.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Some claiming a particular method would kill all the nutrients.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Others insisting it would give you more.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21So to try and settle this properly, we are going to put it to the test.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26We have called in the help of Professor Graham Bonwick
0:24:26 > 0:24:29and his team at the University of Chester's Food Centre.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36They are going to steam, stir-fry, boil and microwave
0:24:36 > 0:24:37a bunch of carrots,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41testing the level of vitamin C inside before and after cooking
0:24:41 > 0:24:44to see which method keeps those vitamins most intact.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Of course, carrots contain a lot more goodness than just vitamin C,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53but because heat kills vitamin C very quickly, its levels will drop
0:24:53 > 0:24:56more than anything else during cooking, which makes this
0:24:56 > 0:25:00an ideal test to measure the impact different cooking methods can have.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Because of the heating involved,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07they'll all have some sort of effect on the nutrients within the carrots.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12Typically, I think we would expect to see losses in the levels
0:25:12 > 0:25:15of nutrients within something like carrots and those losses would
0:25:15 > 0:25:20probably range between about 25% and 40% of what was there originally.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22To lock in more of those vitamins,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24here is a tip you probably never knew.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Before you even start cooking your carrots,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29keep an eye on how thin you slice them.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Although you will cook faster with smaller pieces, potentially,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37because they have a bigger surface area
0:25:37 > 0:25:40and a greater likelihood of contact with air, that will actually
0:25:40 > 0:25:42speed up and breakdown of some of the nutrients,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45particularly vitamin C, so it is usually recommended
0:25:45 > 0:25:48that if you want to preserve nutrients,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52you don't chop up your veg into very small pieces.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56So, cooking carrots whole and then slicing them
0:25:56 > 0:26:00will preserve more vitamin C than slicing before you cook.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I'll bet that's not the way most of us usually do it.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05And the same applies for other veg, too.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10You can steam cauliflower florets and broccoli florets,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12that sort of thing, fairly whole, so again,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14that reduces the impact on them.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20While it is inevitable that our carrots will lose some of
0:26:20 > 0:26:23their vitamin content, whichever way they are cooked, an obvious way to
0:26:23 > 0:26:27guarantee you will get 100% of that vitamin C is to eat them raw.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32But that way, you will miss out on some other goodies,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35because it is only during cooking that carrots release
0:26:35 > 0:26:37an important antioxidant called lycopene,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41which has been associated with reduced risk of some cancers,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45so cooked carrots have a real extra benefit.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And in fact, quite a few veg, including peppers,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52cabbage and asparagus, turn out to be better cooked because again,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55that is when some of the antioxidants and nutrients are unlocked.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57The same is true for spinach.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02Eat it raw and you will get more B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium
0:27:02 > 0:27:05but the leaves contain an acid that actively stops some other nutrients
0:27:05 > 0:27:07being absorbed by the body.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09The cooking process kills that acid,
0:27:09 > 0:27:11letting you get more of the goodness.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15Back at the lab,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Graham and his team have finished their carrot cooking test.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19There was a clear winner
0:27:19 > 0:27:22when it came to which one of the four methods kept in
0:27:22 > 0:27:26the most vitamin C, and it wasn't the one I was expecting.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27The winner is stir-frying.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30That has preserved most of the vitamins and minerals
0:27:30 > 0:27:34within the carrots, because you tend to cook it very quickly
0:27:34 > 0:27:37and the overall effect on the food is reduced.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44Stir-frying preserved a whopping 89.8% of the carrots' vitamin C.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Steaming was the next most effective
0:27:47 > 0:27:50but it was way behind with just 42.9%.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53Next came boiling,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57after which 41.2% of the vitamin C was left.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Then finally, the microwave,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05which on this occasion, kept only 25.3% of the vitamin C in place.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08That was a real surprise to me,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11as there is plenty of other research suggesting
0:28:11 > 0:28:15microwaves are better for preserving nutrients than methods like boiling,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19as you will typically have a shorter cooking time and use less water.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20Not only that,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23but microwaves are very efficient in breaking down the cell walls
0:28:23 > 0:28:25of the veg, meaning some of those other vital nutrients
0:28:25 > 0:28:27are more easily released.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33But as for that great result for the stir-fried veg, well, it seems
0:28:33 > 0:28:36that is no fluke as earlier this year, a new study led to headlines
0:28:36 > 0:28:39declaring that frying is a better way to lock in nutrients
0:28:39 > 0:28:40than boiling.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46Although, of course, then comes the question of which oil to use.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48And as we will see later in the programme,
0:28:48 > 0:28:50that opens up a whole new can of worms.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Earlier in the programme, we left the Meegan family
0:29:00 > 0:29:03from Liverpool halfway through their experiment to find out
0:29:03 > 0:29:06whether breakfast really is the most important meal of the day,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09and if so, which is the best breakfast?
