Why Eat Breakfast?

A Look at “Breakfast” Breakfast is two words – break and fast Our last meal for the day is supper – 5:00 – 8:30 pm We fast or do not eat for a long time – 8 – 14 hours When we eat in the morning, we break the fast

A Look at “Breakfast” When we wake up, we need to think, reason, play, etc. To do this, our brain needs fuel or simple carbohydrates This fuel or food breaks the fast or breaks the period of time with no food

Morning without Breakfast Without breakfast we may have problems – low energy, dizziness, nausea, brain fog, etc. On occasion – fainting or passing out may be seen in breakfast skippers But that’s not all…

The Three “ ”s ttention -- harder to pay attention in class; inability to focus; may fall asleep chievement – may do poorer on exams when compared to those who eat breakfast ttendance – absent from school more than those who have breakfast

One other problem… Breakfast skippers tend to gain more weight – Why? Without breaking the fast, hunger increases More likely to eat anything including high calorie foods We eat more than we normally do

When weight goes up… We increase our risk of Diabetes Cancer Heart Disease High blood cholesterol High blood pressure Fatty liver High levels of fat in the blood (atherosclerosis)

Soooo… what should we do? But not just any breakfast!

What does the brain need? Brains are picky and demanding Brains need a steady supply of fuel Fuel source – complex carbohydrates, low sugar foods gives steady supply of fuel Eat more of – whole-grain cereal, whole-grain bread, fruit, milk, yogurt, etc.

What do our brains need? The brain does not do well on high sugar foods This fuel burns quickly, then runs out leaving us tired, sleepy Avoid high levels of – jelly, syrup, juice, candy, soda, high-sugared coffee beverages, high-sugared cereals, etc.

Study Ingwersen J, et al. A low glycaemic index breakfast cereal prefentially prevents children’s cognitive performance from declining throughout the morning. Appetite, 2007, Jan kids, ages 6 – 11 years old Group 1 -- high-sugared cereal breakfast Group 2 -- low-sugared, high fiber cereal breakfast Groups took 4 computerized tests – 1 test before breakfast and 3 tests after breakfast Researchers measured attention & memory Kids who ate the low-sugared, high fiber cereal breakfast did better than the kids who ate a high sugared cereal breakfast

Eat Brain Foods for Breakfast Whole grain cereals (oatmeal, bran) Whole grain breads Read the label – if sugar is the first, second or third ingredient, most likely not the best cereal for breakfast Cereals

Eat Brain Foods for Breakfast Choose fruit more often & juice less often Fruits contain fiber – slows sugar supply to the brain Apple, orange, cherries, peach, pear, kiwifruit, grapes, berries, etc.

Eat Brain Foods for Breakfast Nonfat or lowfat dairy products provide calcium, vitamin D and protein Milk, cheese and yogurt help support brain function

Eat Brain Foods for Breakfast Legumes – soybeans, lentils, chick peas – excellent food sources for brain food Study – of all foods bean/bread combo produced highest brain function

So… Why don’t we eat breakfast?

No time STOP! Eat your breakfast!

Ideas for Quick Breakfasts Buy Breakfast at school Prepare breakfast the night before & take it with you Slip an apple and/or a bag of peanuts (a legume) into your backpack and eat during break – a late breakfast is better than no breakfast

On-the-go Breakfasts Fruit with nuts & yogurt Cheese toast & fruit Breakfast burrito Trail mix with raisins & a glass of milk Hard boiled egg with toast and fruit Peanut butter & banana sandwich Plain or vanilla yogurt, with fresh fruit & granola Egg, English muffin with or without cheese & fruit

The bottom line… Enjoy the little things (like breakfast) for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. -- Robert Brault

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." - La Rochefoucauld A joint project of Food Services Branch and Health & Human Services Branch. A message from the California Department of Health and Human Services. Funding provided by USDA’s Food Stamp Program. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer, helping limited income Californians buy more nutritious foods for a healthier diet. For more information about Food stamps, please call (323)