Breakfast as its name implies means to "break the fast." You have gone all night without eating and need to fuel your engine. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to have healthier body weights than those who skip. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and yet is the meal most likely to be skipped. Some reasons for skipping breakfast are: "I do not have enough time to eat in the morning," "I'm trying to lose weight" or "I have no appetite in the morning."
There are numerous benefits related to consuming breakfast. The first benefit is that breakfast eaters are typically overall healthier. They are more likely to meet the nutritional requirements especially for Vitamins A, C, iron, zinc, calcium and fiber. When you skip breakfast, you’ll tend to either snack on high fat, low nutrient foods or overeat when lunch rolls around. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 78% of people who lose weight and keep it off eat breakfast everyday. Breakfast eaters are also proven to have greater attention span and improved concentration making it a vital start to each day for school aged children.
Breakfast does not have to be extravagant by any means. Ready-to-eat cereals are fortified with B-vitamins and minerals that are essential for healthy growth. Choosing a whole grain cereal, bagel or toast is a great way to start your day off with some fiber. Ideally, a healthy breakfast includes food from a variety of groups such as fruit, whole grains and low fat dairy. To start your day off on the right foot, try some of these ideas for breakfast: Oatmeal, fruit and yogurt smoothie, whole wheat English muffin and peanut butter, whole grain ready-to-eat cereal or breakfast quesadilla made with eggs and low fat cheese.
