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Mom
was right about breakfast
March 11, 04
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
As
we all know, Mom was right about a lot of things. One of those
was the importance of eating breakfast.
Research has shown that children who eat breakfast perform
better in school. That’s no surprise. It’s hard
to focus on the three Rs when another R – rumbling stomach
– is interfering. No doubt all of us perform better
when we have enough energy. As anyone with diabetes or hypoglycemia
will tell you, regular meals can make the difference between
feeling well and feeling very poorly.
But there’s still another good reason to eat breakfast.
Breaking the fast as you begin a new day may help to control
your appetite and the quality of your diet throughout the
day. In fact, a Harvard University study published last year
found an association between breakfast and lower rates of
obesity. Adults who ate breakfast were found to be up to 50
percent less likely to be obese compared to people who skipped
breakfast.
Think about it. How do you feel when you get to work or school
on an empty stomach? Does hunger lead you to a vending machine?
Eating at home – even if nothing more than a bowl of
cereal or slice of toast and juice – can head off intense
late-morning hunger and reduce the likelihood that you’ll
eat something you’d be better off without.
Of course, that’s the catch.
One challenge at home is finding the time to eat in the morning.
Or you may not be hungry before it’s time to head out
the door. Another challenge is having something healthy and
quick on hand.
The time snag can be dealt with in several ways. Do what makes
sense for you.
That may mean setting the alarm fifteen minutes earlier to
give you time to eat a bowl of cereal or a piece of fruit.
Some people find it helpful to set out a bowl and box of cereal
the night before.
What if you just can’t stomach a meal first thing in
the morning? My suggestion: have a two-part breakfast. Drink
a glass of fruit juice before you leave the house –
or eat a piece of fresh fruit. Then take the second part of
your breakfast with you as you run out the door. Good portables:
fresh fruit, a whole-grain muffin, a slice of bread with peanut
butter, or a cup of nonfat yogurt.
What NOT to grab on the run: fast-food breakfast sandwiches,
biscuits, donuts, deep-fried French toast and other greasy,
saturated- and trans-fat-laden breakfast goo.
So what can you eat at home that’s fast, good for you,
and tastes good?
* You can’t go wrong with fresh fruit. Eat seasonal
fruit such as cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, and grapefruit.
* Hot cereals. Set up a slow cooker and fix breakfast while
you sleep. Try “seven grain hot cereal” from the
natural foods store. Buy quick oats and vary hot oatmeal by
adding chopped nuts, dried or fresh fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon,
vanilla, maple syrup, or brown sugar.
* Keep a variety of whole-grain dry cereals. Mix two or three.
Natural foods stores carry varieties without trans fats. Buy
shredded wheat, raisin bran, and whole-grain blends of flakes,
granola, fruit and nuts.
* Breakfast breads. Whole-grain toast, English muffins, bagels,
and homemade muffins and quick breads.
Other ideas: nonfat yogurt, dinner leftovers, or a frozen
bean burrito. Miso soup is a traditional breakfast food in
Japan.
And remember, if you can’t eat it at home, take breakfast
to work. Individual hot soup and cereal cups travel well,
along with mixed fruit cups, juice boxes, individual boxes
of dry cereal, and yogurt.
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