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Well, I was delighted to see confirmation that a cooked breakfast
0:29:11 > 0:29:13can be really healthy.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15My old mum would be saying, "See? Told you so."
0:29:15 > 0:29:17But let's find out if the same can be said
0:29:17 > 0:29:19for some other popular choices.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22With some studies suggesting that breakfast
0:29:22 > 0:29:24isn't all it's cracked up to be,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27we've asked the Meegan family to help us find out once and for all
0:29:27 > 0:29:31if breakfast truly does give you the best start to the day.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36We have eaten everything here except that one piece of toast.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38They are road testing a bunch of breakfasts
0:29:38 > 0:29:40to see how each makes them feel.
0:29:40 > 0:29:41They all loved the full English
0:29:41 > 0:29:44but the sugary cereal did not go down too well with mum Mandy
0:29:44 > 0:29:46and 11-year-old Tilly,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49even though it was Oscar's favourite.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52It just is non-descript, it's like having sweets.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Now, it's day three.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58- THEY ALL GROAN - Oh, God.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04- What is it, porridge?- No, it's...
0:30:04 > 0:30:06- That looks disgusting.- This...
0:30:06 > 0:30:08It's ridiculous.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09It's actually granola.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12And it's definitely not a hit with the Meegans.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15This takes me ages to chew.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19But it's too sweet for me. It's too sugary.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22It is quite healthy. You know, it's healthy.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26It's easy to see why Tilly might think that the granola is healthy.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29The oats in it are full of fibre, vitamins and minerals
0:30:29 > 0:30:33and the nuts and seeds are packed with protein and good fats.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35But is it any better than Oscar's favourite cereal,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38or, indeed, the full English breakfast?
0:30:38 > 0:30:40We asked customers in this cafe to tell us
0:30:40 > 0:30:44which of our three breakfasts so far is the healthiest.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46So here we have the granola, with a little bit of yoghurt.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48We have the full English here.
0:30:48 > 0:30:49And then this is just sugary cereal.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52Which do you think is the most healthy here?
0:30:52 > 0:30:54Well, my preference would be the granola
0:30:54 > 0:30:55and that is what I would have.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57- You would have that every day?- Yes.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00I think the fried, because that's what we're hearing now.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03You know, that eggs are good for you, that bacon...
0:31:04 > 0:31:08..is good and you have the tomato.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Which one do you think is the most healthy?
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Er, well, obviously...
0:31:12 > 0:31:15- I would go with the granola, but I think it's a trick.- Right.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19- I don't trick anybody. - No! I'm not saying you do trick.
0:31:19 > 0:31:20LAUGHTER
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Overall, most believe that the granola has the fewest calories.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26But is that really the case?
0:31:26 > 0:31:29- Looking at the calorie intake... - OK.- Yeah.
0:31:29 > 0:31:30..this one had...
0:31:30 > 0:31:32402 calories in that portion.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34- OK?- OK.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35The fried has got...
0:31:35 > 0:31:37416.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40- But the granola is the worst, in terms of calories.- Oh, my goodness.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42It's got 463.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43Wow!
0:31:43 > 0:31:46The granola, which you think is the most healthy,
0:31:46 > 0:31:48is 463 calories.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52- Really?- So the highest calories of all three. Cor!
0:31:52 > 0:31:53That looks so much better, doesn't it?
0:31:53 > 0:31:55LAUGHTER
0:31:55 > 0:31:56In terms of calories,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00the cooked breakfast is the best of these three by far.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02And while you might assume that granola is a healthy choice,
0:32:02 > 0:32:04that's not always the case.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06I don't think we can go to a shop
0:32:06 > 0:32:08and pick up a packet of granola off the shelf
0:32:08 > 0:32:10and make the assumption that that's going to be healthy.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13And that's down to one crucial ingredient.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16One of the things about a granola is that it's crunchy
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and, to make it crunchy, they are putting sugar in that
0:32:19 > 0:32:22that they are going to then bake and give it that lovely texture.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25So we should look at the carbohydrates of which sugars
0:32:25 > 0:32:29on the back of the packet and choose one which is lower sugar.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31But take the sugar away
0:32:31 > 0:32:34and Yvonne says you would be left with a healthy breakfast.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36The oats are going to be good for us,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40because oats are going to help us to have a good store of vitamins
0:32:40 > 0:32:43and minerals and fibre that reduces cholesterol as well.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44So the oats are a great start
0:32:44 > 0:32:46and then there are the nuts and the seeds.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49The nuts and the seeds, of course, are going to bring us protein
0:32:49 > 0:32:51and they are fatty, so they are going to be calorific,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54but they're bringing us good fats.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57If you love the crunch of granola, but not the sugar,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Yvonne suggests adding some rolled oats to the bag
0:32:59 > 0:33:02to make the sweetness go further.
