Benefits of Breakfast

"When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread." - John 21:9

Researchers have found many benefits from eating breakfast and with school underway, now is a perfect time to get into the breakfast habit.

Breakfast Research

Among the recent research:

• Children who skip breakfast make more errors and are slower to recall facts.
• Children who eat breakfast solve math problems more quickly.
• Children who eat breakfast do better on vocabulary tests.
• Children and adults who eat breakfast are more likely to get the vitamins and other nutrients they need.
• Adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have a lower body mass index, even if they have one or two obese parents.
• Adults who eat breakfast eat less calories throughout the day and make better food choices.
• Adults who eat breakfast lose more weight than those who skip breakfast.

The benefits of breakfast apply to grown-ups when it comes to the research shown above (less errors, better math and vocabulary).

Breakfast Guidance

• Dinner leftovers don't have to be dinner again. Heat them for breakfast instead.
• Put together an egg casserole the night before, and slip it into the oven when you get up.
• Make a smoothie containing one cup of milk, 1/3 cup cottage cheese, 2-3 tablespoons of raw nuts and 1/3 cup fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) for a quick, delicious and healthy breakfast meal
• Scramble eggs with various vegetables and cheese or make an omlette.
• If you decide to have cereal, choose a high-fiber, low-sugar cereal like Fiber One.

Five On-the-Go Ideas

• Natural peanut butter and banana (or apple) slices on whole-grain toast.
• Cheese wrapped in a whole-grain tortilla and some fruit.
• Raw nuts (almonds, walnuts) and fruit (berries) stirred into yogurt.
• A fruit smoothie blended with milk, cottage cheese and raw nuts (walnuts).
• Two cheese sticks with a piece of fruit.

These tips should help you get into the habit of eating breakfast consistently. It really is the most important meal of the day!