Your Say

24/01/2006
Euro-MPs to have the best of breakfasts
Western Mail

Tomorrow will see 35 Euro-MPs at the European Parliament in Brussels tucking into a full Welsh breakfast as part of Farmhouse Breakfast Week.

The Conservative MEP for Wales, Jonathan Evans, will be host the event, the only one of its kind being held outside the UK.

The MEPs will enjoy the best of Welsh food during a breakfast organised by the Farmers' Union of Wales which aims to highlight the range of quality food produced in Wales. MEPs will swap continental breakfasts for Celtic ones: with juicy sausages, tasty bacon, creamy butter, cheese and yoghurt just some of the tasty Welsh treats on offer.

It is the third in a series of events organised by the FUW, following breakfasts at the National Assembly of Wales last Tuesday and at the House of Lords last Thursday.

The theme of this year's campaign is Make Time For It as studies show that people who skip breakfast perform less well and suffer from more colds and flu.

All the evidence shows that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, yet too many people, and children in particular, are missing it. Eating breakfast helps with weight control, boosts brain power, improves mood and reduces stress.

The event comes as a survey is released which shows which food has the ability to boost people's mood. Fruit, a favourite sandwich and a roast dinner topped the list.

What many people don't realise is that what you eat can actually boost your mood. The key is to increase levels of serotonin in the brain. Boosting serotonin levels is as easy as eating more healthy carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread and cereals, porridge, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, fruit and vegetables. Meanwhile, foods rich in tryptophan (a building block for protein) such as beef, chicken, turkey, tuna and cheese, can also increase serotonin levels in the brain.

So it looks as though Welsh food – including its flagship meat and dairy produce - is the right thing to eat to feel happier. And that news will make Welsh food producers a bit happier too.

back to news page