The Science of Breakfast! Mom Was Right...

Who knew the first meal of the day was such a deal-breaker? According to health researchers, breakfast is not only a great way to jump-start the day, but can mitigate a variety of risks, as well. Studies examining eating habits have found that the regular consumption of breakfast can:

•    Reduce risk of obesity and high cholesterol
•    Enhance performance on memory-related tasks

•    Help prevent insulin resistance (a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease)
•    Minimize overeating throughout the day
•    Enhance school performance in children and young adults

•    Increase intake of essential nutrients that are rarely replenished by other meals of the day

Some may be tempted to think that skipping breakfast is a great way to shave off caloric intake for the day, but research suggests the opposite. In fact, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that breakfast skippers are 4.5 times more likely to be obese than are breakfast eaters. That may be partly because breakfast skippers tend make up the calories throughout the day with less healthy alternatives, and also because breakfast eaters are also giving their metabolism a boost.

But before you reach for donuts and coffee, or start frying up some bacon, keep in mind that what you choose for breakfast is just as important as eating breakfast in the first place. Think like a muesli loving European. Beneficial breakfasts should include foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins like seeds and nuts, because some studies have found that the traditional American breakfast of meat and eggs doesn’t have the same healthful effects. 

But if you’re just one of those people who doesn't have an appetite in the morning, there is hope. Experts advise that a weak morning appetite could be the result of a late meal or snack from the night before, and that you can perk up your morning appetite by eating lighter and earlier in the evenings. If all else fails then something fairly light, like a fruit breakfast smoothie may be the answer.

Posted by Rebecca Sato

Related Galaxy posts:

Chocoholics! 5 Scientific Reasons to Binge
Science of Sleep: 5 Reasons Why You Might Want More of It

Related links:
http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/22/4/296
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtPrint/WSIHW000/20813/24055/387276.html?d=dmtHMSContent&hide=t&k=basePrint

Comments

[Dr. Charles Martin]

Great article about a vital aspect of healthy nutrition. It will be particularly good for your dental health to skip the sweet stuff. Excellent point about insulin resistance. Elevated blood sugar is a significant health challenge by itself, but its complications can cause or contribute to many potentially life-threatening risks. Gum disease, for example, interacts with high blood sugar levels in ways that make both conditions worse and increase risk of heart disease, stroke, blindness,and other catastrophic events. Fortunately, routine dental therapy can reduce blood sugar and even reverse gum damage. We write about this extensively at http://dentistryfordiabetics.com/blog.

- Charles Martin, DDS
Founder, Dentistry For Diabetics

[dshasidi]

Sure, eat healthy, deprive yourself, die anyway. Might as well say screw it and enjoy yourself while you can.

[paletti]

Uhm, dshasidi, are you aware of the fact that there is a relationship between the health of the body and health of the mind? Not to mention the link between the big food companies putting all this junkfood on the market and their elite friends with political power to dumb down society (i.e. people like you). But hey, sure, just drink that aspartame Coke for breakfast my friend, go ahead!