More than twenty-six years after her death, Lady Diana continues to fascinate us. Committed princess, devoted mother and true fashion icon: the British aristocrat combined the roles brilliantly, without ever renouncing her elegance. But to get through the day, what did she have for breakfast? His former private chef revealed the exact composition of this meal… and it turns out to be surprising, to say the least.
Citrus fruits and fiber
It was in a video published on June 27 on YouTube that chef Darren McGrady revealed behind the scenes of the Princess of Wales’ breakfast. Lady Diana did not like our traditional buttered toast and even less like scrambled eggs… On the other hand, she enjoyed a “bircher muesli“, a specialty made from oatmeal that she consumed”every day“, according to Darren McGrady.
“When I became Princess Diana’s boss, she took charge of her life. She was a patron of 119 charities, worked out at the gym three days a week and looked better than ever. (…) She now ate healthily, and her breakfast of choice was overnight oatmeal.“, he confirms.
To prepare this amazing breakfast, the cook mixed the oatmeal with a little squeezed orange juice and let it sit in the refrigerator. The next day, he added Greek yogurt, honey and lemon juice, then a grated Honeycrisp apple. A few blueberries and walnuts finally completed this night oatmeal.
But is this a breakfast idea worth copying? Not necessarily, tells us Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist.
Lady Di’s bircher: a cold version of porridge
According to the specialist, Lady Di’s breakfast is far from perfect.
“There is a terrible lack of protein. However, a protein breakfast balances blood sugar levels well throughout the day and prevents cravings,” she assures.
Also, in this recipe, soaking the oatmeal in orange juice increases the glycemic index of the breakfast – so it is very unsatisfying. “We also lose all the vitamins in the juice because vitamin C is very sensitive to light.” assures the expert.
In a classic bircher muesli, “we also add rapeseed or flaxseed oil for an interesting omega-3 contribution”, she regrets. Good fats that vanished into the British princess’s breakfast.
Yes to the revisited bircher!
On a daily basis, Alexandra Murcier therefore advises against adopting this breakfast, although it is possible to take inspiration from it by modifying a few key ingredients.
- Forget orange juice and opt for oatmeal soaked in coconut or almond milk;
- Diversify the fruits and oilseeds consumed to cover all vitamin and mineral needs.
As for Greek yogurt, beneficial for the body (because it is very low in sugar and full of probiotics), it can however be replaced by petit-suisses.even richer in protein”,
concludes the dietitian.