0:33:02 > 0:33:03Meanwhile, back in Liverpool,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07the granola hasn't left Mandy feeling ready for a busy day.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10I don't feel particularly energised.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12I feel a bit sluggish, if I'm honest.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16But at school, Tilly who normally doesn't eat at all in the morning
0:33:16 > 0:33:19has found that the breakfast so far is starting to change her mind.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23When I have breakfast, I do feel more like I have energy,
0:33:23 > 0:33:24because I'm more full up as well.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26So I'm not thinking about food as much
0:33:26 > 0:33:31and I can go on the day without eating any snacks at all, really.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36It's the final day of our breakfast experiment.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38And there's an unexpected twist for the family.
0:33:40 > 0:33:41You open.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46- ALL:- Oh!
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Nothing.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50What's going on?
0:33:50 > 0:33:52I actually want some breakfast now. I'm starving now.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55- Now there's nothing there. - LAUGHTER
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Uh-oh, Yvonne has sent the box empty, to compare how different
0:33:58 > 0:34:01the family would feel about eating nothing at all.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03And, although that used to be the norm for Tilly,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07after just three days, she's been won over.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09I feel a bit disappointed, cos I was expecting something to eat.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12So I think I am going to be a bit hungry throughout the day
0:34:12 > 0:34:14and I'm going to have less energy as well.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16And, to Yvonne, that's no surprise.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19While there are studies suggesting that skipping breakfast may not
0:34:19 > 0:34:22significantly impact the body's metabolism,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26or even help weight loss, Yvonne firmly believes that feeling hungry
0:34:26 > 0:34:30all morning will have a negative impact on your general well-being.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32We know how it feels if we don't have breakfast,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34that it doesn't feel so good.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37It does seem some people can get away with it more than others.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39We are all different in our genetic make-up.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42But science is telling us that, no, it's not a good thing.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45There was an interesting study in America and it didn't prove
0:34:45 > 0:34:48that breakfast was the most important meal of the day,
0:34:48 > 0:34:51but I think what it did show, in terms of our whole health,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54is that people who eat breakfast were the healthier people.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56And it's not just our bodies that benefit.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Our brains do as well.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00Our energy supply
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and whether our energy is fluctuating up and down
0:35:03 > 0:35:05really affects our mental performance.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08So when our blood sugar is low, we get more forgetful,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11we can't concentrate as well, we get more irritable.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13So our mind is very closely...
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Cos it needs fuelling, just like the rest of the body.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Our mind is very closely linked to our blood sugar levels
0:35:18 > 0:35:22and what we're really looking for is stability throughout the day.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24And after having no breakfast,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27that's something Tilly certainly didn't feel.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29After having no breakfast this morning,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33I felt more hungry in school and in lesson time, I was just hungry.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37So I was thinking more about food than I was with lessons.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40With the experiment over, Yvonne has come to see
0:35:40 > 0:35:44which was the family's favourite breakfast overall.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48For me, the breakfast, the cereals have not gone well for me
0:35:48 > 0:35:50cos I'm not a cereal person.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52And what about for you, Tilly? How did that go?
0:35:52 > 0:35:55I've enjoyed having breakfast, but because I'm going to school,
0:35:55 > 0:35:57I don't really have time for breakfast.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59So I've enjoyed having breakfast of a morning.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01And what about the full English? How did that go for you?
0:36:01 > 0:36:02What was good about that?
0:36:02 > 0:36:04I just felt fuller. Like usually, of a morning,
0:36:04 > 0:36:06I don't get full until, like, lunchtime.
0:36:06 > 0:36:07So that's really quick!
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- That you have seen the benefits of having breakfast.- Yeah.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14- And how about you, Oscar?- Um...
0:36:14 > 0:36:18My favourite breakfast was the full English breakfast.
