Post by Tim Wescott on Feb 22, 2004 23:28:38 GMT -5
Breakfast is Back!
Recent studies emphasize what nutritionists have known all along – although fewer Americans regularly eat breakfast, this is probably the most important meal of the day. In the October issue of Pediatrics, researchers from the U.S. National Cancer Institute reported that cold breakfast cereals are the main source of iron, folic acid, and vitamin A and the number 3 source of zinc and magnesium for children from 2-18 years of age. While the authors suggested this was bad because kids aren't eating enough foods high in nutrients, this is actually good news because it shows that fortified cereals can partially offset low intake of nutrients from other foods. Part of the problem is that soft drinks are the number two source of carbohydrates, behind bread, in diets of the typical American child and adult.
Another study in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine tested 100 kids in Baltimore and Philadelphia and found that those who ate breakfast in school had higher math grades and were less likely to be described as depressed, anxious, or hyperactive by teachers or parents. Earlier studies showed similar benefits for other age groups even when sugared cereals were the main part of the breakfast.
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Your brain uses glucose as its fuel. When you awake, your blood glucose is at its lowest and eating increases what your brain needs to function better. That fuzzy feeling early in the morning isn't a symptom of caffeine deficiency. Eating cereal for breakfast is one of the few ways of ensuring enough fiber in your diet and having milk on it is almost essential to get adequate calcium and vitamin D. Fortification of cereals has greatly increased their contribution of many nutrients to our diet. Cereal is really the original convenience food. People who eat breakfast regularly have better diets during the rest of the day, which tend to be lower in fat or calories and higher in many nutrients. It is best to choose a high fiber cereal but any cereal is better than no breakfast.