> Emotional and Mental Health > Energy and Fatigue

“Breakfast? I don’t have time,” and “I’m trying to lose weight,” are frequently heard reasons why people skip the morning meal. Yet numerous studies have shown that breakfast is important for optimal physical and mental performance. Eating a nutritious meal in the morning also boosts metabolism, which determines the rate at which the body burns food. Breakfast also promotes mental alertness and emotional stability throughout the day.

A study reported in the November 2001 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that eating breakfast improves memory performance in elderly test subjects. A year earlier, research conducted by Harvard University had demonstrated that schools offering free breakfast to their students reported higher math scores and lower absenteeism. Students who participated in breakfast programs were better behaved and registered improved math scores.

These and similar studies have made it clear that people of every age benefit from eating a good breakfast. Whether we spend the day in an office, at school, at home, or outdoors, our mornings will be more productive if we start the day with a nourishing meal. If we skip breakfast, we’ll experience hunger pangs throughout the morning, which may cause us to snack more frequently in order to shake this uncomfortable feeling. Breakfast skippers tend to consume low-nutrient snack foods more frequently during the day. One reason is that the appetite is partly regulated by blood sugar levels. Without breakfast, blood sugar levels don’t become sufficiently elevated in the morning, prompting our bodies to produce constant “hunger” signals. This, in turn, causes us to eat more than we actually need.

The same reaction occurs when a typical weekday breakfast of fruit juice, coffee, and toast with jam is eaten. High in sugar, starch, and caffeine, such a meal provides just enough quick energy to help us fight our way through rush-hour traffic. But by the time we get to work, our blood sugar levels have dropped and we feel edgy or tired and need another caffeine fix and maybe a doughnut.

To ensure optimal energy and mental alertness throughout the day, always eat a nourishing breakfast. Emphasize whole foods that are metabolized slowly, avoiding major blood sugar fluctuations. High-quality protein foods, complex carbohydrates, and natural fats in moderation slow down food absorption and help stabilize energy.

These nutrients can come from traditional breakfast foods such as whole grains and whole-grain breads, eggs, and dairy products, but need not be limited to them. There are no rules, for that matter, against a breakfast made up of dinner leftovers, or typical dinner foods. A baked potato served with organic sour cream and sprinkled with fresh parsley or chives makes for a nourishing morning meal that will keep you going at high energy levels even if lunch is late. Prepare the potato the night before: wash, cut halfway through to the bottom, wrap tightly in foil, and store in the fridge overnight. Chop some parsley or chives and keep refrigerated in a closed container. When you get up in the morning, bake the potato while you attend to other chores such as taking a shower or packing lunch.

Homemade soups and casseroles that store in the fridge for several days (and in the freezer for several months) are other quick and nourishing breakfast foods, and just perfect for the coming winter season. Enjoy them with a slice of crusty whole-grain bread or crackers and a steaming cup of herbal tea as these non-traditional breakfasts will jump-start your morning without draining your batteries.

Here are suggestions for a whole week of wholesome, scrumptious morning meals. Add or take away ingredients to suit your mood and palate. Be as creative and adventurous as you like. Wake up to the joy of breakfast!

Monday - French Baguette: Buttered whole-grain bun or baguette with sliced cheese, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and hard-boiled egg.

Tuesday - Warm Cereal Awakener: Combine cooked cereal such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, or oats with a handful each of dried fruit and nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts).

Wednesday - Traditional Morning Toast: Glass of freshly pressed orange juice; buttered whole-grain toast; one soft-boiled egg, or one-half cup of yogurt or cottage cheese.

Thursday - Berry Banana Yogurt Split: Peel and split a banana; place halves in serving bowl. Top with one-half cup of yogurt and one cup fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries). Sprinkle with toasted slivered or sliced almonds.

Friday - Kebab Three Musketeers: Cut thick slices of pumpernickel bread and cheese into cubes. Arrange on a skewer with fruit (grapes, cubed apples, pears) and/or vegetables (pepper strips, cucumber, tomato, radishes).

Saturday - Weekend Vitamin Burger: Slice whole-grain bread and top with an organic beef or a veggie patty, lettuce, radishes, sliced tomatoes, onions, and red, yellow or green peppers.

Sunday - Crispy Fruit Plate: Arrange cottage or cream cheese on a whole-grain cracker or crisp-bread slices; sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs. Serve with freshly cut fruit.

References available. We welcome your feedback at editorial@alive.com.

Source: alive #253, November 2003