Don't Forget the Breakfast!

    As the sun rises around the world, slumbering households awaken to meet the challenges of a new day.  For some, rising with the sun naturally spawns an enthusiastic attitude. For others, facing the sunlight requires a rigorous drill of difficulty. Starting the day with a nutritious meal, however, can set the stage for a great day.

    Breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day. Yet, it also ranks as the most neglected. Catching the time for breakfast seems almost impossible for most Americans. Unfortunately, a cup of coffee and a donut while racing for the office does not qualify as a "Breakfast of Champions."

    The main reason for skipping the first meal of the day is simple--time. A quick and easy breakfast food that requires little kitchen time is welcome to those on a tight schedule. Breakfast should be rich in protein, iron (especially for pregnant women), and zinc.  Eggs are great source of protein, but they should be limited to three or four yolks a week to keep cholesterol levels down.

    If cooking is out of the question, spread half a toasted English muffin with a teaspoon of peanut butter for extra protein. A good bowl of cereal topped with fresh fruit is a snap to prepare. Shop for organic cereal high in fiber but low in fat. In place of milk, try almond, rice, soy, or coconut milk.

    Avoid fast food breakfasts, like sausage, bacon, gravy, butter, and cream cheese spreads. High calorie, high fat products with empty nutritional content promote health risks such as heart disease and weight gain.

    Studies prove that breakfast benefits both the young and the old. The body craves nutrients and needs refueling for its overnight fast. Foods rich in calcium, iron, low-fat proteins, zinc, vitamin B and comlex carbs reward the body with the boost it requires for elevated nutrition and performance levels. Neglecting to eat breakfast advocates lethargy, diminishes concentration, and compromises overall performance.

    Providing children with a wholesome meal in the morning supplies them with needed fuel for successful school achievement. Enchanced concentration, learning and behavior result from eating breakfast. Children who eat breakfast tend to have improved cognitive performance, higher test scores, and better attendence than children who did not eat breakfast.

    Dieters mistake skipping breakfast as a way to lose weight.  In reality, it creates a larger gap between dinner from the night before and the noon-time meal.  This hunger created can cause overeating. Eating a proper breakfast can help control weight successfully.

    Creating healthy recipes that can be prepared in advance is simple.  Before bedtime, mix the ingredients for pancake or waffle mix and refrigerate in a bowl overnight. In the morning, just pour the batter into a pan or waffle iron and bake. Or try a cold recipe like a blended fruit smoothie, using low-fat yogurt and fresh or frozen berries.

    Neglecting the most important meal of the day deprives your body and mind of its full potential. Give yourself the boost you need by making breakfast a part of your morning routine.

"Breakfast is a forecast of the whole day; spoil that, and all is spoiled."- Leigh Hunt