0:36:18 > 0:36:19The Meegans loved it.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22And whilst a full-on meaty fry-up should not be a daily choice,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25a grilled breakfast with some healthy substitutes
0:36:25 > 0:36:28doesn't have to be just an occasional treat.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30But if a cooked breakfast is just too much faff for you,
0:36:30 > 0:36:34the morning meal most experts swear by is porridge.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37It's super-nutritious and studies have even shown that whole grains
0:36:37 > 0:36:41like oats can reduce your risk of fatal heart conditions.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Adding fruits, nuts and seeds can bring extra vitamins and fibre
0:36:45 > 0:36:48but be very careful with sweet toppings like honey,
0:36:48 > 0:36:51which can trigger blood sugar ups and downs.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Another healthy choice is a simple boiled egg,
0:36:53 > 0:36:57which is packed with protein, fats and essential amino acids.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Add in some wholemeal soldiers as well to dip
0:37:00 > 0:37:02and the fibre makes it more filling.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04But what's the healthiest breakfast of all?
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Well, of course, it's the one nutritionists eat.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08What do you have for breakfast?
0:37:08 > 0:37:11I might have a boiled egg, mashed up onto some rye toast
0:37:11 > 0:37:14with some sun-dried tomato paste and a handful of spinach.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17If I've got time, then I probably have a cooked breakfast
0:37:17 > 0:37:20but probably with asparagus - I love asparagus at breakfast.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Three months on and a full English
0:37:22 > 0:37:25is firmly on the Meegans' weekend breakfast menu.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28And in the week, while Tilly still finds it hard
0:37:28 > 0:37:30to find the time for breakfast before she leaves the house,
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Mandy is at least able to encourage her to take a banana
0:37:34 > 0:37:35to eat on the way to school,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38while she tucks in to her much-loved smoothies.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46If you firmly believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49and you're looking for new ideas for a healthy breakfast, go to...
0:37:51 > 0:37:53..for fresh and easy recipes to start your day.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55From bacon and eggs to crumpets and pancakes,
0:37:55 > 0:37:59you'll find delicious and healthy alternatives to get you going.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Now, long championed by celebrity chefs,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09olive oil was supposed to be our healthy friend in the kitchen.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12And, finally, some more olive oil...
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Can't have enough olive oil in this dish.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17As a dressing on salads or to cook with,
0:38:17 > 0:38:19we were told that if we used olive oil,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22then at least we were doing something right.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24But, in recent years, some reports have questioned
0:38:24 > 0:38:27whether cooking with olive oil is such a good idea.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29And, indeed, made us wonder
0:38:29 > 0:38:33whether we should be using any sort of oil to cook with at all.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35What oil do you cook with?
0:38:35 > 0:38:38Um...probably olive oil most of the time.
0:38:38 > 0:38:39Olive oil? OK.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41And do you think that's the best oil to cook with?
0:38:41 > 0:38:43It's better than vegetable oil.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45It's always one of the ones that's in my recipe books,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47- so that is probably why I pick it! - It's better than lard.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50I think butter's probably the healthiest, actually.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52- Rapeseed oil. - OK, and why is that?
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Because it has been advertised as being good
0:38:55 > 0:38:57and it's supposed to be good for heating.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01Better than olive oil, if you use a little bit to cook with.
0:39:01 > 0:39:02Olive oil most commonly
0:39:02 > 0:39:05or sometimes sunflower oil if you don't want the flavour
0:39:05 > 0:39:08or groundnut oil if we are doing stir-fries or something.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10And butter!
0:39:10 > 0:39:11So who's right?
0:39:11 > 0:39:13We asked nutritionist Linia Patel
0:39:13 > 0:39:16to help clarify which oils to put in your pan.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19There's lots of confusion around what types of oils
0:39:19 > 0:39:21you should use for cooking.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24Very commonly, people think that olive oil is really good for them,
0:39:24 > 0:39:27so they tend to use olive oil in all their cooking.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Now, when cooking oils get hot, they start to smoke,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33although at what temperature that happens
0:39:33 > 0:39:36depends on which type of oil you're using.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38Heat continuously beyond that smoke point,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41and the chemical make-up of some oils can change.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44In a way that, again, depending on the oil,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47can create fats that aren't good for us.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Some fats are bad fats that we don't want to be having in our bodies
0:39:50 > 0:39:52because we can't get rid of those fats.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Lurid headlines may suggest olive oil is among the oils
0:39:57 > 0:40:01producing those fats but that has been furiously dismissed by many,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04including the industry itself.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08The consensus seems to be that what is most likely to be affected
0:40:08 > 0:40:11if you cook it too high is the nutrients and taste.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15And it certainly shouldn't be singled out as being dangerous.
0:40:15 > 0:40:16As for other oils,
0:40:16 > 0:40:21the general advice is not to heat any beyond its smoking point.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24So which oils should we be using?
