By Tama Bloch, RD, LD Considering it can help you live longer, improve productivity, cause you to eat less, and taste good, too, it's amazing not everyone eats breakfast. (We're not talking medicine here!)
In a 10-year study of nearly 7,000 Californians, breakfast-skipping was shown to be one of the seven health risks that increase the chances of early death. No surprise — foods provide energy to get your brain and other body functions working.
Do You Have Morning "Anorexia"?
No appetite in the AM? By avoiding breakfast you could turn into a starving binge-eater by mid-afternoon because your hunger is so great. To prevent this, start with light foods — maybe fruit slices dipped in peanut butter. Add other foods gradually and build your appetite.
Breakfast and Your Metabolism
By the time you awaken, your body's been running on stored fuel for hours. During this "fasting" period, your body adjusts to a low metabolic rate. Eating breakfast quickens this rate because energy is needed to digest the food.
It's Not Just When You Eat, It's What You Eat
A well-balanced breakfast includes at least one-fourth of a day's essential vitamins and minerals. Fiber is a good idea — whole fruits provide more fiber than juices; cereals should contain 3 or more grams of fiber per serving. Breakfast may also include nontraditional foods, such as leftover vegetable pizza. Protein helps prevent a quick peak of the blood sugar level and a corresponding drop that signals hunger too soon after breakfast. In short, make breakfast count to enhance your energy level and your life.
Breakfast Ideas
- Raisin bran (1 cup), low-fat milk (1 cup), orange (1 small)
- Ensure® (8-fl-oz serving), pumpkin muffin (1 small), jam (1 tbsp)
- Bagel (1 small), low-fat cream cheese (1 tbsp), fruit yogurt (3/4 cup), grapes (1/2 cup)