The perfect breakfast

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Sun 18 Mar 2012 19:29
The perfect breakfast - Tyrant

Coming up shortly-- 8 to 10 hours driving two days on the trot.


I drink water and chew Werthers when I feel even slightly that my concentration may be wavering.

I stop after 3 hours roughly then every two or so..

In the pub someone said it must be possible to fuel up with the perfect breakfast to keep energy and brain power supplied over a long period.

My idea is a full English not forgetting fried bread..Porrage. Toast and lots of jam? Black coffee?

Many years ago I chewed proplus (are they still made?) and got mouth ulcers.

Any better more scientific ideas?

Many thanks

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Sun 18 Mar 2012 20:02
The perfect breakfast - balleballe

sustained carb release may be what you are after.

Anything with oats - such as porridge.

Combine it with something moderately high in fat to increase time in the gut - such as peanuts

Proplus only come in tabs as far as i know, and at only 50mg; are weak.

I buy caffeine tabs from the net (200mg) and neck one when driving distances

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Sun 18 Mar 2012 20:16
The perfect breakfast - gordonbennet

I've driven trucks for the past 35 years and i haven't yet needed to pop pills to keep me awake and capable, the day i need to i'll go down the nick and hand me licence in.

Start the day with a positive mind following a decent cereal or porridge breakfast and tea, drive for about 2 hours or so then stop for 10 mins for a quick cuppa and comfort visit, brisk stretch of the legs so don't park inside the services entrance like some try to.

Part of driving ease and pleasure is keeping the windows and mirrors spotlessly clean inside and out all round, nothing more tiring than struggling to see through grime especially glare from the sun on it, if it rains that spotless screen will pay dividends with no smearing.

The way you drive makes a difference too, keep a decent distance from the car in front, if its push and shove bunching speeding up and slowing down, set your speed about 2mph slower than most of the others, once you find you are no longer catching up with others you can let the world sail by and enjoy a relaxed journey, when the bunching clears resume your happy cruising speed....about 2 hours up the road you find yourself within sight of those stressed souls who hammered past earlier jammed up the backside of the bloke in front.

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Sun 18 Mar 2012 20:32
The perfect breakfast - John Boy

The way you drive makes a difference too, keep a decent distance from the car in front, if its push and shove bunching speeding up and slowing down, set your speed about 2mph slower than most of the others, once you find you are no longer catching up with others you can let the world sail by and enjoy a relaxed journey, when the bunching clears resume your happy cruising speed....about 2 hours up the road you find yourself within sight of those stressed souls who hammered past earlier jammed up the backside of the bloke in front.

Spot on, GB!

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Sun 18 Mar 2012 21:18
The perfect breakfast - focussed

When have to I drive long distances in europe (500-700 miles) I stop every two hours or so and snack on energy drinks and cereal bars-maybe the odd cheese sandwich and item of fruit,but no heavy meals. I can keep going for 10-12 hours on this stuff but not longer.

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Sun 18 Mar 2012 22:22
The perfect breakfast - Avant

Many thanks, GB. Good to have advice from a professional, which we should all read.

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Tue 20 Mar 2012 19:46
The perfect breakfast - Happy Blue!

I once read that too keep awake at the wheel - eat an apple. Without taking it too far, on occasions when I have felt slightly drowsy I have eaten the said fruit and it gave me an extra 20 minutes or so, to give time to get to some servies for a proper break.

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Tue 20 Mar 2012 21:49
The perfect breakfast - Bobbin Threadbare

I was curious about the appled vs caffeine but could find no peer-reviewed studies on it. It would seem that the caffeine has more effect on keeping you awake and alert than an apple but you will get a small boost to your blood sugar from the apple.

I also found this: www2.mainroads.wa.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/997E25C7-04C...f

It's for truckers. It says lay off the fatty stuff and don't drink too much coffee/cola. Take little naps when possible.

I did find a study about a flavonoid called 'quercetin' which is found in apples and onions, which is put into diet drinks and energy drinks. Apparently it has no caffeine-like effect at all, even though it's marketed as such!

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Tue 20 Mar 2012 21:57
The perfect breakfast - balleballe

I always thought quercetin was there for it's antioxidant and mood enhancing effect?

There are plenty of studies which show caffeines ability to enhace 'concentration'. can't say i've come by one for an apple

Apple's main sugar source is fructose which (when the liver is already replenished of glycogen) will enter the blood and 'spike' sugar levels - the effect will only be short lived and what goes up; must come down

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Tue 20 Mar 2012 22:44
The perfect breakfast - MikeTorque

Agree with GB.

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