It's Not Too Late For Breakfast

"I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" said the White Rabbit in Disney's Alice in Wonderland. Hopefully the white rabbit wasn't running too late to eat breakfast. Breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day, since it "breaks the fast" and is the first source of fuel our body receives to jumpstart the day. Some common excuses for missing breakfast are “I don’t have time, “I don’t feel hungry,” or “I don’t know what to eat.” We will address some of these common obstacles and help you on your way to healthful jumpstart in your day.

Often times, our last meal was eaten eight or more hours ago the previous day before going to sleep. Breakfast, being the first meal, helps keep the “fire” or your metabolism burning. If breakfast is skipped, the “fire” slows down which in turn slows down the metabolism. Your body falsely thinks that it is starving and starts to conserve energy instead of burning it. However, if we eat that first meal, the body knows that more “fuel” will be coming and will continue to “keep the fire burning”.

There is a wealth of benefits of eating breakfast on your body and your brain. Research shows that people who consume breakfast also have a lower intake of fat, a higher intake of whole grains, higher intakes of dietary fiber and certain micronutrients. Breakfast consumption also has a short-term effect in improving learning skills, enhancing students’ ability to learn, and improve performance at school or work. Additionally, long term benefits of breakfast consumption include lower cholesterol levels and lower body weight.

The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a good example of the recognition of the benefits of a nutritious breakfast. The SBP must provide one-quarter of the recommended dietary allowances for calories, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium; additionally, less than 30% of its calories can come from fat. School breakfast programs have a positive effect on the nutritional status of children and on school attendance. Breakfast improves total daily nutrient intake and nutritional status, but also enhances students' ability to learn. Additionally, children often do not make up for the nutrient provided by breakfast at other meals during the day.

People who skip breakfast may experience a slug in their energy and may even have difficulty keeping focused, particularly later in the morning. Additionally, they are more likely to overeat and choose unhealthier options at their next meal. If you skip breakfast because you don't have time to eat, rethink your priorities and give yourself an extra 5-10 minutes to kickstart our day with breakfast. Remember, It's not too late!

Breakfast should provide one-third of the day's nutrients and include lowfat dairy products, whole grains, fruit, and protein. Think outside the “traditional” choices when deciding what to eat for breakfast.Here are some quick, simple breakfast ideas to get your day started:

• Piece of fresh fruit
• Meal replacement bar or drink
• Half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Half a bagel or a slice of toast smeared with peanut butter
• One slice of leftover pizza
• Cup of instant cereal
• Cottage cheese
• Yogurt (and you can sprinkle it with wheat germ or granola)
• Boiled egg
• One handful of dried fruit or nuts