"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," goes the old adage. While all meals are important and should be chosen carefully, research continues to show that what you eat before you head out the door can make a real difference for your health and exercise performance. So it's a shame that anywhere up to a quarter of North Americans fail to take the time for their morning crunch. What's more, fat and calorie land mines like Krispy Kreme are becoming common breakfast picks with increasing grab-and-go lifestyles. So that you start your day ahead of the game, here's the skinny on why you should make time for breakfast, and what ought to be on your plate.
Eat early, stay firm In a large survey of more than 4,000 participants, researchers at Michigan State University found that subjects who ate a morning meal were less likely to be overweight. An even larger study of over 20,000 men concluded that there was an inverse relationship between breakfast consumption and weight gain. Of the people entered in the National Weight Control Registry (a project tracking over 5,000 people who've lost at least 30 pounds and maintained this loss for more than a year) nearly 80 percent report eating breakfast every day. Studies show that breakfast-skippers take in more calories by the end of the day than people who have had their breakfast calories. Aim to get 20 to 25 percent of your day's calories from breakfast.
Eat early, eat better Traditional breakfast foods like milk, fruit and oats are nutrient-dense and can help athletes meet their fiber, vitamin and mineral daily goals, which can be higher than normal as a result of intense training. A healthy daybreak meal can set you on the right path for nutritious eating throughout the day.
Eat early, think better It's well understood that children who eat breakfast do better in school. It's not too much of a stretch to say that your own memory and concentration will get a boost as well. During sleep, blood glucose (the main fuel for our brains) levels fall, so a healthy breakfast can bring these back up allowing us to function better at work and on the field.
Eat early, exercise better Overnight fasting that lowers blood sugar and liver carbohydrate (glycogen) levels impairs your ability to sustain high-intensity exercise for extended periods of time. So eating before morning exercise to increase these levels can help you work harder and longer. If you exercise first thing in the morning, you may not want a big pre-exercise breakfast as it may leave your stomach crying foul. A small carbohydrate-rich snack like a slice of toast or bowl of cereal can put enough carbohydrates into your system to elevate your blood sugar and exercise performance.
Bowled over Harvard researchers recently reported that subjects who consumed the most whole grain cereals were less likely to suffer heart failure. Other studies show that cereal consumption can reduce cancer risk and shed a few inches off the waistline. The best brands have at least 3 grams of fiber and keep sugar and sodium under 8 grams and 300 milligrams per cup, respectively. Here are some smart picks in the cereal aisle:
• Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus (naturespath.com) • Mother's Instant Plain Oatmeal (mothernatural.com) • Kashi Orchard Spice Granola (kashi.com) • General Mills Total (generalmills.com) • Post Shredded Wheat (kraftfoods.com) • Health Valley Amaranth Flakes (healthvalley.com) • Alpen No Sugar Added (worldpantry.com) • Arrowhead Mills Flakes (arrowheadmills.com)
Smart Breakfast Just as important as eating breakfast is what you eat. Take one item from each of these food groups and you've got yourself a nutritious breakfast (jumbo muffins need not apply).
High-fiber carbohydrates to raise energy levels and deliver fiber to slow the release of food from your stomach so you stay full longer.
Fruit: Berries, kiwi, orange, unsweetened apple butter, red grapefruit, dried fruit
Fruit is a low calorie source of many different disease fighting compounds.
Lean Protein: Eggs, Canadian or turkey bacon, whey protein powder (morning smoothie), lowfat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat milk
Protein will temper your appetite, meaning you're less likely to raid the vending machine. One study found that egg consumption at breakfast reduced caloric intake later on, so get cracking.
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