0:40:25 > 0:40:27There so many things out there,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30so it's not surprising at all that people are getting confused.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Now, what we've got to remember is that there's not one product
0:40:34 > 0:40:36that's going to be your miracle cure.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39While there isn't a single one that does the job for everything,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42if you're frying at a high temperature,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44choose an oil with a high smoke point.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Linia recommends rapeseed oil and peanut oil.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53For stir-fries, again try rapeseed oil or canola oil.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Both of which get very hot before they start smoking.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Sunflower oil isn't so good because of its low smoke point.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Or you could occasionally forget oil entirely
0:41:03 > 0:41:06and go for two old favourites.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09You have things like butter and you have things like lard,
0:41:09 > 0:41:11which people think is forbidden to cook with
0:41:11 > 0:41:14but, actually, we now know that it's not as bad
0:41:14 > 0:41:18to make our roast potatoes in some butter or lard at the weekends.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21But while we're debunking scare stories to do with cooking,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24there's one more very alarming myth we should bust.
0:41:26 > 0:41:27The headlines will tell you
0:41:27 > 0:41:30it's the most dangerous way of cooking imaginable,
0:41:30 > 0:41:35and it happens not in the kitchen, but in the garden.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Yes, every year, we're told that barbecues are apparently bad for us.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41VERY bad for us.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44And however often that story's knocked down,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46it resurfaces every single summer.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51We found it going back decades, but before you bin your barbie,
0:41:51 > 0:41:55we asked Linia to put this one into perspective.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58So we occasionally get headlines that tell us
0:41:58 > 0:42:01we shouldn't be having barbecues because they also cause cancer,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04but what we have got to remember is it's not quite that simple.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07There are two apparent risks with barbecues.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Firstly, if animal fat falls onto the extremely hot coals,
0:42:11 > 0:42:14the smoke it may turn into can contain harmful chemicals,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17some of which have been linked to cancer.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20If that smoke then touches the meat, it can contaminate it.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24To avoid this, marinating the meat first can help protect it.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28The second risk is when you burn your food,
0:42:28 > 0:42:32which can also produce chemicals that have been linked to cancer.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35But the great British weather simply doesn't allow for us
0:42:35 > 0:42:38to barbecue and burn meat often enough
0:42:38 > 0:42:41for the risk to be anything to worry about.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44So there's no need to cancel the Bavin summer barbecue just yet.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49There's always time to have a barbecue
0:42:49 > 0:42:52and you should not be avoiding having a barbecue.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55And, in any case, Linia says any story focusing on just one aspect
0:42:55 > 0:42:59of our diet needs to be put very firmly into perspective.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02It's not about that one food increases your risk of cancer,
0:43:02 > 0:43:03it's about the bigger picture.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06It's about the fact that you are eating processed food overall,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09you are overweight, you are not exercising.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12That in itself is a much higher risk of cancer
0:43:12 > 0:43:15than just simply, you know, having a barbecue
0:43:15 > 0:43:18where you eat some blackened meat once in a while.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29Whether it's in the newspapers or online,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32it really is the case that every day brings new advice
0:43:32 > 0:43:34on what we should eat and what we should avoid.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36And, you know, while a lot of that stuff
0:43:36 > 0:43:39really is valuable information that can keep us healthy,
0:43:39 > 0:43:41there are times when you can't help wondering
0:43:41 > 0:43:44if some of those reports have been deliberately written
0:43:44 > 0:43:45just to scare us off.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48I know. Just like that story about barbecued meat giving you cancer -
0:43:48 > 0:43:50completely blown out of proportion,
0:43:50 > 0:43:52yet the papers roll it out every summer.
0:43:52 > 0:43:53Well, I'd like to think that most of us
0:43:53 > 0:43:56do see through the more scaremongering headlines,
0:43:56 > 0:43:58but the trouble is that - and this really is a problem -
0:43:58 > 0:44:00when we see stories like that particular one,
0:44:00 > 0:44:02it can make you more sceptical
0:44:02 > 0:44:05about reports that could have a genuine health message as well.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08That is the problem. We are bombarded with so much information,
0:44:08 > 0:44:10we don't know what's right and what's wrong.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13Well, hopefully today, we have been able to clarify
0:44:13 > 0:44:16at least some of the confusion around the things we are eating
0:44:16 > 0:44:19and given you a few useful tips for when you're cooking it as well.
0:44:19 > 0:44:20There's more on some of the topics
0:44:20 > 0:44:24we're talking about throughout the series at...
0:44:24 > 0:44:26But I'm afraid that all from us now.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28Thank you very much for watching. Goodbye.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30Good to have you with us, Bye-bye.