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Brain food: Successful leaders eat breakfast, you should too

Picture of breakfast at Moller Institute

Picking the right foods to start your day in the best way might seem challenging but many successful leaders eat breakfast making it a habit worth adopting.

Eating breakfast is deemed by many scientific studies to be not only important for physical health but mental wellbeing too.

The calories eaten at breakfast help fuel the brain and enable individuals to make better decisions meaning conference organisers should ensure the morning offering at their chosen venue provides delegates with everything they need to perform at their best.

A study by researchers from universities across Europe showed that eating a well-balanced breakfast led to better decision-making while other studies show a good morning meal can improve cognitive function thanks to its often high levels of vitamins and minerals.

Eating breakfast is also part of the delicate body clock, or circadian rhythm that tells our bodies when to prepare for sleep and when to prepare for day-time energy-needing activities. Considering the stomach is known as the ‘second brain’, it is wise to take it’s functioning seriously.

Successful leaders eat breakfast

As with any meal or snack, it is important to select the right balance of foods rather than becoming influenced by the latest fad diet.

British entrepreneur Richard Branson opts for fruit salad and muesli for breakfast – combining whole fruits and berries with the complex carbohydrates provided by the oats. Occasionally though, he opts for kippers, an oily fish rich in omega 3 and packed with vitamins including D and B-12, as well as iron and potassium.

Meanwhile, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and Clique Media chief executive Katherine Power both opt for eggs, which are high in protein and packed with vitamin B2 and D as well as other important minerals.

It’s good to chew

It can be tempting at an off-site conference simply to grab something quick before the first session starts or just seek out a caffeine hit, but taking time to eat a balanced meal will provide delegates with higher energy levels throughout the day.

Fresh fruit is available all day, every day, at Møller Institute and acts as a good accompaniment to any meal. Its high fibre content aids digestion and it provides a healthy way to keep the body’s metabolism raised through extra chewing. The act of chewing has also been shown to positively effect “sustained attention” – just what’s needed for multi-hour business events – and produce a calming effect on the nervous system.

With porridge and omelets made to order, as well as a broad selection of hot food from full cooked breakfasts through to lighter options such as smoked salmon, Møller Institute’s Executive Chef Alex Bigot and his team ensure a nutritional and balanced offering can be provided to help conference goers achieve their potential.

Sustainable focus

Sustainability is a core facet of Møller Institute’s offering and its food is no different.

With salmon smoked in Cambridge, eggs from Bedfordshire and sausages from Somersham, conference organisers are reassured the meals are as sustainable, seasonal, fresh and locally-sourced as possible.

With its ‘zero to landfill pledge’, Møller Institute recycles 60 litres of cooking oil into bio-diesel every month and recycles two tonnes of coffee grounds each year from 150,000 cups of coffee.

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